Matt Jones

Meaningful Learning 
My goals for facilitating meaningful learning revolve around the notion that I do not teach art with the intention of turning each of my students into artists-just to think like artists. I incorporate and teach creative thinking habits, transferrable skills and concepts, and problem solving strategies that students can adapt and apply to whatever they pursue in their lives.

Learning to think like an artist relies on the ability to learn through processes; envisioning an end goal, then work toward taking the necessary steps to achieve that objective.

However nobody is truly motivated to blindly engage in a process unless there is some sort of interest or motivation in what will be achieved. To create interest, the process must begin with personal relevance- a sort of personal justification for beginning the exploration. My teaching achieves this through choice.

Choice functions in the following ways:
          -Gives students the ability to explore a provided concept or purpose using content and information that applies to them.
          -Encourages individual expression.
          -Allows students to demonstrate knowledge the knowledge they find applicable.

IEP’s, ALP’s, RTI’s: They are important 
Acknowledging students with IEP’s, ALP’s, and RTI’s means understanding that no two students learn the same- everyone has their own unique situation that impacts the manner in which they explore and understand content.  

          -IEP: It is very important to understand the nature of each student’s individual educational plan so as to assess not only their    
          shortfalls in learning, but also their strengths and of course the resources they need to succeed. The goal of the IEP is to adapt  
          the presentation of content and learning to assist where they need support, while allowing their strengths to flourish.

          -ALP: Similar to the IEP, ALP’s are designed to accommodate student learning-in this case by adapting learning to challenge
          students to engage in deeper levels of thinking, and ways of expanding and applying knowledge. It is crucial to keep students
          engaged through challenge; ensuring opportunities for further inquiry and opportunities to apply their understanding.

           -RTI: The Response to Intervention approach is a crucial component to ensuring student success and progress at every level
          of learning. It provides an important monitoring system to track student growth and competency. If student performance    
          begins to fall off, it is critical that an intervention plan is implemented according to the severity of the needs to assure no
          student slips through the cracks. It provides a sense of accountability for both the educator and the student to continue to
          progress.

Accommodation and Differentiation
The practice of accommodation and differentiation ensures that all students receive the same learning and understanding albeit through various modes of instruction and presentation of information. Everyone receives, processes and applies information differently and as an educator I find it valuable to be receptive to that fact and recognizing the differences between accommodating content and differentiating it.

          Accommodation:
                   -The practice of understanding student’s personality and capabilities so as to provide a student access to the same    
                    content as their peers by using adapted methods that allow them to learn the content in a manner that is more  
                    conducive and accommodating to their abilities. The end goal is to achieve the same product through adapted
                    performance. Again, it begins with knowing your students.  
 
         Differentiation: 
                    -Differentiating content is, in a sense, a type of accommodation. However the practice stems not from altering the
                    process to deliver understanding, but rather to present information in a variety of ways to provide a wholesome
                    understanding. As people, we all receive and interpret information differently. It stands to reason that the more ways in
                    which we are presented information, will provide a broader scope to comprehend that information in a variety of ways to
​                    formulate a variety of applications.
         
         Studio Design :
         The design of the art studio is a strong determinant of the success of student work. Arranging the classroom to allow both the  
         teacher and the students to maneuver and operate with ease, eliminates many of the issues that might arise from a
        dysfunctional set-up. The set up includes:
 
                    -Everyone should have their own space to call their own, whether it is a  
                     table or desk to sit at, a place to store work, and a place to make work.
                   -Understanding of areas that require teacher supervision.
 
        I strive to give this sense of ownership to students in an attempt to promote accountability. While the majority of the space is      
       shared, breaking that space up into unofficial areas ensure that everyone does their part to keep the studio functional. 
 
       Studio design is also a key player in ensuring studio safety. In the classroom, safety is one of the biggest concerns- effective    
       learning occurs when students are healthy and have all of their appendages intact. I ensure safety in my classroom through the    
​       strict adherence to studio habits.
           
                   -Classroom routines
                   -Cleaning of equipment and work spaces
                   -Adherence to the processes of the lesson
                   -Designated areas that require supervision