EDUC 386 Documentation: Extra-Curricular Event

Name of event: 3-D Artistic Abilities

Date of event: March 21, 2017
Time you were there: 4-6PM

Summery:
Artistic Abilities is a community driven art class geared towards special
needs individuals. There are many different classes ranging from 2-D to
3-D, with materials raging from marker to graphic to paint. The
particular 3-D class that I lead was an older group ranging 18 to 50.
The demographic is mixed male and female and various disabilities.
For this event I lead an art lesson of my choice process and materials.
The lesson or big idea I was trying to achieve with the students is
interaction. Not only was interaction important in the activity but also I
wanted to get the students working with different materials. The
project is spread over 5 sessions with the students. The first material
and aspect of interaction is beginning with clay to form a character.
This character is up to the imagination of the students in the class.
Because this class is 5 sessions long I really wanted to stress to the
students that they didnt need to race though their pieces and the
more the better. I worked with students individually in coil building,
slab building, and slip and score techniques.

What did you learn?

This was a very unique experience for me because I really dont have
much experience working with special needs students. Because I dont
have much experience in this I was feeling anxieties before the class. I
took away from this class preparation is very important. I created a
lesson plan for the students and for the project. Along with this I
learned that adaptation is paramount when leading a lesson especially
with special needs students. One of the students, Nicholas, was very
timid and I had a very difficult time getting him to engage with the
materials and me. I had to adapt and stray from my intended lesson
plan. After talking to Nick for able 10 minutes questioning him, I
realized from his responses that it was difficult for him to think in 3-D. I
dropped that clay idea and grabbed him markers and paper for him to
draw. He instantly took to this and began working. It was very
encouraging. I took away from this event that patience is king when
working with students, as well; I learned the importance of adaptation.