field experiences

I think the thing that has surprised me the most about field experiences this semester is that I really enjoy teaching the pre-k students. Coming into this program I thought that the youngest students I would want to teach would be in high school. I've now come to realize that is not the case. I honestly did not expect to enjoy teaching the little ones as much as I have, but the more I think about it the more I enjoy their activities and the experience of watching them discover art making and their surroundings for the first time.
It has also been a great learning experience to see the variety of ways art is being taught in this city. There is a great difference in attitudes, access to materials, physical space, and group dynamics that are really at the heart of every academic institution, formal and informal. I will be sure to keep this in mind when looking for internships in the next coming months. Though I am not planning on doing the K-12 certification, I think that knowing the dynamic of the system you are entering is important for keeping appropriate expectations of what can and cannot be accomplished in certain spaces.