Students need to be able to take responsibility for their learning
because ultimately they will enter a job market where skills such as
perseverance, conscientiousness, and self-control will make them an asset to
the labor market. As more jobs become replaced by automation, people who possess
cognitive skills such as those measured by standardized tests such as reading
and math and “soft skills” or non-cognitive skills such as empathy, being able
to collaborate with others, and creativity will be an asset in the labor
market. No one wants their job to be replaced by a robot and in many cases jobs
will evolve and certain aspects of a job will be replaced by computers. The
parts of the job that will not be replaced by the computers would be the
non-cognitive skills or the “soft skills.”
As an art teacher, I love that the most important skill that I guide
students in is creativity and risk taking which are essential soft skills which
cannot be measured on a standardized test. This reaffirms what I already know
about the importance of art and it makes me take my job very seriously. I know
that I need to help students foster the artist and creative agent that is in
each and every student. Now what I need to do is find ways in my classroom to
allow students to take more ownership over their art-making and learn to trust
their creative instincts.
Some of the barriers that my students face are in relation to their
self-esteem. Some students will come up to me and ask me the following question
about their work: “Do you like it?” I always turn that question around on them
and respond: “Do YOU like it?” or if you are questioning your art what do you
think is strong about it and what would you like to improve in your art? I will
follow up by mentioning that it is their art and how they feel about their art
matters more than what I think. Of course if I can give mastery-oriented
feedback and push them to develop their ideas and techniques more I will but I
am trying to teach students to think critically about their own work.
Sometimes I feel like I spend my whole day saying to students: “You are
the artist.” That is my response to those self-esteem and fear of risk-taking
questions like: “Should I use purple?” My response: “You are the artist.” I try
to foster this self-esteem in students by encouraging students to take risks,
not be afraid to make a mistake and by telling students: “There is no wrong
answer in art.” It amazes me how scared some students are to make a mistake.
This fear of making a mistake is the opposite from the kind of expert learners
and future leaders that we need in society. So one huge barrier that students
face that can be removed with UDL is to allow students more autonomy in their
choice of subject matter and encourage that confidence in students to carry the
project out. If students believe in their own ideas and creativity, then they
are developing that self-confidence that is essential and will lead them to
take creative risks. That genuine creativity is the type of skill that is
less-likely to be replaced in the future.
Katie Novak has four components of a UDL curriculum. I found looking at
each component separately very helpful when considering how to begin to
implement UDL in my classroom.
Component 1: Goals
The teacher could broaden the goal of the lesson to expand the potential
for what it can be. This will allow students to become more autonomous learners
and if they know that they must shape their projects and learning, that will
increase their self-confidence and decrease fear of making a mistake. It is a
simple step that can be taken right away. It is a shift away from the more
teacher-directed projects and more student-directed interests.
Component 2: Methods
Teachers need to think about how
there can be diversity in how students learn and express their knowledge. There could be more diversity in what a project can become and how the end-product may look.
Component 3: Materials
Can I diversify the materials that students use? This is one of my
biggest challenges in regard to the implementation of UDL. Often in the art
room we are learning about a specific art material or technique and how it
works. The use of materials is such a huge part of art and some choice in
materials can be added.
Component 4: Assessments
It would be great in our art-room practice for assessment to be more
self-reflective and peer-reviewed instead of coming straight from me. This
would boost self-confidence and the sense of awareness that students need to
develop.
