Jasper R Lynch

09/24/22
Portfolio Licensure Part 1
Introduction:
As a teacher, I strive to keep my room an open and flexible learning environment for all
students. When my students enter my art room they should feel safe, engaged, and even a healthy
amount of challenge. I want students to view the space as an escape from the academic world
without recognizing how much they are learning. I want to allow them to be great students
without even realizing it. Art is seen as a vacation from the average day's stressors for many
students and because of this, I want to honor that connection while encouraging growth in
students' skills. Other students might not have this connection and even struggle to find reasons
to draw. These different connections to art are okay. Sometimes these different links may also
come with a difference in skill. Students who do not already have a preconceived connection to
art are usually quick to assume that because they are bad they can never make anything good
which can be the first step to being great. It is just those steps in between that students need to
recognize are not so impossible. As a teacher, I think that my very first goal when working with
students is breaking down these preconceived notions of skill. Instead, I want to build up
students' confidence in trying new things. Welcoming mistakes and failures in the art room opens
up students to opportunities for learning and growth. It's important that when students of any
skill enter my room they leave confident that they can improve and succeed.
As an artist, I am someone who struggles to work in one medium at a time. My attention
is always pulled in multiple directions. I have focused on many different mediums in my artistic
career from charcoal and watercolor to engraving and hot glue sculpture. This is something that
I am excited to use to an advantage as a teacher and the ability to flip the script from one project
to another will be useful. When it comes to the different classes throughout the day or even the
year I am confident in my ability to always be excited about a new experience. I usually have
multiple projects going on at once. I love going back and forth between tasks and projects
because this helps to keep the work feeling fresh when I come back to it after a while. This can
help me come up with new ideas and solutions to problems that I might not have seen if I did
not take the time to step away. I want to encourage students to also feel free to explore different
media and take the time that they need to process and tackle big tasks in the art room too. I will
encourage students to make mistakes because those can lead to some of the best works. Once a
student sees why something did not work it is much easier to go back and tackle the problem
with a new perspective.
I will be looking at social and emotional developmental theory as a teacher and artist to
design appropriate learning experiences for my students. I will also be referring to various texts
to find supporting evidence. I will show examples from my past experiences to help build a full
picture of how I plan to carry myself as an art teacher. I aim to provide a clear picture of the
excitement that I have for working in the classroom and the creativity that I can bring along with
it. When students work in the art room I aim to use the following information to help guide
interactions and activities to be the most rewarding experiences for all parties involved.

