Olivia Leblanc Enhanced Annotated Bibliography Baer, Dr. Stephanie A.

, Allowing Myself Room To Speak: The Journey Of An Artist/Teacher. GEMS: Copyright Stephanie A. Baer, 2013. Print. Dr. Baer, in Allowing Myself Room To Speak: The Journey Of An Artist/Teacher, describes her path taken through multiple identities: student, artist, teacher. When thinking about the roles that Art Educators are expected to reside within, it is important to remember their impact on each other and this is exactly what she considers. As an artist I strongly believe in the potential of the creative process and its power to hold us in reflection of our selves and our actions. As a teacher of education and the arts I see the power we each have to affect the lives of others and the influence our context has on our development. (2) Though she expresses the importance of this creative process, she also hits on the idea that the rest of education expects the art classroom to adopt their processesof management, language and procedures. She discusses that as she went through the motions, she realized this was not benefiting her studentsto be like the general education classroom. What I kept forgetting to do was consider the displacement I knew I was feeling and relate that to what my students had to be feeling as a result of my overly organized classroom (7) What we search for as educatorsthat chance to exist with our students in and all-encompassing, opening experience that allows for a diversity of response. Have we seen this beforeenough to know when weve recognized authentic learning and opening spaces? Are we encouraged to find this? I move to a consideration of what it is like to experience this potential in learning and defining ourselves and then lose that opportunity. (3) She then goes on to discuss Effective Loss and the impact on school systems as a whole. How did we as a society and more specifically, an academic community (all school institutions included here) get to a point where efficiency was prized above novel originality and the potential for creativity? We may save face by giving lip service to creative endeavors, but should they interfere with more practical necessities, they no longer have a place in daily lives of students. (3) Dr. Stephanie A. Baer continues with the idea that Art Education is something she had to keep advocating for and continued to justify and explain her vital role. She said she did find people who believed in the importance of Art in their schools but when she asked them why, the only answer was because it provided a break from the truly rigorous disciplines. (6) A theme continues throughout the articleDr. Baers multidimensional identity and the influence it had on her decision making process as an artist and Art Educator. She also poses questions. She asks us to think deeply about the way we are viewing our world and society. She asks us to consider whether or not we are doing what is best for our students. She asks us to consider the idea of diversity of response. Is there room for diversity of response? Are we encouraged to find this? She asks on page 3. Dr. Baer also looks at the value (or lack thereof) placed on Art Education. When thinking about my own path taken as an artist/teacher, I sometimes overwhelm myself with dreams that I havefor Art Education, for myself as an artist and for what I want to create/put out to the world visuallywhat questions I want to pose. I have found that, surprisingly enough,

Art Education and the process of teaching has only enhanced my art making process. My art making process has helped define and enhance my teaching. This multidimensional identity seems to bring more meaning and depth to both areas of practice. When thinking about the idea of value place on Art Education, I have experienced, first hand what Dr. Baer discusses in her article. We may save face by giving lip service to creative endeavors, but should they interfere with more practical necessities, they no longer have a place in daily lives of students. (3) This leads me to pose the question, how is this working for us as a society?an educational system? Beghetto, Ronald A. and Kaufman, James C., Teaching for Creativity with Disciplined Improvisations. R.K. Sawyer (Ed.), 2011. Print. I chose this article because I felt it had another perspective on the way creativity can be defined and implemented within the classroom and teaching. At the beginning of the article, Ronald and Kaufman discuss the fear that many teachers first starting off have when it comes to their classrooms: chaos. Many teachers worry that inviting creativity into the classroom will result in curricular chaos. (94) They next took a look at the idea of structure and planningif enough planning, direction and structure are in place then there can be room for creating to happen organically without a set of rules for the improvisation. Teachers need to plan their lessons with the idea that parts of the teaching will be fixed and other parts will be determined as the students process and create. I do find the ending to be interesting: the paradox of wanting simultaneously teach for academic learning and creativity, but feeling caught between the dual tensions of fearing curricular chaos when teaching for creativity and worrying about stifling creativity when teaching for academic learning (106) I do believe this article makes some good points i.e. finding the balance between creativity and fixed lessons where students have little room to place themselves into the cookie cutter formula. I do wonder, though, can creativity be academic? In the end of the article, Beghetto and Kaufman state, as you can see quotes above, feeling caught between the dual tensions of fearing curricular chaos when teaching for creativity and worrying about stifling creativity when teaching for academic learning (106) so by saying academic learning and curricular chaos when teaching for creativity what category is creativity put into? The article initially talks about letting creativity happen organically and closes discussing teaching for creativityall very interesting things that I noticed. As I think about my implementation of creativity everyday in the art classroom, I want to consider the fact that the moment you have a big idea, there is no need to worry about a differentiated line between academics and creativity. They get the chance to co-exist and work together. When this happens, it is truly a moment of genius and how, in my opinion, things should be. When students have the chance to consider something new (academic) but place their own experiences and thoughts (creativity) into the equation, there is not separation. In my opinion, you cant have one without the other and be an inspirational, progressive teacher.

