My Inquiry Journey During My Practicum
During my Practicum at Guildford Park Secondary in Surrey, I discovered that many of my students were disadvantaged. Many of my students were dealing with issues of poverty, family problems, trauma, racism, bullying and violence at the school. During my time there, both a school fight and a separate stabbing incident occurred just outside of the school involving four students who were all suspended. In order to better prepare myself for these types of circumstances, I’ve been studying trauma-informed practices and learning how to incorporate compassionate teaching strategies and mindfulness into my curriculum.
I believe that by teaching students how to learn about themselves, that this gives them the self-knowledge they need to feel empowered. I do this with my art students by implementing compassionate teaching, mindfulness practices, and unit plans based on themes of identity, personal expression, and personal transformation. Through compassionate pedagogy and mindfulness activities I aim to nurture a sense of trust, safety, and relaxation into my classroom. By implementing compassionate practices of positivity, I am exploring how I can foster personal empowerment, creativity, play, and joy in my art classes. During my Practicum, I consistently used positive re-enforcement to build student confidence and encourage creative and artistic growth. By using positive phrases and perspectives in my classes, this helped to bring out the personality, the core values, and the creative artist within my students. In my own art practice and with my private art students I have seen the connections between art, healing, joy, positivity, and creativity. Creating a dynamic and supportive classroom is one way to model healthy relationships for students where learning can thrive. Negative reinforcement only inhibits creativity and lowers self-esteem, and I want to improve my student’s confidence by focusing on their strengths and what they can do right now. By encouraging my students, it helps them to feel safe enough to express themselves in their art.
As an artist and art coach, I have seen how personal transformation and philosophical shifts can result from powerful art making. During my Practicum I have witnessed how my students’ spirits lifted as they let go of inner restraints and creative blocks and embraced artistic experimentation. Unit plans that explore the self, allow students to become clearer and more confident in discovering who they are, what they want out of life, and what they wish to express about their self and emotions in a creative and healthy way.