Michelle Posner's Teaching Portfolio

Related Services Interview

2008-12-01T17:03:00.000-08:00

Part I

During my observations at Uniondale High School, I interviewed several professionals who provide services to the mainstream students and students with special needs. These professionals play different roles in the student’s lives, but are necessary to allow the students the highest quality of care available.

The school’s guidance counselor was a licensed social worker, and was very knowledgeable of the wide array of related services that Uniondale High School had to offer. The school psychologist was also very helpful in informing me of the opportunities and services available to the students. These two professionals explained that they often work in conjunction with one another in order to provide help to the students. I found out about these two service providers by inquiring with several of the teachers of whom I am observing, asking them who the most knowledgeable related service providers were in the school. Both of these professionals’ names were mentioned several times, and they were delighted to hear that the teachers had recommended them so enthusiastically.

Uniondale encourages group problem solving by arranging interdisciplinary meetings for struggling students. The psychologist explained that the interdisciplinary team typically includes every adult who has direct importance in the student’s life. For example, this team could include the parents or guardians, the social worker, psychologist, teachers, case manager (if applicable), and any other adult who works directly with the student on a regular basis. He explained that the student has the option of attending these meetings, but it is not mandatory. The interdisciplinary team holds meetings whenever applicable. For example, the psychologist explained to me that he was in the process of arranging an interdisciplinary meeting for a student who is frequently bullied. At the meeting, he plans to discuss the option of this student participating in a “buddy group” where the students participate in empowering activities, such as volunteering at a local nursing home. These meetings are separate from the Individual Education Plan team, although they often discuss the progress of the goals on the IEP. Often the same professionals are also involved in the IEP team, but the valued outcomes of these two teams are different. The interdisciplinary tam simply offers extra support to the student by finding out what extra tools the student may need to succeed in school.

The school district also encourages group problem solving by employing these two professionals to run group therapy sessions with various groups of students in the high school. The guidance counselor explained that he runs four different therapy groups who meet for one period once a week. He explained that the groups are broken up by class. For example, there is a freshman, sophomore, junior and senior group. Each of these groups contains individuals with various issues, such as disabilities, unstable home environments, the recent death of a family member, social difficulties, (etc). The guidance counselor explained that in these groups, the students participate in various community building activities, such as trust falls and blind walks. The students work together to become comfortable in various intimidating environments.

Uniondale school district provides a wide array of services for students with special needs. Certainly, the services available to the students with special needs are adequate to the federal and state regulations. On site, the high school offers speech therapy, audiology, therapeutic counseling and social work. Students are generally referred for a majority of the services, but students can usually “walk in” to the guidance counselor’s office and consult with them.

Part II

The first person I chose to interview for this project was the school’s guidance counselor. He was a licensed social worker. He explained that he attended Adelphi’s school of social work to attain his LMSW. He explained that he was hired by Uniondale school district, and not an outside agency. He explained that his job description is to provide counseling to all students whose last names begin with “A” through “F.” He explained that there are three guidance counselors currently hired by the high school, and their workloads are divided by the quantity of students in each letter category. He explained that the most common type of interaction he has with his students involves future planning. He also offers individual and group therapy to students who are referred to him. He explained that often he seeks out students on his own, if he feels that there may be a problem. His office was small, with bookshelves filled with information about various colleges. I asked him to what extent that he assists the students with researching colleges. He explained that after building a rapport with the student, he could assess his or her interests through a few interviews. He then provides the students with any information that he believes wouyld be relevant to the students future planning. He explained that he provides services to students through both CSE/ Section 504 and referrals from teachers. He told me that he often attends interdisciplinary meetings for students with special needs. He explained that he usually delivers services in his office, but he sometimes pulls out students from their classrooms if there is a pertinent issue that must be addressed. For example, he will pull students who are involved in a fight into his office to work out the conflict. He explained that he generally meets with the students to schedule appointments, and schedules future appointments at each meeting. Scheduling affects the quality of service, because missed appoints could result in the student not gaining the information he or she needs in order to plan his or her future schooling. He explained that the teacher is not involved in the scheduling of services, except in the case of a new referral. This professional is absolutely a consultant to the students. He explained that he plans to meet with each of his students every quarter, but he often meets with them more frequently than that. The students consult with him to gain information about colleges, tech schools and other opportunities for post-graduation. He explained that he believes that open communication contributes to positive working relationships with the teachers. He feels that negative attitudes hinder his working relationships with the teachers. He feels that each student is unique and can succeed with the proper supports.

