JOURNAL #10

#PEERLEARNING

JOURNAL #10
4/14/22

This past week or so, I have been participating as a student in the other peer teaching lessons. We've concluded three more groups: Peer teaching group #2 was food accessibility/security, group #3 was about identity, and group #4 has been teaching about sustainability, waste and recycling.

In each of these groups, we've explored social justice issues and participated as high school students in group art projects that use integrated technology. Something is powerfully different in two different ways: we look through the lens of our students; putting ourselves in their shoes, and we also look critically at lessons through the lens of an art teacher. I also want to note something of great importance: as we act as students, I am participating in earnest and learning new technologies and new information about these social justice issues.

I'd like to briefly talk about what I've learned from each of these groups in turn:

In group #2 Hanging Garden/Food Insecurity, (which I've talked a little bit about before) we learned about different kinds of food insecurity and privileges, about food deserts and spent a lot of time thinking about our own stories and experiences with food insecurity. We painted our thoughts and experiences on pots and used macrame techniques to make plant hangers. The technology that they integrated was using the 3D printer to make imagery about food insecurity. I choose my own story of my family going to food banks when I was little to ideate my images. When I got older, I volunteered my time at the local food bank to give back to a program that helped my family through hard times.

In group #3 Identity Bench, we explored our personal and varying identities and made stencils with the laser cutter that we then painted onto two benches.

In group #4 Sustainable Structures, we learned about different artists that use waste to draw attention to recycling, waste and sustainable practices. We ideated using the ipad, and then were split into three different groups. I made a rammed earth sculptures for the planter garden. We then got to explore sculptures using recycled and garbage found material to add to the garden space.

In each of these groups, we did some powerful ideating of thoughts and imagery. I was especially inspired by the 3D technology in the second group, and the little 3D printed charms we made to add to our hanging planters. For this journal, I decided to go back and see if I could recreate that process and make new charms, each charm reflecting on what I've learned by participating in the different groups.

I followed the directions from the print out I was given in class, and was able to make new charms. I choose the Carnation powdered milk and bag of Maseca Masa Harina as personal symbols of happiness even through food insecurity. I have personally experienced hunger and food insecurity growing up, and have watched my students deal with this issue as well. I was so moved by this lesson, as so many students go to school hungry and whose families struggle to eat regular meals.

For the Identity bench lesson, I choose the Maseca bag again and the mummified cat as my symbols. I choose these for two reasons: Identity can be tricky and identity can be unusual and unexplainable. I've always felt in between or half of an identity. When I was younger, when you are half latina or bisexual, you can feel like you don't belong in any group fully. The maseca bag reminds me of the complexity of our identities. The mummified cat was because I really wanted to be an Egyptologist and forensic anthropologist when I was little. I was fascinated by ancient cultures, mummification, deification of animals, and my interest and passion was met with so much negativity. I started to bury those dreams because I was told, "it's hard," "it's useless," "it'll never make money," "It's morbid and weird" etc. There is such a large part of who I am that is still that little girl who loves Egyptology. (So I choose to keep both the big and the little mummified cats to symbolise this- as the little one was a part of a happy accident of making two.)

For the third group's symbols, we learned about sustainability and used recycled and waste materials as our art supplies. To symbolise this I used the Campbell's soup can and a plastic bag. The soup can actually has three meanings: It's a recycled material that reminds me of this project, secondly I talked about Andy Warhol being the first artist that I saw using a big idea of challenging the art world, and lastly it also has meaning because outside of the Gregory Allicar Museum of Art where we participated in Brainy, there is a large sculpture of a Campbell's soup can. I used the image of the plastic bag because in the process of using recycled materials to make art, I came up with the idea to weave plastic bags into hanging baskets as bird houses. I never would have used plastic bags to make baskets had I not explored these materials in this lesson.

Each of these charms is to remind me of powerful lessons I have learned participating as a student. I've explored in-depth and learned new things about myself. I've learned new ways of teaching. How to begin putting myself in this duel and useful perspective of acting as both student and teacher; How to grow and honestly participate in lessons while critically thinking and growing as a teacher. I was so impressed by my peers and what they taught me as I watched them teach. I took away so many nuanced and huge lessons. I watched and noted when the teachers looked comfortable and connected to students personally, when they made quick adjustments to their lessons, when they spoke loudly and clearly, when they used creative techniques to bring out student participation. All of it. I instantly started revising my lesson again, thinking, "oh! I would like to use and incorporate that!"

My goal for these charms is to continue making more. To reflect on the other lessons and experiences I've had this semester, incorporating them into my final reflective piece.