Work Experience // Teaching - Week 1

This is a quick post about the things ive seen and done, and importantly the things i have learnt whislt doing my experience as a teacher and teaching assistant

the day i started, a previous graphic design project had just finished and I invited to stand in on their crits,

I did'nt want to give exact feedback, say what is wrong and what they should try- this is because i didnt want to come accross to the teacher i am working with and the students i am working with that I assume i know everything there is to know about graphic design. so when i was looked at to add comment at first i basicly just said what i thought worked about the piece
[the project they just completed was to use collage to make a self portrait describing themselves]

After this I was invited to set a project of my own!...

I am working with a total of four groups, accross two 'levels' for graphic design.

-for starters i think its just completely brilliant this school does graphic design

-the levels I am working with roughly translates to the american equivelant of AS and A-LEVEL, i am so deeply gutted that the backwards inbred british school i went to never did this, luckily at my a-levels i did fine art and alongside this media studies and my tutors for both allowed me to lean some of my projects towards graphic design. but at gcse is was either art or drama.the end.

regardless having this level of input at this age is outstanding and im definately jealos!

so this is an american led school and its a bit mad , i work with people who arent say 'a-level' or '17' or whatevr they are 'softmores' or 'seniors' and i have no idea whats going on. especially as some of the classes are mixed level/age group. but they are about to go onto university so it does roughly translate to a level and as level thats how i get my head round it

and so yeah the project- that nice little bit just there with the pictures nicely laid out on the side all nice and fancy yeah that was supposed to be the bit about the project.

but i do need to outline what its like in an international school. especially my experience of it and the subtle differences such as accents and understanding between people even though me and the teachers all speak english as a first language!- and complete lack of having a clue about whos doing what level

the mini project i set was the same [but with a couple tweaks] for each group. i based it on oen of my favourites from FDA; to do a mini concertina fold book out of an A4 paper

the reason i did this because it is enjoyable! it is straightforward yet massive depth for ceativity and graphic design skill-encouraging them to start thinking about spreads, layout, front cover etc. but also so i could share some elements of higher education to these students who will be at uni in no time at all, i want to share that as i want to make a good impression and share anything that would be more unique to me than anyone else

the project i set was; to pick a colour and graphic design it. for both levels i wanted to really encourage mark and image making techniques, and got them all to explore the media available in different ways. i even learnt alot myself. i also got the students to think differently about their colour- about what their colour represents and basic levels of communication; for example not having to use green pens to communicate green- you could just use black and draw a recycling logo, or a leaf, or make rubbings of tree bark etc etc etc -lots of fun! i forget how their school year has only just started so the 1st years have only done it a couple weeks!-but they did amazingly well and answered what i asked them..

this is the best thing i have discovered, - it is actually quite satisfying and did make me feel good to share something and in hopefully mos cases made it both fun and interesting. i have also learnt being an international teacher, and a teacher itself, is very envigorating, and very inspiring. yes i have seen it can be very hard work-but if anyones done a previous job in retail or bar or anything with the public will actually feel the level of work and input is fair, but you get so much more out of what you put in.
the hours and days are good, its not irregular to get a complete afternoon free! and you can take on extra things say such as coaching a sport or something [and get some xtra£££££!] you only work 184 days of the year and you get free accomadation. if you love travel all in all this is a great and satisfying job. personally i want to get into this at a later date, i will leave the UK at some stage, but before i do, i want to test my mettle in the design industry there and do what were being taught to do before i look at streching myself in different ways

next week ill make a post focusing on the work im doing for the art department and what ive learn from this. especially as im having worlds of fun learning something and doing something alot of people i think wont be surprised to find im doing this at a school.