1.2 Developmental Theory:

Social and emotional learning is always happening in schools. Students will be learning
how to share and take on others' perspectives around ages 2 to 3. It is common for preschools to
concentrate their attention on allowing students to focus on strengthening budding
developmental skills. later around ages 3 and 4, they will begin to mimic older role models by
playing out activities that they have seen repetitively. As students begin to socially develop
more they will begin to grow closer-knit friend groups around the ages of 6 and 9. As students
grow older around ages 12 to 15 they begin to find themselves facing the end of their childhood.
(Rapp, Rosas, 2012) With this transition from childhood to young adulthood, there are still
many opportunities for social and emotional development.
Students are not only learning the core standards in school. They are also learning about
the delicate pieces of social groups and the way that they fit into them. Students can learn just as
much about their self-image and their peers in the hallways as they learn about math in a
classroom. Many interactions in and outside of the classroom can lend a hand in building a
student's character and self-image.
Social and emotional skills can be acquired in the art room as well. Students who rely on
art to distress and process their emotions may find the classroom to be an important space.
Allowing students to explore this use of art will let them create healthy coping skills. (Pliske,
Michelle M, 2021) Having a sturdy set of healthy coping skills will help keep students in charge
of their emotions and encourage them to process what they feel instead of keeping it
suppressed. For other students art might just be a great break from these hard emotions. If
students feel bogged down by big emotional stressors or social changes sometimes turning to art
as a break from those can be helpful. (Pliske, Michelle M, 2021)
In my classroom, students will build and reflect on their self-esteem, their self-control,
and perspective-taking. These are concepts that have to do with Identity development. (Rapp,
Rosas, 2012) when talking about the stages of Identity-development that students may face in the
classroom these three stages stand out to me the most. Novack and Pelaéz presented these stages
in 2004. The reason why these stages stand out to me is that I think that they are important skills
for students to have inside and outside of the classroom. One of the ways that I plan on working
with these senses of self is by looking at the functions of internal and external traits. These are
traits that we give to ourselves and other beings. (Pliske, Michelle M, 2021) I want to move
students' thought processes of problem-solving away from internal traits to external traits that
might make a problem easier to solve. An example of this type of thinking could be instead of
seeing yourself as a bad artist, breaking down the issue at hand. Are the brushes or water that you
are using to paint dirty, is the wrong type of paper being used, do you need more time to observe
the still life, or an easier way to visually measure differences? Once the problem is shifted from
the self to the external factors it's easier to recognize that there are other routes to fixing a
problem. If assuming that being a bad artist is the only issue then solving the problem might
seem impossible at the moment. If students can make these connections to the external ways that
situations function around them then it might encourage them to take more risks academically.
This could allow them to improve their skills and understanding not only inside of the art room
but outside of class as well. (Royston, Reiter-Palmon 2019)
During my time observing elementary school art classes, I saw how the mood of the
children affected their ability to which they were able to push themselves in class. The 5th-grade
class that I was observing that day was working on a project called Blue Dog. This class meets
once a week, sometimes twice depending on if they needed extra time to catch up on
assignments. The project that they were working on was a Square One art project. Students
would follow a loose set of rules to design an image that would then be sent in and printed on a
variety of things parents might want, like pendants, mugs, or tee shirts. The Blue Dog was a
character that they would draw out and then they would decorate the background with any
interests that they had at the time. The student had already spent a previous class the week before
doing sketches. The class was on its second day of the project and was focusing on getting the
outline drawn and coloring. They had the option to use pencils for the initial line drawing and
then markers or colored pencils for the decorating. Students would also need to outline the
drawing in sharpie once done. They had the choice of using thick, thin, or a combination of both
sizes of sharpies. I spent most of my time floating around in class after the papers were handed
out. Many students seemed to struggle with drawing the snout, and the front legs of the dog. I
noticed they were using the same step-by-step template for drawing a dog. I encouraged them not
to give up just because their dogs did not look the same. I took some time to remind students
about the many different types of dogs and encouraged them not to focus too much on drawing
the lines exactly like in the given example. I noticed one student, in particular, was having a very
hard time allowing themselves to move on from the first couple of steps. They were very
adamant about the fact that there was no way that they could draw the dog and they insisted on
having me draw it for them. I said that their parents probably want to look at their drawings more
than mine and we found a compromise. I showed them how to draw the dog and then erased my
lines so they could still see my marks faintly. Then they had to go over the lines with their own to
define them. I also gave them pointers on where to start different parts and the direction to curve
the lines. I knew from talking with the teacher that the class as a whole was just having a very off
day and I could tell that this student in particular was having an extremely hard time believing in
their ability to draw. Being able to sit down with them and show more detailed tips allowed them
to feel like there was a little bit of weight lifted off their shoulders. The next class went much
smoother. I heard a lot fewer students saying that they couldn't draw it right. Progress also moved
quicker as many students worked to finish the project and move on to the next.
When writing my Goals Paper I thought about the social needs students would have in
the art room. This paper was written to highlight the main goals in my classroom that I want
students to achieve. These goals fall outside of regular class standards, and instead are a set of
standards of my own that will help to create more well-rounded adults. These goals are attributes
that should stick with students well outside of the classroom. They focus more on how students
view themselves and others concerning much more open-ended problems. Looking at my first
two goals in this paper my intent to support the student in social and emotional settings is clear.
My first goal is to have students “Empathize with Peers/ Use Constructive criticism Properly/
Respect Others Work”. Sometimes sharing in a new classroom environment can be stressful.
When students find themselves in vulnerable positions they need to have support. Allowing class
activities to focus on the support of classmates allows students to work on strengthening their
social and emotional skills. The ability to empathize with peers will improve how they tackle
interpersonal problems. The proper use of constructive criticism will allow students to take
others' perspectives into account and self-advocate for alternative solutions. My second goal also
touches on the prospect of self-advocating. I state that students should be “Academic Risk
Takers/ Ask for Help When Needed.” When students can take risks more freely in the classroom
they will be more comfortable asking for help with those problems too. When a student can
recognize what they are getting stumped on and don't feel ashamed to ask for help they will be
more empowered to do so in the future. Using my goals paper as an outline for the objectives
that I have for my students will allow me to encourage them to keep developing these social and
emotional skills that they can take with them outside of the art room.