Eliot, Lise. The Myth of Pink and Blue. Volume 68/Number 3. 2010. Print. Lise Eliot in The Myth of Pink and Blue made some fantastic points right in the beginning of the articlediscussing gender differences as a major topic in todays society and as always we need to keep in mind and consider the new found evidence of brain function and developmental activity. One thing that I found the most interesting was the idea that neuroscience has identified very few differences between boys and girls brains. Our actual ability level differences are quite small (2). The article also stated that children also develop the skills they will bring into the classroom through early playwhich I found rather true and interesting. The article goes on to give some major headliners and subtopics, which I feel, are important to note. Oneavoid stereotyping. Twoappreciate the RANGE of intelligence. Threestrengthen spatial awareness. 4writing ability shows and even larger gender gap. 5recruit boys to non-athletic activities. 6treat teacher bias SERIOUSLY. After reading this article I am left with a sense of validity for the way I have been looking at teaching thus far. I also am left with the idea that there are things I need to make sure I emphasize as I lead the classroom from this point going forward. I do want to consider one part of the article that I think is important to note. This suggests that environmental factors are important in shaping gender gaps. The truth is that no mental ability-or ability difference-is hardwired into the brain. Abilities develop in a social-cultural context that includes each childs opportunities, relationships, sense of identity, and more. Each and every human being is uniquely themselveseven suggesting that we should be classified into two different groups is stealing away our individuality. Lastly, when thinking about social justice issues and gender/equality issues I do think that this article has brought to my attention the need to ensure I enhance my curriculum so that it can focus on these issues and bring light/conversation and education to students when thinking beyond the classroom. I think back to when I was in elementary and middle school. The transition to middle school was the moment when I noticed my peers either breaking away from gender stereotypes or conform even more. It leads me to question the influence of this transition and the reason some people break away from the stereotype and others cling to the stereotype. I leave questioning; in 10 years what issues will still exist? What issues will be extinct? May, Wanda T., The Arts and Curriculum as Lingering. Pages 141-152, 2010. Print. Lingering means making room for myself and reflecting upon my relation to the world and what it means to be in it. (141) This article by Wanda T. May looks in depth at the idea of taking time to reflect and linger. Students need to process their experiences and their new knowledge and incorporate all in order to fully gain new perspective. Vividly descries and illuminates what students leanr about the wold, themselves, and others through aesthetic ways of knowing, building a more convincing argument for lingering in the formal school curriculum than thus far has been presentedthis requires granting studentsno matter their agetheir own voice and expertise in chosing and making sense of their experiences. (141)

When thinking about lingering I like to consider the fact that this gives students the chance to have the feeling of being free from routine. In the art classroom I like to strive to give this opportunitywe must have deadlines but we can go about our processing in a way that gives each individual a moment to really think, reflect and process. Wonder about the past, your situatedness in the present, and your connection to anything or anyone else memorable. From the above, I learned that lingering has a memorable quality; therefore, much can be learned from lingering. (144) Lastly, I think it is crucial to consider the many things that are learned hidden in the curriculum and from reflection. I have seen the process of problem solving; processing and thinking enhance my students abilities to work with less lingering in the following assignments. Initially it may take time but in the end, it will result in deeper and richer knowledge and growth. I saw this happen when I was teaching my first grade students. We were working on a found object project. This project was all about collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. There was more time spent on lingering but the take-away was worth the linger.
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