Shanna Calfee

EDUC 598
April 2017

Ten Day Report

Day One:
Students do their Daily Focus first. We go over the D.F., and then I tell them about our next
project. We quickly review our Elements of Art and then they’re given their Pre-Test. Students
are upset, simply because it’s a test, but they especially don’t understand why we have test in
art class. At the end of the test, I inform that it’s a pre-test and it won’t count against them. I
did this so they’ll hopefully take the test more seriously. We go over our color power-point and
they take notes. Afterwards I show them a color-wheel, I show them the paper they’re to use,
and the templates they’re welcome to use. They’re supposed to be drawing or tracing a
template to create the layout for their color-wheel. A few kids get frustrated because they
didn’t listen when I was giving instructions and were trying to free-hand the wheel, when they
could’ve just traced. Then the student either erases the sloppy work they’ve done or I help
them by turning their paper over and telling them to start over with a smile. The next step is
getting the students to label their wheels, so they’ll know where to paint the colors correctly. I
of course have some students who don’t listen or use their observation skills to realize that
there are two color wheels posted in the room. So they’ve zero excuses for why they don’t
know how to label their own wheel. Those students are just lazy. On top of that, the template I
provide for them is even labeled.

Day Two
The students start off with their D.F. I go over the D.F. and show them how to properly use a
paint brush. I also talk about mixing colors and how they need to treat the paint like a
“brownie bowl” meaning to scrape the edges back to the middle. I show them where
everything is located. The finished color-wheels are still posted for their use. I begin pouring
the three Primary colors into the paint trays and select students from each table come up to get
the supplies necessary. The problems I ran into were students who chose to be help-less and
lazy didn’t know how to create a Secondary color. There is even a Secondary Color poster, and I
reminded them of that in the beginning of class. Another problem was a student who is
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April 2017

horrified of failing and had to call on my help to check that every single one of their colors they
mixed where correct. Another problem is students saying they’re out of paint and need more,
so I go over to see and they actually aren’t at all. They have a little left and think they need
mass quantities of paint. Basically this class can’t figure out to use their own problem solving
skills, and really they’re just too lazy to try. When we begin cleaning up I remind them that
they’re to put their wheels on the drying rack. Most students get that, while other students are
still help-less. After class when I go to checking them, I find that many students didn’t even
write their name on their work. That’s frustrating. We’ve been practicing that since day one of
this semester.

Day Three
The class was highly talkative during the power-point. Some kids get the power-point and are
ready to move on, while other students just were craving attention and ask the pointless
questions. I have to pause and wait for them to get serious, and therefore the power-point
took longer than I was expecting. By that point kids are ready to move on and just frustrated
with each other in class. This class also easily hates on each other, so I’m having to referee at
some moments. They received the examples fairly well and were ready to begin sketching.
They had examples on their tables, along with watching, and then drawing along with the
board. After this is fairly chaotic at times because some of the eighth graders act too needy and
don’t have the confidence to draw the facial features themselves, which is where I come in and
try to boost their confidence. During this time is a lot of me moving throughout the tables and
one on one assisting.

Day Four
After students finish their daily focus and we’ve addressed it, I remind students what they are
doing in this project. I give them a goal to meet, hoping the majority will meet the goal by the
end of class. I also remind them that there are examples on the back table of eyes and other
facial features they are allowed to use. Thankfully, my worst student in the class received ISS
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EDUC 598
April 2017

and wasn’t in my class during this time. That student’s absence really made an entire
difference in the class. Class was a little bit easier. The down side to this is that means I have to
take the student their work in ISS and try to teach them in there. Then it’s a matter of the
student doing the work or not. Another factor from today was finishing the color-wheels,
which to me is one of the easiest and quicker assignments. Many of the students were finishing
painting those today, which delayed their starting time, and put them behind the rest in class.
Class ended with clean up and reviewing through questions and discussion.

Day Five
From the plan, students should be at the point of adding the variety of sizes of details, but since
quite a few of them were finishing painting their color-wheels, that put them behind. So only a
few are working on drawing details, while the others are nailing down all the facial features.
Class began with the usual Daily Focus routine. Then I gave the examples again on the board,
and the students know where the tester paper is located for them to use at their convenience.
I’ve learned that having the materials out for their benefit really shows at how lazy some
students are, because they will sit there and not get the resources they use. Some of the
students are even ok with not making an A on the project, and they even express this to me.
This bothers me! None of the students were ready to start coloring and only a small portion
began sharping theirs. I’ve found out too that they hate tracing their drawings in sharpie, but
they do admit it looks better. Trying to install perseverance there!