The second professional who I interviewed was the school psychologist. He earned his degree in psychology at SUNY Stony Brook, and he is a certified psychologist. He explained that he is an employee of the school district and has worked there for six years. He explained that his job description is to provide therapeutic counseling to students. He provides both individual and group therapy to students on site. He can also make referrals to other schools and agencies in order to provide students with the highest level of support. He explained that meetings with the student’s family must occur in order for a high profile referral to be made. He provides services to students through the CSE/section 504 and to the general student population as well. This service is available through referrals and consultations with teachers. He explained that when he receives a referral, he pulls the student out of the classroom for the initial meeting. At that meeting he decides whether or not to schedule a standing appointment. He explained that the level of care differs for each student who he meets with. Often times, he will only meet with the student once or twice after the referral is made, or until he feels that the student is ready to move on from the service. He explained that the students come to his office for their appoints, after the initial meeting. He explained that scheduling varies. His secretary schedules appointments for him. Scheduling is also important because the students meet with him for differing amounts of time. He explained that teachers and other professionals in the school are involved in the planning, because the appointments must occur during times when students have down time, or classes that are “less important” in the teacher’s opinion. This professional is a consultant to the students, because he offers advice and insight into various situations. Consultations are scheduled at the time of the referral, and new appointments are made at each session, unless the student has a standing appointment. The psychologist works with students who are experiencing stressful situations, such as a death in the family, divorce, drug and alcohol abuse, abuse by another individual (etc.) He offers both individual and group therapies to the students. He explained that the key to successful working relationships with the other teachers is compromise, especially concerning scheduling. He feels that the most hindering teacher behavior that he encounters at the school is apathy. For example, if a student clearly needs help, and a referral is not made. He explains that this behavior is neglect in his opinion.

Rationale

2008-12-01T16:44:00.000-08:00

Rationale

While surveying and sampling the current curriculum and inclinations in art education, one can find many contradictory and disheartening trends relating to the dawn of new technology and the cultural shift to push young artists into the graphic media field, rather than fine art.

On an ordinary day, one can visit the colorful neighborhoods of New York City and view literally thousands of examples of graphic media that are currently used in our society. At any given time, that person visiting New York could look up and view ads for underwear, cologne, television shows, movies, and many other things. That person, however, will not view fine art within these media images, but rather, premeditated depictions of merchandise sold in stores intended to sell products. Graphic media is the cultural force into the new era of fine art. Graphic media also speaks volumes about what society finds most important and captivating in an ad, enough to have the desire to purchase the item that is being advertised. The graphic artist generates art for a purpose; that purpose being to sell various products. I believe that if the worth of creating art is contained within a selling campaign, art then loses its original intention and principle. Art theorists and practitioners such as Arthur C. Danto would explain that “ It is certainly the case that art no longer affords that satisfaction of spiritual needs which earlier ages and nations sought in it and found in it alone, a satisfaction that, at least on the part of religion, was most immediately linked with art. The beautiful days of Greek art, like the
golden days of the later Middle Ages, are gone.” Weintraub, L. (1996). Art on the Edge
and Over. Litchfield, CT: Art Insights, Inc. (p. 12). Danto explains in this quote that art
is no longer practiced as a soul fulfilling prophecy (as it should be). Art is
now created as a tool for selling. Art that was once brimming with political and social
criticisms is now bursting at the seams with iconic pictures and words used to sell
products.

While I am not suggesting that graphic art in the media is a negative force, I feel that it is totally, altogether separate from art, and should be classified as such. Graphic media art is not created for the artist, but rather for the consumer. When exploring the original foundations behind fine art, it becomes obvious that art’s original intention was to create a place of ventilation, serenity and Zen for the artist. The practice of art can be viewed as crucial for sustaining the mental health of the artist. In Leven C. Leaherbury’s article, Conflict in commitment to Art Education, he explains, “Although professional publications regularly print examples of student art, how often do they include statements by students about art?” Leven C. Leatherbury. Conflicts in Commitment to Art Education. Art Education (NAEA), Vol. 24, No. 2. (Feb, 1971), (p. 7). With this quote, Leatherbury eludes to the idea that fine art should contain the necessary criteria to carry such a title. In this case, Leatherbury addresses the need for a fine artist to establish understand his or her own interpretation and philosophy behind art before he or she can create meaningful, soul enriching art. To establish this personal meaning behind art, the artist must search his or her soul and identify the values and virtues that he or she believes to be most important. These virtues and values can stem from many areas of importance in the individual’s life, such as politics, religion, upbringing, family and many other various influences.