2.1 Individual Differences:

Flexibility is always key when making lesson plans ensuring a learning environment that
enables each student to meet high standards. Thankfully, teaching even the most structured
subjects of art like color theory and perspective can be executed in many different ways. The key
elements of art can be reduced to bite-size pieces that provide an opportunity to use different
examples that range from all different levels of complexity. These examples can all be built back
up for any student to understand and process at their own pace. For example, taking the main
principles and elements of art as an example it is super easy to provide different examples of how
a line is used in art. I can create a project using a UDL lesson plan that allows students of
virtually any learning level to understand and process this large component or art. I can use the
UDL lesson plan template to structure their class they are allowing themselves to have a strong
structure to lean on when working hand son in the classroom with students. These lesson plans
can also be a great tool to use to support a teacher's flexibility. When making a UDL lesson plan
I am allowing myself to cover many different possibilities in one setting. This can allow me to
work on creative problem-solving in my work. One focus to keep in mind when I write diverse
lesson plans are the direct needs of the students in the class. If I want to sculpt my lesson plan in
a way that will support my class the most it should be tailored to the individuals amongst it.
Different students will have different needs; some students may enter a beginning-level
class simply because it is a prerequisite to a higher-level class. These students will need more
challenges available to them to keep them interested and engaged. If students lose their ability to
stay interested in the topic they may come to resent it or me for no longer creating a sense of
satisfaction when completing work.
Other students may need more ways to access the material being taught which can come
in the form of many different needs. For some students, mobility may stop them from using
certain tools and spaces. These students may need mobility aid in the form of thicker grips on
pencils or markers, wheelchair-accessible tables or easels, and possibly support or cushions for
students who might have issues with fatigue. (Vize, 2005) The duration of the activity that
students are asked to do may also be taken into account. Allowing time for students to work on
their projects to the proper level of completion is important. For students who struggle with
ADHD, it might be necessary to allow them more time to gather their thoughts, settle on their
concepts, and piece together their creations. (Vize, 2005)
Students with differing abilities may find themselves spending time outside of the
classroom. (Gable, Tonelson, Sheth, Wilson, Park, 2012) This can be seen as students going to
separate rooms to work or just going on walks or breathers. I think that allowing students to
spend as much time inside the art room as possible can help them interact with peers and even
work on collaboration skills when appropriate. As long as they are in a position where they are
actively gaining positive social interactions the art room just might be a wonderful space for
students of all abilities to execute their creative freedoms. (Vize, 2005) When students don't feel
supported in class it can lead to unfortunate situations. Students can come out of the classroom
feeling discouraged and teachers can feel burnt out. (Gable, Tonelson, Sheth, Wilson, Park,
2012) That's why it's important to plan and build lesson plans with students' differences in mind.
Accommodations can look different for every student. During my time observing a high
school-level illustrative art class, I met a student who made great use of their tablet. The class
was sketching ideas for the next assignment they were working on. This student explained how
using the tablet helped them conceptualize the project. This was because they were familiar with
the technology. Sketching on the tablet helped them to transfer to traditional materials. Once they
were confident in the direction they wanted to go with the project, testing out new materials was
less stressful. From here they could focus more on how the materials worked and how to
manipulate them as needed. In a similar class, another student used gloves when working with
specific materials. This was so the textures would not overwhelm them. This allowed them to
work alongside their classmates. They were able to practice the same skills while staying
comfortable and safe in class.
Using the UDL lesson plan guide and checklist I created my lesson plan on covered
bridges. In this class, I will be using multiple examples to show students how to recreate
perspective. Showing depth in art allows students to mess around with scale. When students can
create a piece that successfully illustrates perspective viewers can feel pulled into the piece. The
lesson that I wrote is for an introductory 9th-grade class. Students will be asked to show how to
create depth in their drawings by creating a covered bridge in their choice of one or two-point
perspective.
This project can allow students different ways of processing and depicting their
understanding or perspective. The hallway activity not only gives students a physical real-life
example of their interactions with perspective every day but it can also show students how
perspective can warp the way that we view things. At the end of the assignment, I will take the
opportunity to allow students to guess how large the red dot (or vanishing point) may be. I also
like this activity because it can be accessible to many different types of students. Working in the
hallway may require the class to be quiet allowing those who get distracted easier to have a
better time focusing. The hallway may also be made a more accessible space for students in
wheelchairs as they can use a table to work alongside their peers. If some students work best on
their feet they may make great use of painting easels to hold their drawing pads.
 Thinking back to my experience at the high school, technology can also be of great use
when working with students who may be differently abled. Allowing students to work with
technology can provide them with ample ways of connecting to the material being taught in
class. As an artist, I feel that technology should be welcome in the art room as long as it is used
in a respectful way that does not interfere with students' learning or the learning of peers.
Students who use technology to create art are just as valid in their endeavors to understand the
way that the elements of art work together to make the things that we find beautiful in this world.