Day Six
This was another work day beginning with the usual Daily Focus routine. Most students were
making much more significant progress and becoming less needy now that they’ve a good start
on their work. I remind them again of the requirements page and the resources available in
class. Near the end of class more students were finished drawing in pencil and approved to
begin tracing in sharpie. I’ve still got the problem though of student’s not taking art class and
their grades in here seriously. I’ve talked with other related arts teachers and they say the
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EDUC 598
April 2017

same thing that the students don’t take related arts as serious. So that makes me feel a little
better knowing it’s not just my class. And that’s been a problem, a small portion of students
haven’t been working neatly or efficiently. So that’s been a struggle, and I understand art isn’t
for everyone, but that doesn’t mean to not try. So a few of the students, it’s almost like
babysitting in making sure they are working, reminding them of their resources, showing them
how to draw, reminding them of the requirements page, and etc. We did not get to the pastel
and water-color examples I was hoping too. It would’ve been point-less to try to fit that in,
seeing how nobody was going to be adding color today.

Day Seven
It’s getting near crunch time. Today started off as the usual Daily Focus routine. And that’s a
whole other story within itself because, I don’t understand at how these eighth graders just
don’t care about their grades. The Daily Focus is the simplest grade and yet some choose not to
do it or to half way do it. Many of the students finished with the tracing in sharpie today, and
began adding color. And that’s another thing I didn’t anticipate, at how slow these students
work. They move so slow, and the ones that actually care about their work move like snails
because they’re scared of messing up. I’m having to crack down on their talking limits too,
because I go around finding myself saying, “Make sure you’re working more than you’re
talking.” We did the pastel and water-color example today. Anytime it’s a new art medium, I’m
usually excited about it and ready to go! So that was my mind set, I had their tester papers
ready, and the medium passed out, only for the class to just be annoyed at having to do
something new. It’s like this class does major mood swings, either they’re for it and happy or
they’re just warts on toads. So they were negative during the demo and that was frustrating to
me. My one student that was in ISS, I went to help them more and ended up doing the majority
of the work to get the student started more, since they chose not to. I was thinking, if I get
them started more, they’ll see the finish line better. (Skipping ahead of days, but I was
completely wrong. I learned from this to just let them be. If they’re in ISS, then they probably
don’t care about their grades.) One of the related arts teachers once told me, “I just have no
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EDUC 598
April 2017
expectations for them anymore. So that way when something good happens, I’ll take it.” I
thought wow when I heard that, but now I see what they were saying.

Day Eight
We have two work days left now and students are just now beginning to color. I never
anticipated they would move like such slugs during this project. We started the day off with the
same Daily Focus routine. I go over the requirements again with them and show off some
select students’ work. I remember being in art classes and I always saw that as competition. So
that’s the outlook I’m hoping on for these guys. I really don’t believe they have that though,
there might be four out of my large class that actually care about their art being the best.
While showing off the art and talking about how it’s meeting the requirements, students are
encouraging and congratulating their classmates, so that’s nice, but they’re also saying, “Yup, I
could never do that.” So they are immediately tuning out the thought of theirs looking
excellent too. So of course that’s frustrating. I beginning to think that maybe for this class, like
the other related arts teacher, maybe I just shouldn’t have any expectations for this one class,
so that when something good happens, I can be happy about it. That’s just terrible, but I
starting to feel that it’s a teaching reality. The class knows that today and tomorrow are their
last work days on this project, and that we will be doing “Show and Tell” at the very end,
whether they finish or not. There’s no reason, unless if they were absent, for why they didn’t
finish. I also informed them that their Daily Focuses are due tomorrow. I’m hoping they’re
realize they need to get those finished.

Day Nine
This is the last work day! I tell the students this and some of them, the lazy ones, get upset
because they realize that they still have a lot to do. And I remind them that I’ve been telling
them, they’ve heard this and there’s no reason for them to act surprised or to get upset when
they know this day has been coming. Some also get upset when I ask to hand in their Daily
Focuses because they realized that they never made them up, or now they’re realizing that
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EDUC 598
April 2017

they’re about to receive a bunch of zeros. So this was a fairly frustrating day for some students,
which completely messed with the classroom atmosphere. Thankfully though, some students
are finishing and they’re happy with how well their masterpieces are turning out! So I am
thankful for those students who have actually invested in this project! What was interesting
though is when going over the signature part. I’m guessing because it’s something that pertains
to the students individually, but they did listen to it well. That’s the last step of the project is
putting your signature on there and the date. I was impressed with how clever some students
were with placing their signatures. Then of course some of the other students that just want to
be finished slopped it on their art. At least their signature made it on their art. I gave the
instructions for “Show and Tell” out to the ones that finished so they could be preparing. Many
in the class were still working and I didn’t want to stop them, so they are just going to have to
prepare quickly tomorrow for “Show and Tell.”

