Inquiry Topic Question: What is the relationship between the community, the arts, and public education?
Walking the streets of Newark, interviewing community members and children, and taking photographs and field notes have revealed a wealth of information answering the question above.
I have discovered that there is not an abundance of street or public art in the community. The only pieces of public art that I have been are the boldly painted garbage cans that line the street beginning at the Lincoln Park Historic District and moving down Broad Street,. There is also very little graffiti, which could also be considered “street art,” and the only mural is the devils hockey icon on the Prudential Center.
However, there are many community sites that are affordable for the public and that celebrate the visual and performing arts. An extra-curricular school called the Newark Community School of the Arts (NSA) is open to both children and adults. This school has a high population of people who participate in the arts programs and classes. There is also the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), which is a venue that holds attractions for the performance arts and musical arts concerts. There are several museums and galleries in the area, including the Newark Museum. This museum is one of the top three museums in the country that spends the majority of its budget on programs and classes for the local students.
Interviews with community members informed me that the community values and takes pride in the arts, but the artwork is only visible inside the sites built to honor the arts. I saw and spoke with one street artist who was painting “name banners.” He is trying to inspire to community, and he saws that it is the artist’s job to create the art that speaks to the public.
I am learning that Newark public schools also value the arts. Parents that I have interviewed shared that their kids produce a lot of art in school. The only time student work becomes part of the community is when student work is chosen for an exhibit in a local museum or gallery.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Online Assignment 4/13
1. Review the families in Unequal Childhoods, and see if you can create a chart that reflects the following demographic and cultural information.
See chart. (hard copy only)
2. Turn to the NJRCL report and pay specific attention to the information provided about Essex County, and the concerns, challenges, and recommendations in the report. Review the six families in Unequal Childhoods, and make connections between the NJRCL report and the realities these families might face if they lived in Essex County, NJ.
The annual self-sufficiency wage for a single parent with one or more children in Essex County ranges from $39,299-$61,017. All of the single-parent families, the Taylor’s, Brindle’s, and the McAllister’s, make much less than the annual self-sufficiency wage. The Driver family might get away with living in Essex County, but the politics of the family is sticky because Ms. Driver’s boyfriend is not legally tied to the Driver children. Without his contribution, the family would suffer.
There are only four families that would be able to live comfortably on the annual self-sufficiency wage, the Tallinger’s, Williams’, Marshall’s, and the Handlon’s. The other families would need to cut out expenses such as transportation, extra curricular activities, childcare, and food in order to survive in Essex County. For example, Tyrec Taylor would not have been able to play football, the McAllister family would run out of their food supply more often, and the Brindle’s may not have electricity for a couple days until they could pay their electric bill. The parents are forced to sacrifice certain needs to match the needs most important.
The poor families from Unequal Childhoods would have a fighting chance to survive if they lived in a city in Essex County. Cities, compared to the suburbs, have free transportation, markets and stores within walking distance, and more job opportunities for adults who have little educational background. Unfortunately, cities are a dangerous environment to raise a family. Mrs. Taylor comments that she currently lives in a “ghetto” city with high crime rates. If the Taylor family were to have moved into a city in Essex County, their situation would be sadly worse compared to their current living conditions. The Taylor’s would have to downgrade their house size as well as other expenses that they have in their current location.
3. Look at the two reports from the LSNJ on living in poverty. What further information can you glean from the reports regarding the struggles the poor families in Unequal Childhoods might face if they lived in NJ?
New Jersey is a very expensive state to live in. Compared to the federal poverty level of $17,600 per year, the self-sufficiency wage in Essex County is well above that mark beginning at $39,299. Although this number seems self-sufficient, there would be many currently affordable expenses and activities that the poor families from Unequal Childhoods could not afford if they lived in Essex County. The drastic cut in expenses could drastically altar the children’s learning ability and cognitive development.
If the Brindle family moved to Essex County, for example, Ms. Brindle could not financially support Katie singing and performing talents if she was asked to compete at a higher level. If Katie’s mother cannot financially support Katie’s talents and passions through extra-curricular activities, this may drive Katie to more serious self-destructive behavior. Young Katie is already traveling down a dangerous road considering her family’s current situation, and the more bumps in that road the more challenging it will make Katie’s life. Moving to Essex County followed by the Brindle’s budget cuts might cause Katie to suffer mentally, socially, and cognitively.