Graphic media art speaks in diverse ways to the different viewers. Along with the advent of digital graphic design comes responsibility by the artists who prepare and generate the different messages that are being sent to the public through ad campaigns. The creators of visual culture must take personal responsibility for the messages that are being sent through the public viewing of his or her creation, regardless of how the artist genuinely feels about the product he or she is trying to sell, or the message he or she is trying to send through his or her creation. In other words, the artist does not necessarily need to care about the issue that is being addressed. For example, a graphic designer may be assigned to create a new ad for a “Truth” campaign to encourage teenagers not to smoke, when the particular artist assigned to the ad, in reality, does not actually care about the issue at hand, and smokes several packs of cigarettes a day. Perhaps the ad would be less effective if the viewer of the ad knew that the particular artist who created it did not really care about the issue being addressed.
In Richard Loveless’s article, entitled, The Electric Media Conspiracy, he explains that society has not replaced art, but embraced the use of new technology. “What some call the de-massification of media might better be described as the de-mystification of media. For, what we have is not so much the replacing of art experience for personal media making, but the embracing of newer media technologies for elaborating on formerly statistic techniques for verifying information. In this sense, the “non artists” seem more open to experimenting with newer media forms than are the artists themselves!” Richard L. Loveless. The Electronic Media Conspiracy. Art Education, Vol. 36, No. 4 (July, 1983), (p. 20). Loveless’s attitude seems to embrace the idea of fine artists experimenting with graphic technology to produce meaningful art work. He explains that the use of new technology in art does not necessarily take away from the art experience, as long as the artist is producing the art for the right reasons. In another quote from his article, he explains that “While most artists were still marking time, the consumer, as well as some artists, was now capable of ‘timing marks.’” Richard L. Loveless. The Electronic Media Conspiracy. Art Education, Vol. 36, No. 4 (July, 1983), (p. 20). What I believe that loveless is referring to with this quote is the shift from artists creating art as a personal journal or story, per se, to a new social era where art becomes premeditated and impersonal, but more effective on a larger scale. In this article, Loveless establishes the idea that graphic media art and fine art are two very separate expressions, and that society must understand the difference. I believe that young aspiring artists are pushed into pursuing careers within the graphic design field because graphic media allows visually creative minds to earn a living through design. Though this currently may be the more financially comfortable field, I believe that traditional fine art allows much more room for freedom and emotional growth, and the focus on the vocational elements takes away from the therapeutic experience which art was intended for in the first place. In the art textbook, A History of Art Education, Arthur D. Efland argues a similar point. “It is believed that an emphasis on quality represents an unjustifiable imposition of traditional aesthetic values on persons, to whom such values are purportedly irrelevant. An excellence curriculum for art education is thus forced to defend itself against the charge of elitism.” Arthur D. Efland: A History of Art Education. Teacher’s College, Columbia University, New York, NY, (1990), (p. 252). Although it is sad to learn that so many people have not been moved or touched by fine art, fine artists much push to reestablish the role of art in society, and reject the negative accusations of elitism in art.

I believe that the use of available technology should absolutely be embraced in the fine arts. I feel that using computer imaging with various programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator supports the new wave of technology in art, and I do believe that these programs must be taught in higher level art classrooms. To deny advancements in computer graphics would limit the tools that could be used to create personal and thought provoking fine art. I welcome the use of new technology in fine art, but feel that aspiring artists should be taught the difference between creating fine art and consumer art (art created for public viewing on a large scale, which becomes impersonal.) In my opinion, art that is created on the computer should remain personal.

