Search Results

Wild Spirit Client: Matthew Wagner Year: 2023 This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. To manage all your collections, click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Previous Next

Quality Standard One Teachers demonstrate mastery of and pedagogical expertise in the content they teach. The secondary teacher has knowledge of literacy and mathematics and is an expert in his or her content endorsement area(s). ​ I feel I am proficient in this standard. I worked closely with my mentor teacher to determine the media and themes that were age appropriate for each class. We explored all different types of media, such as watercolor, acrylic, clay, oil pastel, collage, as well as different processes of making, such as slab building, wheel throwing, plein air painting, etc. so students were introduced to a wide variety of art. I integrated literacy and math into my lesson plans. I taught perspective drawing through projective geometry and used mind maps, venn-diagrams, and reflective questions to give students an opportunity to practice writing. I demonstrated mastery of the content I was teaching by using examples of my own artwork and performing demonstrations for the kids. Element 1A : Teachers provide instruction that is aligned with the Colorado Academic Standards; their district’s organized plan of instruction; and the individual needs of their students. During the course of my time at Webber Middle School, I used every single standard listed underneath Colorado Visual Arts. We used Observe and Learn to Comprehend when I would introduce historical and contemporary artists at the beginning of every unit, and facilitated discussion about the artwork. We used Envision and Critique to Reflect when interpreting artwork and creating commentary about different perspectives. We used Intent and Discover to Create by introducing all of the media that was appropriate and safe for middle school, allowing freedom for creative applications and exploration. We used Relate and Connect to Transfer by investigating and creating artwork that related to our identities, cultures, homes, traditions, interests, and social roles. Element 1B : Teachers develop and implement lessons that connect to a variety of content areas/disciplines and emphasize literacy and mathematics. One of the lessons I taught to the 7th - 8th grade Art 1 class was a still life observation. I introduced the concept of one-point perspective and the technique of using projective geometry to create three-dimensional objects in a two-dimensional format. I did a demonstration using a ruler to define the horizon line, ground line, vanishing point, and all lines receding back into space. For students who wanted to learn how to draw more realistically, this lesson gave them the tools to do that. Students were required to sketch using this technique and then could choose if they wanted to use one point perspective in their final still life. Students could draw three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional paper using projective geometry to give the illusion of perspective. Element 1C : Teachers demonstrate knowledge of the content, central concepts, inquiry, appropriate evidence-based instructional practices, and specialized characteristics of the disciplines being taught. I have extensive experience with plein air drawing and painting. It is one of my passions, and I wanted to show students this process of art making. I even took a class at the CSU Mountain Campus titled Art in Forest Ecosystems that focused on creating art in the field. I created a lesson about plein air sketching and watercolor landscapes. For my 6th graders, I presented a slideshow on the history & definition of plein air painting and introduced concepts of atmospheric perspective and foreground, middle ground, and background. We then went outside and I drew a 5 minute plein air sketch as a demonstration to show the layers in the landscape. Then students spent the rest of the time outside observing nature and their surroundings, documenting what they saw by sketching. Back to all standards Go to Standard Two

Hello! My name is Ashley Svendsen. I am an Art Education major at Colorado State University, expected to graduate in May, 2024, with honors and a Colorado Teaching License (K-12 Art). I am currently student teaching at Johnson Elementary. I am an optimist, a naturalist, a teacher, an artist! My love for the arts is all-encompassing. I am a painter, a photographer, a pianist, and a poet. I have been making art since I could hold a crayon and never stopped! My artistic investigations are fueled through naturalistic observances and emotional expression. I record these experiences through my art with constant exploration of how landscape, memory, and emotion intersect to create a documentation of my perceptions as they occur. When asked in kindergarten what I wanted to be when I grew up, I answered with "a teacher!" I still want that to this day. I adore working with kids and love providing a safe place to express and create. I strive to provide engaging and effective educational experiences. I believe in the power of an amazing teacher, a quality education, and arts expression. Being able to combine both of my passions of working with children and educating them about the visual arts is a dream. In my personal time, I am most at peace when spending time outside, going on long walks, kayaking at Horsetooth, or plein air painting at a picturesque place. On colder days, you can find me reading, cooking, and playing card games or board games with loved ones. Education Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 Resume Ashley Svendsen Resume Email asvend@colostate.edu Phone (908) 200-6627

