Teaching Strategies and Activities
I teach art and photography. As mentioned previously, the main objective of this unit is to increase collaboration and Cross-curriculum (Texas History, Oil Industry, and Climate change) activities in visual arts. Hearne is known as the “Crossroads of Texas”. The railroads have always played a significant role. This comes from the early days of passenger trains to now. We have a rich industry history, and my students will research the role Hearne has played in the history of Texas, the Oil Industry/Oil Boom, and potentially climate change. This was all evident; however, Hearne was noted for transporting cotton. The students will create works of art that reflect what they have learned.
Collaborative Learning
We mix students of different ages, educational levels, interests, and skills with collaboration. This heterogeneous grouping allows students to learn from one another's differences and provides a chance to interact with diverse individuals. Also, it enables advanced students to mentor their peers or peer teaching. Ultimately, this breaks down learning barriers and gives students a safe learning place. Now, it doesn’t take the workload away from the educators. We still must plan lessons, do formal and informal assessments, and be the facilitators of the classroom. I have found that cross-curriculum activities enhance and reinforce learning.
Peer teaching. This is where students learn directly from each other’s teaching. I will create Sentence Stems for the students. This preset sentence structure allows you to read their introduction for their presentations. Graphic Organizers (KWL charts and Mind Maps) reinforce learning and help organize information. Gallery Walks are to allow the student to view and make constructive comments about each other’s works of art. Blended Learning is where I will utilize technology/videos to assist students based on their learning styles. Kinesthetic Learning is simply movement. We will set up stations so each student can move around the room and engage in different activities.
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