If permitted, creating art can become a healthy and deeply spiritual experience. The entire progression of generating art must be thought about when viewing art. Furthermore, I believe that any artist who is lucky enough to be able to make a living creating personal fine art may experience infinite levels of spirituality in the process. Aspiring artists should be taught that art is an area where anything goes, because nothing is either wrong or right. It is simply a place of freedom and relaxation, used to assist the artist in establishing ( and/or reestablishing) his or her connection with the world. An artist should use his or her creative license in the same way that a writer would use his or her diary. Art should work through feelings and emotions, and form conclusions and ideas about what the artist has discovered about the world so far. As explained by Elliot Eisner, “Visual culture teaches people (even when we are not conscious of being educated) and, in the process, we recreate ourselves through our encounters with it. As we learn, we change, constructing and reconstructing ourselves.” Eisner, E. W. and Day, M. D. (Eds.) (204). Handbook of Research and Policy in Art Education. Mah Wah, NJ. Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc. and NAEA, (19900 (p. 817). Eisner seems to embrace the notion of the individual creating and recreating his or herself through the creation of art. He feels that creative expression allows for new ideas to be formed by the artist.

I believe that art can be defined as a personal interpretation and expression of how an individual sees his or her world, and how he or she relates to the world. Art is a sacred, depth defying experience used to push the borders and boundaries that are set up in so many other social institutions. I believe that the creation of art is a deeply spiritual idea, and the entire process of the creation of it should be considered. I believe that art allows for changes in the individual’s mindset and allows for higher levels of thinking.

Rationale Citation Page

Weintraub, L. (1996). Art on the Edge and Over. Litchfield, CT: Art Insights, Inc. (pp. 12)

Leven C. Leatherbury. Conflicts in Commitment to Art Education. Art Education, Vol. 24, No. 2. (Feb, 1971), (pp. 7)

Richard L. Loveless. The Electronic Media Conspiracy. Art Education, Vol. 36, No. 4 (July, 1983), (pp. 20)

Richard L. Loveless. The Electronic Media Conspiracy. Art Education, Vol. 36, No. 4 (July, 1983), (pp. 20)

Arthur D. Efland: A History of Art Education. Teacher’s College, Columbia University, New York, NY, 1990, (pp. 252).

Eisner, E. W. and Day, M. D. (Eds.) (204). Handbook of Research and Policy in Art Education. Mah Wah, NJ. Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc. and NAEA, (pp. 817).

Spontaneous Painting Lesson plan

2008-12-01T16:43:00.000-08:00

Spontaneous Painting Studio Lesson

I . Introduction

Title of Lesson: Spontaneous Painting Studio (Interdisciplinary Lesson).

Grade Level: 9-10^th grade

Projected Length: 7 days

Big Idea for unit: Self awareness

Enduring Understanding for unit: The process of creating art is valuable because it helps to remove layers and assists the individual to become in touch with his or her core sense of being.

Essential Question for unit: What value is there in the making of art?

II. Instructional Objectives

Understand:

Students will understand that the process of creating art is far more valuable than the end product.

Know:

Students will know how to listen to a meditation (or story) and convert the ideas into creative energy in order to create spontaneous paintings.
Students will know how to write journal entries based on the spontaneous paintings they have done in class.

Do:

Students will:

Listen to meditations or short stories in the beginning of class. (10 minutes.)
Set up painting stations with 8”x10” Bristol paper and acrylic paints.
Paint for 20 minutes based on ideas from meditation or short story.
Clean up painting stations and place paintings on drying racks. (5 Minutes)
Write a journal entry based on feelings that came up during meditation and painting time. (10 minutes.)

III. Aim

How does the process of creating art based on a concept add value to your painting?

IV. Procedure

Overview:

On day one of this lesson, students will be given a proper introduction to the methodology behind spontaneous painting. Each student will be given a hand out specifying instructions on how to participate in the proceeding studio days. (Please see attached hand out.) Students will have ten minutes to read the hand out and thoroughly process it. After students have read the hand out, the teacher will reiterate the instructions, and allow time for questions and comments. Students will then be given supplies for the project, which they will place in their cubbies. Students will prepare acrylic paints in storage palates, so that they may put large quantities of paint in the palate and use it during the proceeding classes. Students will be given five pieces of 8”x10” Bristol paper for paintings. They will be instructed to write their names on the back of the papers.