Quality Standard Three Teachers plan and deliver effective instruction and create an environment that facilitates learning for their students. For Standard Three, I believe I am proficient . I have established an effective learning environment for students and communicate clearly. I deliver effective instruction and evaluation methods that help me determine what and how students are learning. I incorporated relevant technology related to art and used technology effectively to keep organized, grade student work, communicate, provide unique artistic experiences, research, and practice literacy. I have designed and developed lessons that encourage empathy through collaboration and critical thinking through planning. Element 3A : Teachers demonstrate knowledge about the ways in which learning takes place, including the levels of intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development of their students. Learning happens in all stages of the art making process. For the projects at Webber, there were three parts: ideation & planning, studio time, final turn in & reflection. Each student had a sketchbook where they would participate in the research element of art making. This was often an activity where we practiced literacy, encouraging students to write. They would also use this sketchbook to envision what their art would look like with notes or drawings. These show me what students are thinking on an intellectual level. On dedicated studio days, students would attempt and execute their idea while I observed them, offering encourage or advice when asked. In this stage, they learn by doing, they learn from successes and mistakes, demonstrating emotional growth as they work through problems in their art while managing their feelings. Additionally, a choice-based classroom environment is designed for movement and social interaction. Students can move to different areas of the room for different stations and learn from each other. They would share ideas, discuss issues, hypothesize solutions, and offer assistance. During studio time, I encouraged them to talk to one another and see each other as co-creators. They had insightful conversations with each other and built positive relationships with their peers. Element 3C : Teachers thoughtfully integrate and utilize appropriate available technology in their instruction to maximize student learning. At Johnson Elementary, my mentor teacher also taught a Digital Citizenship and Technology class in addition to art classes to be full time. We used the common sense education Digital Citizenship lessons, slideshows, videos, and worksheets to help our students understand important concepts about technology such as privacy, identity, balance, communication, and digital literacy. This allowed students to grasp highly complex technological concepts in easy to understand lessons. We would also assist their learning in other subject areas by drawing different types of lines and triangles to support the math curriculum with extra practice. Additionally, in the art classroom, we had a few iPads and laptops for student use. There was a digital art page with 20+ links to art games, which were simultaneously educational and fun. These games taught students how to draw with drawing challenges or step-by-step videos, color wheel mixing and exploration, virtual sculpture creating tools, and so much more. This allowed students who were not material-oriented and never discovered a material niche they enjoyed, or those who had sensory issues to art materials found the digital option much more appealing. There was lots of room for exploration, and students often went beyond the bounds of the websites linked for them and found even more opportunities to create digitally. Element 3E : Teachers provide students with opportunities to work in teams and develop leadership. At Johnson Elementary, I taught a lesson on collaborative journaling, using contemporary artist Mr. Doodle to explore the concept of doodles, and DJ Osmack to demonstrate what collaborative journaling looks like in a classroom setting. Students were very receptive to the artists and video. He has a silly personality, which helps me communicate to the kids that this is supposed to be fun, low stakes, and a positive way to engage with each other as art art community. Students worked together to draw and problem solve how to fill up empty space or how to work around existing drawings. Element 3B : Teachers use formal and informal methods to assess student learning, provide feedback, and use results to inform planning and instruction. My assessments were based on the Studio Habits of Mind (SHoM), as I feel it strongly reflects the activities of a studio artist and encourages different practices of the art making process. Both my summative and formative assessments were SHoM based, but looked different. The formative assessments were the planning and ideation slides and asked students to post a picture of any class activity and sketches with a SHoM check in that contained the wheel and asked students to circle the habit they felt they participated in, and a short sentence explaining why. For summative assignments, students would post a picture of their final projects and title it, fill out three reflection questions, and a self-assessment rubric based on the SHoM demonstrated in that project. This was useful during my grading to understand what students were learning and how they gauged their own process and efforts. Element 3D : Teachers establish and communicate high expectations and use processes to support the development of critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. The first project I did during student teaching was a TASK party. This is a performative art project created by Oliver Herring, where there is a box full of tasks with artistic or collaborative challenges written on them. These could be something like, "have a tea party", "find a partner and create a handshake", "make a flower and give it to someone". The task is entirely up to interpretation. They're written anonymously, so you can't ask for clarification, but you still must complete it. There are materials set around the room to encourage art making and I noted the importance of community building with students, and asked them to consider working with or talking to someone they weren't friends with or didn't know. I communicated my high expectations by telling students that they will get out of it what they put into it, and I expected them all to try. I empathized that it might be uncomfortable at first, but that in the art room, taking risks and collaborating pays off! This activity encouraged students to think critically in their interpretation of the task, and how they could come up with tasks that were collaborative or artistic. Studnets had to problem solve in order to complete their task. "How can I make a tea party out of paper, tape, and pom-poms? Maybe I should invite people..." Below is Sammie's completed task of "make and wear a birthday hat" and Dylan working on his task of "cook your favorite food". Element 3F : Teachers model and promote effective communication. I used Google Classroom as my primary mode of communication with my students. Here, I posted all of my assignments, materials, and grades within the same platform that students could easily access and use. I always placed a slide on the board with the objectives, instructions, or assignment along with verbally reiterating it. The grading feature within Google Classroom meant I could communicate directly with students which was especially useful for identifying and communicating about missing work and leaving personalized and unique comments praising their artwork. When introducing a new project, leaving the instructions, techniques, and/or objectives on the board allowed students to check in if they were ever confused or needed guidance. Of course, I also walked around the room monitoring their progress and checked for understanding. Back to all standards Go to Standard Four