Similar to the Brindle’s, the Driver’s would be in a similar situation if they had to live in Essex County. Wendy is currently unusually busy with extra-curricular activities that require her mother to transport Wendy from place to place. If living in Essex County, the Driver’s would have to cut back on travel expenses, therefore taking away most if not all of Wendy’s extra-curricular activities. These activities are most likely helping Wendy with her cognitive development as well as with her learning disability. It would be a shame if Wendy were forced to give up the activities that play a crucial role in her educational development.
4. Turn inward and think about who you are as a budding urban educator. In what ways is this information useful (or not) for you? In terms of better understanding a community? What do you need to learn, or what skills and dispositions (frames of mind) do you need to develop related to demographics and economics to be a successful urban educator?
As a future urban educator Unequal Childhoods, the NJRCL report, and the LSNJ reports have helped me realize that every child comes from a different race, class, and family environment. While it may be difficult to know the full details of a student’s daily life, past, and future, it will be very important that I make a strong attempt to understand and relate to each student’s life so that I can be an affective teacher.
Art is a lively aspect of culture and education. It is important to be open-minded towards my students’ abilities, artworks, and opinions. Individuality and expression will hold a high standard in my art lessons and pedagogy. I believe it is crucial to get to know each student’s interests and culture so that the student can incorporate a large piece of themselves into their artwork.
An instructional method that I could use of the first day of my art classes is an Interest Inventory, which will give me a general idea of who my students are, their interests, likes, dislikes, favorite activities, hobbies, family life, and perspective on education. It is important that I have an understanding of the type of lives my students have outside of the classroom, because it will affect their schoolwork and outlook on life.
Ice Breakers are also a good method to begin to learn about students. These teaching techniques barely scrape the surface of getting to know students. I understand that to be a successful teacher it is important to get to know the community that the school resides including local demographics and self-sufficiency wages. I would also love to meet my students’ parents and families.
I believe it is important that I learn more about what I can do as a teacher to become a more active member in the community and in my students’ lives. What is a practical way of researching this type of information? What have other art teachers done with their local communities in the past? Will I be encouraged or discouraged by the school to take these actions?
See chart. (hard copy only)
2. Turn to the NJRCL report and pay specific attention to the information provided about Essex County, and the concerns, challenges, and recommendations in the report. Review the six families in Unequal Childhoods, and make connections between the NJRCL report and the realities these families might face if they lived in Essex County, NJ.
The annual self-sufficiency wage for a single parent with one or more children in Essex County ranges from $39,299-$61,017. All of the single-parent families, the Taylor’s, Brindle’s, and the McAllister’s, make much less than the annual self-sufficiency wage. The Driver family might get away with living in Essex County, but the politics of the family is sticky because Ms. Driver’s boyfriend is not legally tied to the Driver children. Without his contribution, the family would suffer.
There are only four families that would be able to live comfortably on the annual self-sufficiency wage, the Tallinger’s, Williams’, Marshall’s, and the Handlon’s. The other families would need to cut out expenses such as transportation, extra curricular activities, childcare, and food in order to survive in Essex County. For example, Tyrec Taylor would not have been able to play football, the McAllister family would run out of their food supply more often, and the Brindle’s may not have electricity for a couple days until they could pay their electric bill. The parents are forced to sacrifice certain needs to match the needs most important.
The poor families from Unequal Childhoods would have a fighting chance to survive if they lived in a city in Essex County. Cities, compared to the suburbs, have free transportation, markets and stores within walking distance, and more job opportunities for adults who have little educational background. Unfortunately, cities are a dangerous environment to raise a family. Mrs. Taylor comments that she currently lives in a “ghetto” city with high crime rates. If the Taylor family were to have moved into a city in Essex County, their situation would be sadly worse compared to their current living conditions. The Taylor’s would have to downgrade their house size as well as other expenses that they have in their current location.
3. Look at the two reports from the LSNJ on living in poverty. What further information can you glean from the reports regarding the struggles the poor families in Unequal Childhoods might face if they lived in NJ?
New Jersey is a very expensive state to live in. Compared to the federal poverty level of $17,600 per year, the self-sufficiency wage in Essex County is well above that mark beginning at $39,299. Although this number seems self-sufficient, there would be many currently affordable expenses and activities that the poor families from Unequal Childhoods could not afford if they lived in Essex County. The drastic cut in expenses could drastically altar the children’s learning ability and cognitive development.
