Expectations and Community

When I think about classes that I have had in the past that I think were really successful for myself and as a whole, I recall my art classes that were student oriented with a small amount of guidance and direction. It was student responsibility to get work done and to be self motivated to want to be successful and use class time as best as possible. The teacher was there not to tell you how to do something, but to introduce a concept and let you run with it. Expectations were high because it was a belief that if you were in the class, you wanted to be there and therefore would put 110% into everything you did.

In my current placement in the elementary school, things are a little more structured than a high school setting would be because there are a lot of students and not all the students are necessarily intrinsically motivated to achieve high. The teacher seems to have different expectations for different students depending on their skill levels, but still expects all the students to try their best and work hard during their time in the art room. The teacher is very welcoming to all the students and seems to know them well. This allows the students to feel more comfortable to showcase their talents or skills in a way that they may not if they didn't feel as comfortable. Overall, most of the students seem to want to be in the art room and are eager an excited to see what they will be doing or learning that day because they are in a welcoming community that is respectful and fun.