Photography by Ashley Svendsen Back to Artist Porfolio Page

Art Journals, Reflections, & Documentation Week 1-2 Documentation Week 5-6 Documentation Week 3-4 Documentation Week 7-8 Documentation

Painting by Ashley Svendsen Back to Artist Porfolio Page

Ceramics by Ashley Svendsen Back to Artist Porfolio Page

Under the Sun Client: Kasta Travel Year: 2023 This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. To manage all your collections, click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Previous Next

Artist Statement Personal Artwork Painting Photography Ceramics Solo Art Exhibitions Jan. 2023 - Mini Gallery, CSU, Fort Collins, CO. Living Through Landscapes . Painting, Photography. Aug. 2023 - Mini Gallery, CSU, Fort Collins, CO. Portrait of Place . Painting, Photography, Fibers. Shared Art Exhibitions June 2021 - Ventana Gallery, Tucson, AZ. Symbiosis . Photograph. Feb. 2024 - Director’s Gallery, CSU, Fort Collins, CO. Art in Forest Ecosystems . Painting. My love of art is expressed in all walks of life, and my education background manifests in my attitude towards being a lifelong learner and observer. My “studio” practice aims to be outside of the studio as much as possible. I'm always equipped for camping and hiking adventures with a sketchbook, travel watercolor set, and camera. As an Art Education major, we are encouraged to explore multiple media types and ways of making art. I concentrated in painting and took specialized classes to expand my knowledge about oil paint. My favorite class was held at the CSU Mountain campus, titled Art in Forest Ecosystems, a pilot class where I practiced painting en plein air and building a connection with nature through art. I am trained in both analog and digital photography, though my artistic eye is largely intuitive. I have ceramics experience as well; I enjoy the sensations and motions of the pottery wheel and am mostly self-taught, largely guided by feeling. I desire to understand all things through observation, captured through paintbrushes or a camera lens. I look upon the art I’ve made and begin to understand my own growth and emotions as I pass through these places, survived only by the moments in time captured through photographs, and exhalations of emotion through paintings.

