#15 Importance of Writing in the Curriculum

Many of my fellow art education students have asked me, "do we really have to take that class?", or "is it any good?". My answers are an affirmative yes and yes. I have learned a great deal in this class; not just about the subject matter but about teaching in general. As an art teacher, when would I ever have the opportunity to learn how to grade a paper or create a rubric? These are important skills for any teacher, no matter what subject matter. In this economy, none of us are sure of where we will end up, being able to grade papers will be a skill we'll be grateful for if we end up substitute teaching. Not just these practical skills but the other writing skills one could add to any lesson, like write-arounds or exit slips. These activities have not only made this class more engaging and, dare I say, fun, but also have stimulated interaction in our class, forcing us to get to know each other. I can only imagine if these writing activities make our class more exciting, what it can do for our students.

I've also really enjoyed being in a class surrounded by other teachers of different subject matter. It has really helped me to see things from other perspectives and to realize how difficult each of us has it as a teacher, no one subject is particularly easier than another I learned! I have come to respect the differences in our teaching techniques and to truly respect those who teach subjects no one else wants to, like health. My respect for these teachers has really grown as I've listened to their engaging lesson plans and heard their comments on other areas. Some of us are already teaching and some of us are future teachers and this is a great mix of personalities for this particular class. We have really learned, in my opinion, what lies ahead for us, both from students and from our curriculums, for better or worse. The great thing is that this allows us to take in all these thoughts with a grain of salt and in an arena where we're all equal and all of our voices count for something. That's the best thing about this class, we've all had a chances to voice our opinions in a supportive and sharing environment.