For the following five days, students will be instructed to set up painting areas at the beginning of class. Once the entire class arrives, the teacher will begin reading the short stories or meditations for the day. (Please see attached meditations and short stories that will be used each day.) Students will listen for approximately ten minutes. Students will begin to paint anything that comes to mind after hearing the meditation or short story of the day. Students will paint on the supplied Bristol paper for twenty minutes. The teacher will inform students when they must begin to clean up. Students will place paintings on drying rack, put their paint away, clean their brushes and work space. Students will then be instructed to simply write a few sentences in their journals about their feelings on the meditation and the outcome of their paintings. This journal entry can come in the form of a poem or just a few sentences to articulate their feelings.

On day seven of this lesson, students will come into class and be directed to push pin their spontaneous paintings up on the walls in chronological order. The purpose of placing them in order will be to see changes, similarities and patterns between the works. Students will be critiqued in no particular order. I will allow volunteers to have their work critiqued first. The student being critiqued will be asked to identify constant themes presented throughout the paintings. The student will be asked what changes he or she notices throughout the series. Students will have the opportunity to read a selection from their journals, but the teacher will understand if the student feels this is too personal. The teacher will collect the journals at the end of the lesson on day of the critique. Other students who are not being critiqued at the moment will be encouraged to give positive and constructive feedback regarding the series of paintings.

V Closure

At the end of each class period throughout this lesson, the teacher say a few words about what she thought the meditation or short story was trying to say. At the end of the critique day, the teacher will have students write what they liked and didn’t like about the spontaneous painting lesson. They will write this on an index card. On the critique day, the teacher will collect all journals and index cards. Students will simply receive credit if they have participated in the lesson.

V. Formative Assessment

To determine if the students are ready to move into the final project (assessment) for this unit, the teacher will gather information from the index cards and journals. The teacher will look to see what students have written as journal entries. If the entry in some way or another tackles the emotions felt during the meditation or painting, the teacher will feel as if the students are ready to move on to the final assessment for this unit. The index cards will give the teacher feedback as far as how much the students enjoyed the assignment and the parts that could have been changed. The teacher will determine if this lesson plan should be used in future semesters.

Philosophy of Artistry and Teaching

2008-12-01T16:42:00.000-08:00

Philosophy of Artistry and Teaching.

A question I have asked myself in regards to art education; is how can the process of creating art pave the pathway to self-discovery? Through my own artistic practice, I have come to value both the process of creating art and the end product for different reasons. When first approaching an art project I incorporate problem-solving methods in order to tackle the concept that I am attempting to illuminate it in artistic light. Through research, brainstorming and thumbnail sketches, I begin to cultivate my ideas. This process becomes educational and brings a greater understanding of the concept I am working with. The educational process becomes an empathic vehicle, as I can easily see many sides to every argument that I research. Liora Bresler once said that, “the unique juxtaposition of affect and cognition, caring and distance, that renders making and viewing art dialogic and transformative are mobilized toward empathic understanding.” Developing an empathic understanding is my ultimate personal goal when creating art. I want to know every side of the story through conducting research and choose my side accordingly.

The end product becomes the illustrated story of my process. Looking at a completed work of art that I created brings me back to the pleasant (and sometimes unpleasant) memories of creating the work. It brings me back to the battles of understanding the concept, the trial and error of sometimes creating many preliminary sketches of how I wanted to portray my idea, creating a final piece and realizing that I must go back to the drawing board because I have failed to understand the concept completely. On the other hand, once I have suffered through these battles, I can look at the finished piece and remember the character building process of the hard work that was employed to design the piece. I can retain the immense amount of information that was learned through the process and feel proud of the effort I put forth in order to gain a deeper understanding. Once the art piece has been completed, I enter it in juried contests, galleries and art expos with the intent to sell. All of this passion and effort put forth so that I can simply kiss away the piece once it is hopefully sold, and remember it through the photos that I took of the process and the end product. Detaching myself at the end can sometimes be the hardest part of creating art, but ultimately I know that the project was a success if this entire process occurred.