Day Ten
“Show and Tell” Day! I gave the class a few extra minutes in the beginning to collect their
thoughts and go over the “Show and Tell” preparation with each other. Since I gave extra time
for that, I cancelled the Daily Focus for the day to save some time there. I had to get the
students to move quickly though presentations, so we could stop in time to take the post test.
Which I feel that some of the students, once it started tried to drag out their presentations in
hopes of having to cancel the test due to time. About half the class did a great job and were
mostly positive in presenting their masterpieces. They answered the questions correctly, and I
also prompted them. It was overall a good time. But when it came time to take the test, they
were displeased to find out we were having another test, because they don’t understand why
there are tests in art class. Then some were a little relieved but still irritated when they found
out the test was the same as the pre-test but with a few questions from the “Show and Tell.” I
get reactions like, “This is a waste, why do we have to do this, and killing trees.” My eighth
Shanna Calfee
EDUC 598
April 2017

graders are so jolly sometimes. An adjustment I did make, is giving students extra time to
completely finish their masterpieces. So I’m going to hold off on grading their artwork, but
their post-tests are final.

Overall I feel like the project went well. I feel like it could’ve gone better if my some of my
students took the project more seriously. I’m learning from the other related arts teachers that
the eighth graders don’t take related arts grades as serious as their other classes. Us teachers
simply don’t understand this. The class runs more smoothly when certain students aren’t there
and since my one main trouble maker was in ISS a lot, the class went a little more smoothly.
The class all knows each other, and they all know how to get under each-others’ skin. At times I
feel like I’m a referee more than an art teacher for some of these students.
Shanna Calfee
EDUC 598
April 2017

The Charts & Comparisons

I am completely not surprised to see that my girls did fairly well. They seem to care
more about their grades than the boys. There are a few boys that care about their grades, I’ve
learned because of their parents, or trying to get into a higher academic school for next year. I
do believe that they all could’ve done much better on the pre-test than they all did. Like I said
before, they don’t take tests as seriously as they should and the post-test reflects that they can
do better. Also to add to it, I have charts and posters all around my room with the answers. It
amazes me at how lazy some are because they won’t use that advantage during the test. They
would rather just sit there and not fight for a correct answer. I just completely don’t
understand that. My athletes normally do good on their written tests, but I’ve noticed in all my
classes, that they seem to struggle more with art creating. I have to prompt the creativity from
them, unlike my other students who need little help in creating or coming up with ideas. The
data shows that there’s a 10% difference between the pre and post-tests. The class overall did
much better on the post-test than the pre-test. The data shows that many individual students
even had a letter grade increase. I don’t see much of a difference between the ethnic groups,
their data is fairly similar. I believe this is not only helpful for me to see the increased scores
but also help for them as well. It’s a good confidence booster for some. So through the data of
both tests, it is evident to see that the lesson was successful, students learned more from the
content, and achieved higher scores.
 0
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Student 1
EDUC 598
April 2017

Student 2
Student 3
Shanna Calfee

Student 4
Student 5
Student 6
Student 7
Student 8
Student 9
Student 10
Student 11
Student 12
Student 13
Student 14

Pre-Test
Student 15

Pre-Test
Student 16
Student 17
Student 18
Pre & Post Tests

Pre & Post Tests

Post-Test
Student 19
Post-Test

Student 20
Student 21
Student 22
Student 23
Student 24
Student 25
Student 26
Student 27
Student 28
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Student 1
EDUC 598
April 2017

Student2
Shanna Calfee

Student 3
Student 4

91 100 82 91
Student 5
Student 6
Student 7
Student 8 76 88 79
Student 9
Student 10
Student 11
91 94 97 79

Student 12

Athlete
Student 13
Athlete
Student 14
76 85 82

Student 15

Post- Test
PRE-TEST

Student 16
94 96

Non-Athlete
Student 17
Non-Athlete

Athlete v. Non-Athlete
79

Student 18
Student 19
ATHLETE V. NON-ATHLETE

Student 20
Student 21
Student 22
Student 23
Student 24
Student 25
Student 26
Student 27
Student 28
94 88 85 97 91 88 88 88 91 91
79
 92
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98
99
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0
60

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EDUC 598
April 2017

Student 1 Student 1

98
Shanna Calfee

Student2 Student2

91 88

100
Student 3 Student 3

97
82
Student 4 Student 4

91

100
Student 5 Student 5

98
76
88

97
Student 6 Student 6
Student 7 Student 7
79

100

96
Student 8 Student 8
Student 9 Student 9
91 94

100

Hispanic
Hispanic
Student 10 Student 10

97
97

Student 11 Student 11

100
Student 12 Student 12

98
79 76

Student 13 Student 13
85 82

Student 14 Student 14
Pre-Test

99 99 99
Student 15 Student 15

African American
African American
Ethnic Groups

POST-TEST
Student 16 Student 16

96
94 94

Student 17 Student 17
79

ETHNIC GROUPS
Student 18 Student 18
94

Student 19 Student 19

Caucasian
Caucasian

Student 20 Student 20
88 85

Student 21 Student 21
97

Student 22 Student 22

100 100100 100 100 100

Student 23 Student 23

95
98
Student 24 Student 24
Student 25 Student 25

100
Student 26 Student 26

96
Student 27 Student 27
91 88 88 88 91 91

100
99
79

Student 28 Student 28
Shanna Calfee
EDUC 598
April 2017

Pre-Test
Girls v. Boys

94 97 97 94 94 94 91
88 91 88 91 88 88 88 85 91 91 88 91
85 82 82 79
79 76 79 76 79

