Reflective Journal 1           

I arrived early, so just to agitate the nerves a little more I drank a large caffeine fix, followed by a calming visit to the library.  A book by Victor Lowenfield called Creative and Mental Growth aroused my curiosity.  Victor says “the teacher of art should be a warm and friendly person” so whilst ascending to the 6^th floor I thought I’d practice smiling in the lift mirror.  Remember you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

The three days disappeared in a flash and my smile came and went.  I experienced tasters as well as more in-depth observations in a multitude of courses.  Barry College offer five BTEC’s, a WJEC Diploma and three Foundation Degrees with entry levels progressing from one to four.  The learners are different in their maturity and stages in art development, but this makes it diverse and challenging.

The tutors are dedicated with a history of knowledge and experience.  They each have their unique way of teaching from therapeutic and systematic to energetic sessions with plenty of humour. At times being called an expert in my subject sends alarm bells ringing.  I keep asking myself, how I can help. What can I do?  Art after all is subjective.  Sensitive to the fact that art may become a positive addiction in some of the learners’ lives, I’m anxious to communicate the right words that will aid discovery, but not direction.  Through experience and practice this should I hope become more fluent and relevant as the personalities of the learners surface.

Observing a tutor supporting learners one to one while reviewing the development of their work was constructive.  It has been highlighted that teasing the ideas to the surface for some learners is problematic and this was clearly demonstrated. Sketch books were shown of previous projects justifying how a learner may be awarded a pass, merit or distinction.  As an artist I have autonomy to create whatever I choose and I need to be more aware, particularly for the less focused learner that to pass the course they need to be ticking the boxes and that means sticking to the brief and revisiting the objective.  Art is about generating ideas and producing art is about keeping that momentum moving. It’s trying to see all this through the eyes of the learner.  I’m also conscious that many of the learners are serious and determined about progressing further.    

At times I felt uncomfortable in the one space I’d always felt secure in. Suddenly the reality of teaching in such a short time seemed bizarre, inevitably there will be struggle and ups and downs.  With countless deadlines the responsibility to motivate the learner to succeed is immense and ultimately reflects on you, the college, but more importantly the learner.