John Spencer Clark asserted that, “To leave art out of our plans for the education of the young is to deny the growing minds that strong inspiration that comes from a knowledge of a man as a creator. To use art wisely as a means of education is to put the growing mind in touch with the growth of the race.” As an art educator, I will strive to pass on this passionate method of self-discovery to my students. Of course, every artist chooses his or her own path to create a final project. My personal process will differ completely from the process of other artists. I want to show aspiring artists and students that there are many ways to come to the final understanding, and that learning their own individual process is a beautiful self-discovery.

Citations:

Liora Bresler, Studies in Art Education Volume 48 Number 1, Toward Connectedness: Aesthetically Based Research. Fall 2006 p.52-69

(John Spencer Clark, 1894, p.381, Efland p 164.)

Resume

2008-12-01T16:37:00.000-08:00

Michelle Posner

Profile
	Current Art Specialist for the developmentally disabled population. Actively perusing a career in art education.
Experience
	2005 – current Family Residences Bethpage, NY & Essential Enterprises, Inc. Art Specialist § Teaching five art workshops per day to developmentally disabled adults attending a day program. § Monitoring and charting the progress of individuals assigned to my home room through writing daily, weekly and monthly reports. § Planning and organizing weekly outing opportunities to the individuals assigned to my home room. § Volunteering at events sponsored by my day program. § Assisting in the process of new employee orientation and training.
	1999- 2002 Great South Bay YMCA Bay Shore, NY Senior Counselor § Managing a home room in a summer camp program for children under five. § Planning and organizing weekly outing opportunities to the individuals assigned to my home room. § Monitoring and charting the progress of individuals assigned to my room.
Education & Professional Development
	2007- Present Adelphi University Garden City, NY § Currently enrolled in master’s program for Art Teaching
	2003 – 2005 SUNY Stony Brook Stony Brook, NY § B.A., Social Sciences. § Minor: Studio Art. Dean’s List 2004.
	2001 – 2003 SUNY Farmingdale Farmingdale, NY § Major: Visual Communications.
	2005 – Present The Drawing Studio Smithtown, NY § Weekly five hour classes involving the development of figure drawing, figure painting, picture making, and illustration. § Assists director during gallery presentations and displays.
	2003 – 2004 Huntington Arts Council Huntington, NY § Assisting to produce agency newsletters using Adobe Quark. § Assisting in writing of lesson plans for classes taught in the agency.
Software Skills
	Proficient with all versions of Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Microsoft Office, Adobe Illustrator, Quark, Photoshop.

Meposner1179@yahoo.com 631-943-6760

Professional Development

2008-12-01T16:36:00.000-08:00

Professional Development:

1. Artistz Lounge; work studio and gallery, East Setauket, NY. 2008

Attended and assisted to arrange various live model

workshops Participated in various gallery showings.

2. FRESH; artist organization, Port Jefferson, NY. 2007- current

Participating in various exhibiting opportunities.

3. The Drawing Studio; live model workshops and work studio, Smithtown, NY 2005-current. Attending weekly drawing sessions including live model figure drawing, live model picture making with critiques and location classes with critiques.

Related Employment:

1. FREE Inc. Theater Day Program, Bethpage, NY, 2005- current.

Art Specialist for MR population; Running five forty-five minute art classes per day centered around team building, communication, appropriate social interactions and rehabilitation.

2. Huntington Arts Council; workshops and gallery, Huntington, NY, 2004

Intern; Assisting in the writing of lesson plans. Assisting curator with the hanging of exhibitions.

Exhibitions:

1. “Graduate Showcase” Garden City, NY, 12/2008

2. Dual Show, “Yoga Pieces,” Yoga for Life, Setauket, NY, 12/2008

3. Project Blow Up, Fresh, Southampton Parrish Museum, Southampton NY, 10/2008

4. We, the Earth, Group Show, Artistz Lounge, Setauket, NY, 10/2008

5. Group Show, “Creative Cups” Garden City, NY, 10/2008

6. Group Show, “Volume II,” Artistz Lounge, Setauket, NY 8/2008

7. Group Show, “Volume I,” Artistz Lounge, Setauket, NY 7/2008

8. Dual Show, “A Line of Color” Artistz Lounge, Setauket, NY 6/08

9. Group show, East West, Ronkonkoma, NY Fresh 12/2007

10. Group Show, Patchogue Music Festival, Fresh, 7/2007

11. Solo show, “So Big” The Grind coffee house. Bellmore, NY 1/07