3.2 Collaborative Learning:

In my art room, I want to encourage students to feel free to express their
individuality as students and people. When leading an art class collaboratively I want to keep
group thinking as the goal while allowing individuals to feel supported. (Arends, 2012) I do
not want students to feel like their sparkle has been dulled.
Learning communities are made of social contexts that help define specific roles in group
settings. Teachers instruct what they have learned while students practice their newly gained
skills. This type of community in a classroom is necessary to build. Students move from feeling
like individuals in a setting to individuals working collaboratively. (Arends, 2012) As classes
become a learning community, they begin to work towards a common goal, like getting work
done, helping others, getting help, working to the best of their abilities, and using appropriate
communication and dialogue. (Arends, 2012)
Collaborative creativity is not something new in the art world. Group brainstorming is a
great tool used by many artists and designers to get fresh new ideas. Brainstorming can also lead
to creative solutions to problems that an individual might not have come to by themself. When
getting students to work collaboratively it might be easier to start with something like an
icebreaker. (Stewart, 2015) One great low steaks project could be creating a doodle where
students each start from one corner of the page and work together to fill the page with scribbles
and doodles. From this short interaction, students can chat to get to know each other and also
learn about their peers from what they draw and how they do it. Thinking collaboratively can
help students hear opposing opinions and can help them break familiar patterns pushing them out
of their comfort zone to create new and interesting art. (Stewart, 2015)
 When anyone thinks of an art room, they are thinking of large tables spaced apart or
easels set up for individuals to work on their paintings. Sometimes that's exactly how it works. I
want to work off that idea of an art room and push it to be a collaborative space. I would like to
provide different learning style stations in my classroom that can provide space for individual
artists and collaborative artists. Following in the footsteps of my high school art teacher, I would
like my setup to follow a modular style by having desks or tables on the larger side that would
make it easier to push them together for group work or pull them apart and space out for class
critiques. Allowing the art room to be flexible depending on the daily needs is an important skill,
just like any teacher.
When students have opportunities to work in groups, they can practice their
communication skills. One great way to work on these skills is through class critiques.
Critiques can be a teacher lead class activity that allows students to learn how to express their
feelings in a respectful and meaningful manner. Critiques could be made easy for beginners.
Something as simple as looking at artwork and just describing it. Students can take the time to
look for things like the use of color values or the strength of lines. When looking at the work
students don't have to share their opinions immediately. Instead, they should show that they
understand how the composition came to be. Once students have practiced, I would begin to
ask them to analyze how the formal elements and principles work together. For classes that are
confident in their work as artists, they can use their pieces. For beginner classes that might have
a hard time feeling confident in their work, it could be best to give them an alternative. This
could be something as simple as letting students find pieces of work from well-known artists to
bring in and discuss. In this group activity, students would get to work on their communication
skills with others and also grow stronger connections to the principles and values of art. Two
birds, one big (and sometimes scary) stone.
In my Goals Paper, I make great connections to collaborative work in the art room
throughout multiple goals. In the first goal previously mentioned students will work together to
practice critiques in the art room. These critiques can help students work together to use
vocabulary that is relevant to the art they are critiquing. Students can also practice their
communication skills by sharing their ideas in a non-confrontational way.
 In later goals, three and five “Use Creative Problem Solving” and “Participate in and
contribute to community life/ Use Critical Thinking” Students get chances to collaborate by
working together to solve problems and function in their learning communities. A great way to
facilitate communities in the art room is to have an Art Club. Allowing students to have space
outside of curricular activity can encourage students to become more invested in the work that
they create. An Art Club also gives them ample opportunities to work together which might not
happen in a regular art class. This could be things like setting up activities for fundraisers or
working on larger mural projects together. When it comes to creative problem solving can
bounce their ideas off of each other to see how well their concepts work. Students that have a
common goal that they are working towards achieving can assist each other by sharing how they
might tackle the problem in their unique way. Opening these lines of communication for students
allows them to rely on others in their learning communities for crucial input that students might
miss out on if they were solely working on their own.
Conclusion:
Looking at the skills I aim to keep in mind, I hope to fulfill my duty to keep my art room
a space where students can feel comfortable learning. When I keep my students and their needs
in mind I know that I am doing my best to give them the learning opportunities that they need to
continue developing socially, working creatively, and even collaboratively. Over the past few
years, I have worked in different art rooms and I have spent time in numerous places. Although
they may all be in different towns and buildings each art room had the same feeling. There is an
atmosphere of exploration, an aura of challenge, and an ambiance that allowed the students to
make the space their own. The students I have encountered have shown me that though they all
go through different experiences with individual desires and goals they all still love to learn. Sure
they might not love learning about art specifically, but they still have that drive in them to create
something new. In my art room that is the focus, I want to nurture a creative spirit. I will do this
by providing students with diverse learning opportunities that support individual and
collaborative learning experiences and encourage positive social interaction.

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