0 0

Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy
A M H N E A2 R J S J A B Z D L D2 D3 B2 J2 G K A2 Mc A3 E P J3 J4

Post-Test
Girls v. Boys

100100100 100 100100 97 99 100100100 99 100 96 97 99 97 100 96 100 98 98 100 99 98

96 96 95

0 0

Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy
A M H N E A2 R J S J A B Z D L D2 D3 B2 J2 G K A2 Mc A3 E P J3 J4
Shanna Calfee
EDUC 598
April 2017

The Four Questions:

1. What does this tell you about your students?
This tells me that they are a lot smarter when they want to be. Some students could care less
about their grades and some of them are excellent.

2. What does this tell me about my teaching?

This tells me that I’m at least doing something right, for their scores to be higher than in the
beginning. I feel like though that their masterpieces reflect more of my teaching though than a
written test.

3. What does this tell you about my lesson(s)?

In this lesson, at how one lesson builds off of the other. This lesson is also an independent
lesson for the majority and has a lot of self-teaching because the students are discovering how
to use the different mediums.

4. How will I use this information to inform future instruction?

In the future when using this lesson, depending on the class, I may have them do a different
type of outlining instead of using sharpie. Also, if I have students consistently in ISS, they will
be given textbook work for the project, because it’s difficult to be running back and forth and
trying to help these students. I’ve also found out that it’s a waste of time almost to help some,
because they won’t do anything on the project anyways.
Shanna Calfee
EDUC 598
April 2017

Three Things I Learned

One of the things I best learned from this planning, but not just any kind of planning,
planning through the minds of my students. When making the lesson plan, I went off of the
standards, Bloom’s, and personal art advice I wanted them to learn. But when coming up with
the materials and how to address the issues, I’ve learned it’s best to think about how the lesson
is going to layout through my students’ thoughts. I’ve learned through preparing, that if I
imagine any whining complaint, or possibly bump in the road, then I should expect it. And
therefore, I need to have already something finalized to address that direct issue.
I’ve learned in behavior management, that whatever I say, I can’t go back on. I can’t go
back on or replace with something more “nice.” I’ve learned I basically just have to be a mean
stern teacher with the hooligan children. They will take you a lot more seriously when I’m
mean and stern. I find that just pathetic though, that a teacher can’t just be nice and her
students stay nice. A teacher basically has to be mean for certain students to stay nice. That’s
just a little backwards to me.
I’ve also learned to contact the parent. Now this doesn’t always mean I’ll get support,
but it at least covers my backside when the principal asks if I contacted the parent. I had to
contact the parent of the ISS student, and the parent seemed to be supportive, but their child’s
behavior didn’t improve unfortunately.

Two Things I’ve Learned

Something I’ve learned about being a teacher, is that students need to see compassion
and they need to see that extra unexpected effort. This goes both ways as being a teacher and
also personal just as being a Follower in Christ. I’ve now experienced that in going the extra
step in my personal time in preparing for my teacher time to invest in my students that it pays
off. This will make more sense in the next section below.
Shanna Calfee
EDUC 598
April 2017

One Thing I’ve Learned

This relates to the approve section, but this event definitely impacted my teaching and
being as a person. I have a student in class that has a reputation of being one of the meaner
students in school. This student received that reputation when they beat another student to
the ground. I first met this student in the fall during the “Behavior Improvement” class where
all the bad kids went that couldn’t go to the fun day due to their poor behavior that quarter. I
actually volunteered to monitor the bad kid class, which looking back now, I think was a God
thing that I did that. The student with the bad reputation was in there and they were just
terrible. They were the absolute rudest child we had in that class that day. They were mean to
me and the other teacher in there.
During this project time, in the present time now, I was sitting with that student’s table
with three other students, and we were just working and talking. It was fairly relaxed and nice.
That student that was so mean to me in the fall, just out of nowhere brought up that awful day
and apologized for their actions. I was surprised and shocked and the apology was sincere.
That night, I wrote a thank you card and handed it to the student the next day in the morning.
I’ve learned by establishing a genuine relationship with the students can really help them grow
and also myself.