Sept 12 Exit Slip

During the first half of the lesson, our class broke out individually to draw man-made and natural objects. Upon hearing the instructions, I was particularly excited to draw human-made items like the shed, small vegetable signs, and the bench. I felt more confident about these items because I have had more practice drawing similar objects over the years. The straight lines and angles of 90, 60, 45, and 30 degrees in man-made objects allowed me to be more precise, which likely satisfied my tendency toward perfectionism. On the other hand, I found it extremely challenging to draw living things, such as plants and people. Before this activity, I judged myself to be a poor drawer, and this experience appeared to reinforce that belief. My frustration even led me to try tracing a leaf to make it look more realistic. Overall, this exercise highlighted how my own high expectations and social conditioning can limit my ability to enjoy creative activities even when they are at lower stakes. As a teacher, I desire to create an environment where students can reflect on and possibly unlearn some of their personal expectations and judgements. I want them to embrace tasks they may not be accustomed to so that they find joy in the creative process.

During the second half of our class, I immensely enjoyed hearing the stories of Susan's career and the types of students she has had to deal with. It was insightful to learn about how she tackled difficult situations and makes me reflect on how I may react given the issue. As teachers, we should keep in mind that numerous resources and experienced individuals are available to help us when we encounter challenging situations. I hope to hear more stories in the future!