Duct Tape Discipleship

As an intern for the middle school ministry at my church, I have a lot of fun interacting with and encouraging kids in a major period of their lives. Three times a week the kids meet for games, small groups, large group activities, sermons, and many other crazy events. Each day is unique and the experiences I make reaffirm my aspirations to become an educator. Every year it amazes me how much they change as they develop into adults. It is even more amazing to see what God does in all of their lives!
My internship focuses on the Discipleship group that meets every Wednesday night. The purpose of this group is to allow the kids who seek more than just fun and games to come and deepen their understanding of faith. We wrestle with important questions such as: What is my identity in Christ? What should my relationships look like? Or how can I deal with divorce, bullying, or loneliness? I am honored to be a part of this group because middle school is often when a child decides whether or not to make their faith serious, or to leave it all together.
While planning out the year, I decided to plan some sort of artistic activity and integrate it into a relevant spiritual lesson. We decided upon duct tape objects, because it is a fun medium for both boys and girls, and it would be sensitive to the fact that they do not necessarily want to do "art" at church with their friends. The lesson was about focus, so I told them an anecdote from my life and discussed how losing focus on faith can be very easy. After the intro I asked them to create something out of the duct tape that could be used as a spiritual reminder.
We had many different colors and patterns of duct tape, and I left the object requirements up to the students. As a result, most of them ended up creating items such as wallets, pen toppers, bracelets, and even a pair of duct tape suspenders. At the end of the night the students presented what they made and explained what its purpose held. For instance, the suspenders helped a student to "hold up my faith". They were all very creative and I was amazed at the meaning they could place in duct tape!

Stuck on God!

Gender Perceptions

Ironically, all my ED classes have recently touched on the topic of gender in society. In Child Development, I read about the almost unnoticeable difference in development of children living with same-sex parents, as well as how they come to perceive gender roles. In my Diverse Perspectives in Education class, we discussed how teachers could include the change of gender roles in curriculum.
Most people have their own opinions when it comes to gender roles, therefore I feel uncertain how to approach these issues in the classroom.
For instance, when I was observing a preschool classroom earlier this week, I heard one boy say "Did you know that I am a boy and I like a girl color??" He was coloring with a purple marker and seemed pretty proud of his favorite color. What is the appropriate response to statements such as these? Ideally, the students should learn to broaden and question the validity of stereotypes. But could breaking stereotypes set certain students up for social failure? I also noticed that many preschool classrooms have a corner where students can play "house". Does this hinder stereotypes or could it possibly be used to break them?
Overall I found it really interesting to observe the perceptions that preschoolers hold. Did the boy think that purple was girly because someone specifically told him that, or because he observed it? As a future educator, I need to think about what I am specifically telling my students, and what I may be portraying unconsciously. Not only with gender, but with other stereotypes as well.

More Than a Craft

Despite the unique and exciting studio classes that I have taken, I find myself continually drawn to textiles. There is something about the colors and feel of fabric, thread, and yarn that inspires me to make something. I also love that it is so accessible to those who do not claim themselves to be "artists." It is a friendly and safe medium that holds endless opportunities for creativity. It is also a medium that can promote and create community, which is an important value for art.
When I graduate and no longer have access to the materials needed for metalsmithing, I plan on exploring the world of textiles. As awful as it sounds, I almost get anxious for the day when I am no longer pressured to pursue metals when I see the work of some textile artists. For instance, I've always liked the technique that Susan Shie uses on her quilts. I mimicked the approach in my own quilt and it was one of my favorite projects. I would love to make more as soon as I get the opportunity.
Today I stumbled upon Susan Lenz, and her site, susanlenz.com. All her work and blog posts are so inspiring!
As lame as it sounds, I think I need to add the International Quilt Festival to my bucket list....

Casting a New Experience!

Why is it so fun to be an art major? Because things are always being made new. No matter if I am trying something new, or replicating a project for the hundredth time, the unpredictable seems to show up and keep me on my toes. Although this is sometimes irritating, it keeps me challenged and engaged. Life is made better with new experiences, not complacent or comfortable ones.
My most recent new experience came from my intro to sculpture class. For the past few weeks we have constructed wax models and coated them in ceramic. Then came the best part: pouring the bronze. I have casted metal for jewelry before, but the much larger scale of the bronze created an exciting and high energy atmosphere. The heat and weight of the bronze gave me a sense of accomplishment as we poured them into ceramic shells. And they all turned out great!
Anyone who tries this process cannot deny that art is cool.
Too bad this experience would be difficult to share with my future 3 to 12 year old students....

Flash Animation: Community

Caterpillar Connection

            Continuing with my big idea of community, I created a flash animation that focuses on the connections that create communities. Connections are made when people relate and work together for a common cause, not by being the same. Discussing the value of connections with students may help the classroom to become a better community. By using bright colors, silly looking caterpillars, and simple expressions, Caterpillar Connection was meant to portray the big idea to even the youngest of students.

            The story follows the activities of caterpillars inching along and interacting with others. At first, however, these interactions are only between caterpillars that look the same. When the yellow caterpillar cannot find a similar friend, the viewer questions how valid the social constructs are. This idea can relate to social struggles with discrimination, segregation of visual characteristics, or lack of empathy between people. Often, these structures are accepted by society and it causes individuals to feel ostracized. The yellow worm leads the students to empathize and think about how their actions may affect the feelings of others.

            Fortunately, two caterpillars with mustaches to come and break the social norm. By sharing his mustache, the caterpillars look more similar. This symbolizes the use of empathy, which can reveal hidden commonalities between people. Once these caterpillars make a connection, they are transformed into butterflies of unique colors and designs. Now that they no longer match each other, differences are no longer a factor in their interactions. The mustached caterpillars model what students should do in a situation where someone else is disconnected from a group.

            As the butterflies fly away, other caterpillars take notice. They begin to make new connections as well, which symbolizes the spreading of community through many different connections. They too become butterflies and join the rest up in the air. This  shows students that others will notice their actions that break the norm, causing a chain reaction of positive actions. 

In a community, a person can become greater than what they would be as an individual. When the caterpillars find other similarities between each other, they become butterflies that are even more beautiful. The big idea of community is important to teach young students as they develop relationships among each other. Social structures that are built in the classroom are later used as a structure for other relationships. Therefore this video can encourage young students to be inclusive.

            Basically, this animation illustrates the importance of acceptance and empathy in order to create a connection with others. Practicing these values is essential for relational success, as well as a healthy sense of self. People were created to live in community, and this animation reminds the viewer to live with a little more love. As a result, the connections made by love will improve the student’s success in all aspects of life.