If the Brindle family moved to Essex County, for example, Ms. Brindle could not financially support Katie singing and performing talents if she was asked to compete at a higher level. If Katie’s mother cannot financially support Katie’s talents and passions through extra-curricular activities, this may drive Katie to more serious self-destructive behavior. Young Katie is already traveling down a dangerous road considering her family’s current situation, and the more bumps in that road the more challenging it will make Katie’s life. Moving to Essex County followed by the Brindle’s budget cuts might cause Katie to suffer mentally, socially, and cognitively.
Similar to the Brindle’s, the Driver’s would be in a similar situation if they had to live in Essex County. Wendy is currently unusually busy with extra-curricular activities that require her mother to transport Wendy from place to place. If living in Essex County, the Driver’s would have to cut back on travel expenses, therefore taking away most if not all of Wendy’s extra-curricular activities. These activities are most likely helping Wendy with her cognitive development as well as with her learning disability. It would be a shame if Wendy were forced to give up the activities that play a crucial role in her educational development.
4. Turn inward and think about who you are as a budding urban educator. In what ways is this information useful (or not) for you? In terms of better understanding a community? What do you need to learn, or what skills and dispositions (frames of mind) do you need to develop related to demographics and economics to be a successful urban educator?
As a future urban educator Unequal Childhoods, the NJRCL report, and the LSNJ reports have helped me realize that every child comes from a different race, class, and family environment. While it may be difficult to know the full details of a student’s daily life, past, and future, it will be very important that I make a strong attempt to understand and relate to each student’s life so that I can be an affective teacher.
Art is a lively aspect of culture and education. It is important to be open-minded towards my students’ abilities, artworks, and opinions. Individuality and expression will hold a high standard in my art lessons and pedagogy. I believe it is crucial to get to know each student’s interests and culture so that the student can incorporate a large piece of themselves into their artwork.
An instructional method that I could use of the first day of my art classes is an Interest Inventory, which will give me a general idea of who my students are, their interests, likes, dislikes, favorite activities, hobbies, family life, and perspective on education. It is important that I have an understanding of the type of lives my students have outside of the classroom, because it will affect their schoolwork and outlook on life.
Ice Breakers are also a good method to begin to learn about students. These teaching techniques barely scrape the surface of getting to know students. I understand that to be a successful teacher it is important to get to know the community that the school resides including local demographics and self-sufficiency wages. I would also love to meet my students’ parents and families.
I believe it is important that I learn more about what I can do as a teacher to become a more active member in the community and in my students’ lives. What is a practical way of researching this type of information? What have other art teachers done with their local communities in the past? Will I be encouraged or discouraged by the school to take these actions?
Monday, April 6, 2009
Introduction to Inquiry project
Art education represents an important part of a student’s education in order to form well rounded individuals. It has been proven to help students cognitively and motivate them in many other school activities.
Therefore, this study which took place in Newark, New Jersey, is a research on the importance of art education in Newark public schools. In particular there is a focus on Newark Arts High School, the opportunities this public school provides, how art is integrated in the curriculum, and the public art that surrounds the school in a ten block radius.
Because our main purpose of research is to find out what are the relationships between the arts, the community, and its public schools, it was necessary to observe the community of the Newark Arts High School, to look at art on the streets, popular art in particular, and to discover what ways art represents the community and how is it linked to public education. Do teachers use popular art in classes to engage students?
In this study the main characters were students and teachers. It was crucial to have an understanding of the interests students had compared to what the teachers wanted them to learn. The opinion of the rest of the community was also an important aspect of our study, so therefore we also interviewed people on the streets.
Therefore, this study which took place in Newark, New Jersey, is a research on the importance of art education in Newark public schools. In particular there is a focus on Newark Arts High School, the opportunities this public school provides, how art is integrated in the curriculum, and the public art that surrounds the school in a ten block radius.
Because our main purpose of research is to find out what are the relationships between the arts, the community, and its public schools, it was necessary to observe the community of the Newark Arts High School, to look at art on the streets, popular art in particular, and to discover what ways art represents the community and how is it linked to public education. Do teachers use popular art in classes to engage students?
In this study the main characters were students and teachers. It was crucial to have an understanding of the interests students had compared to what the teachers wanted them to learn. The opinion of the rest of the community was also an important aspect of our study, so therefore we also interviewed people on the streets.
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