Years ago I had the position of Director of Student Teaching. I was responsible for our senior class each year, to find them suitable positions so that they could be certified as Art Teachers in the state school system.
We developed a new teacher training system which could allow new teachers to become certified in either Elementary or Secondary teaching, or they could do both. Their student teaching placement was based upon their choices.
We offered an opportunity for city or suburban teaching, public or private schools, specialized teaching such as special education, which had no specific art teacher accreditation at that time, or even museum instruction for one of the situations. Each student had two, six week placements.
One of our students had been a fellow I went to elementary school with, making him an older student. He had already graduated from another institution and had come back to complete his teacher training. He was an accomplished artist and a good guy and was one of our most serious students.
His first placement was in a private girls school, where he taught the secondary art students under a long time, accomplished art teacher. She was excited to get him and I was delighted to provide an older artist for their classroom position.
About four weeks into his experience, I received a call from the classroom teacher asking me to remove the student from her classroom.
This was a serious request which seldom, if ever, happens. Since he was to have a second experience, it was not a “life or death” situation for the student.
He called me as well, and was beside himself not knowing what to do.
He had been teaching the senior class, and had two very talented seventeen year old girls who were quite serious about their art and their desire for an art career. He was thoroughly convinced that they would be wonderful additions to the world of art and proud that he had been instrumental in their development. As such, he invited them to his downtown studio to see his work. He had done this several times and they had finally agreed to visit.
He failed to see any problem with two wealthy private school girls coming downtown to visit the studio of a thirty two year male old artist. However, their parents saw all the problems!
They called school and that, was that!
He truly believed what he was doing was correct. He had no evil thoughts in mind. I believed him, however, he didn’t understand life. He said that next year, when they were in college, it would be a normal process to visit a teacher’s studio.
We developed a new teacher training system which could allow new teachers to become certified in either Elementary or Secondary teaching, or they could do both. Their student teaching placement was based upon their choices.
We offered an opportunity for city or suburban teaching, public or private schools, specialized teaching such as special education, which had no specific art teacher accreditation at that time, or even museum instruction for one of the situations. Each student had two, six week placements.
One of our students had been a fellow I went to elementary school with, making him an older student. He had already graduated from another institution and had come back to complete his teacher training. He was an accomplished artist and a good guy and was one of our most serious students.
His first placement was in a private girls school, where he taught the secondary art students under a long time, accomplished art teacher. She was excited to get him and I was delighted to provide an older artist for their classroom position.
About four weeks into his experience, I received a call from the classroom teacher asking me to remove the student from her classroom.
This was a serious request which seldom, if ever, happens. Since he was to have a second experience, it was not a “life or death” situation for the student.
He called me as well, and was beside himself not knowing what to do.
He had been teaching the senior class, and had two very talented seventeen year old girls who were quite serious about their art and their desire for an art career. He was thoroughly convinced that they would be wonderful additions to the world of art and proud that he had been instrumental in their development. As such, he invited them to his downtown studio to see his work. He had done this several times and they had finally agreed to visit.
He failed to see any problem with two wealthy private school girls coming downtown to visit the studio of a thirty two year male old artist. However, their parents saw all the problems!
They called school and that, was that!
He truly believed what he was doing was correct. He had no evil thoughts in mind. I believed him, however, he didn’t understand life. He said that next year, when they were in college, it would be a normal process to visit a teacher’s studio.
Correct, next year!
What a difference a year makes! Two high school seniors might be the same age as two college freshman, but the world changes over three months of summer.
We immediately put him in a public high school student teaching situation for 8 more weeks. He had glowing reports from the cooperating teacher at the private school, he just wasn’t allowed to return.
He succeeded in both situations and ended up a wiser teacher, just a bit shaken.
What a difference a year makes! Two high school seniors might be the same age as two college freshman, but the world changes over three months of summer.
We immediately put him in a public high school student teaching situation for 8 more weeks. He had glowing reports from the cooperating teacher at the private school, he just wasn’t allowed to return.
He succeeded in both situations and ended up a wiser teacher, just a bit shaken.
No comments:
Post a Comment