Quality Standard Four Teachers demonstrate professionalism through ethical conduct, reflection, and leadership. I feel I am proficient in this standard. I demonstrated my commitment to the teaching profession through my professional conduct with students, staff, administration, and parents. I wanted to get the most out of my student teaching experience, soaking up all advice and guidance along the way so that I could be as prepared and confident as possible for my future teaching position. Through creating this portfolio, I have had ample time to reflect on my conduct, and I believe my actions matched that of other teachers; attending meetings and special events, performing all extra duties as needed, and building strong connections with my students, the school, the staff, and this community. Element 4A Teachers demonstrate high standards for professional conduct. My standards for professional conduct were very high, especially with the 6th grade classes that I completely took over. It was important to me that students saw me as their primary teacher, which meant showing up every day, designing and delivering their lessons, assisting and supporting them, and grading projects/providing feedback. I worked collaboratively with my mentor teacher to create a rubric for these classes that was equitable and incorporated the Studio Habits of Mind(SHoM) and Colorado Visual Arts Standards. I shared this rubric with students and explained each category, highlighting what you needed to do in order to earn a 4. I talked with students about their grades to ensure that their grade reflected what I was observing in class, and their level of effort. Art Activity and Appreciation SHoM/Standards Rubric Element 4B Teachers link professional growth to their professional goals. I had an opportunity to attend a Professional Development day with Amy Felder, a Culturally Responsive Teacher Training. This was a full day that explored the ideas behind why we need Culturally Responsive School Education and Curriculum. We talked about the long list of potential benefits including reduced fear and increased understanding from parents, applications for Social and Emotional Learning and empathy building, providing clarity and context, building trust and gaining support from administration, among many others. We read The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action by Audre Lorde and annotated it using the Critical Close Reading Tool. This consisted of five different lenses: Reading for Craft and Structure, Reading for Representation and Perspective, Read Around the Text, Readers' Experience, and Reading for Warrant and Reasoning. Each area uniquely investigated how we can critically think about a piece of literature for its word choice, author background, intended audience, emotional effect, and persuasiveness. Amy and I talked about how we could implement this into an art classroom using visual literacy; being able to analyze and break down the parts of an artwork for expression, meaning, subject, materials, artist background, intended audience, emotional effect, and process. We can help students understand how to interpret an artwork the same way they'd interpret literature. Element 4C Teachers are able to respond to a complex, dynamic environment. Running a choice-based or TAB (Teaching for Artistic Behavior) classroom is not easy. There is a lot of movement, commotion, excitement, and materials management that goes into maintaining a studio-heavy class. Every day is different, the classroom and the students are always changing. Student's interests change as they want to explore new materials or ideas. Their seats change if they are working together with someone or a group. There may be spilled paint, there could be a hot-glue gun burn, there might be a scuffle over a finite material. Reminding myself to stay regulated and consistent despite whatever may transpire in the class helps me be a source of strength and stability for students. Despite the unpredictability and challenges that come with a TAB class, I was able to engage with students in a positive and calm way. They came to me with questions, concerns, and to ask for help. Even if the class changed every day, I did my best to remain more or less the same - an optimistic, happy-go-lucky, enthusiastic art teacher. Element 4D Teachers demonstrate leadership in the school, the community, and the teaching profession. At Webber Middle School, I participated in Specials Department Meetings and All Staff Meetings just like all other full-time teaching staff. I absorbed the material and participated honestly and authentically to the highest extent possible in relation to my temporary position as a student teacher at the school. I wanted my colleagues to see my effort went beyond being a student teacher, but rather an active member of the staff who participated as such. I engaged in discussion amongst the other staff when prompted, such as brainstorming about things like the increase in minor and major incidents at the school, how we could connect with students who feel disconnected from their peers and adults at the school, and appreciations we have for other teaching and classified staff. I implemented what I learned from these meetings and applied them to my classroom. Below is the document full of various meeting notes during my time at Webber highlighting what we discussed and any action I took. ​ Webber Meeting Notes Back to all standards

Quality Standard Two Teachers establish a safe, inclusive and respectful learning environment for a diverse population of students. In this standard, I believe I am proficient . I successfully established a safe and respectful learning environment with careful consideration of students from different backgrounds, identities, and needs. By setting classroom norms and boundaries and reminding students throughout the quarter, I was able to maintain a safe learning environment. In my classroom, students felt comfortable enough to explore new materials, express themselves, share their artwork with me and their peers, and be vulnerable. I am continuing to work on community and family outreach, finding additional opportunities to connect with parents and guardians in a positive way. Element 2A Teachers foster a predictable learning environment in the classroom in which each student has a positive, nurturing relationship with caring adults and peers. At Webber Middle School, I completely took on the 6th grade classes during the 3rd quarter. We had a lot of similarities. Our first and last days were the same, only after I volunteered additional time in order to finish out the class with them. They were my first class, and this was their first art class in middle school. Even after three weeks, Chelsea remarked that the students clearly felt safe with me and saw me as a trusted adult. With each passing class, the art environment began to flourish. My confidence teaching the class and their willingness to explore, engage, and participate created a wonderful energy together. I made sure to incorporate certain elements of class every day to maintain routine and give the students structure. We began each class with a 5-10 minute sketchbook prompt, allowing them a minute to breathe, calm down, and settle into class. We had a class clean up every day, taking care of individual responsibilities as well as classroom trash pickups or table wipe downs. Students opened up to me about their lives, their struggles, their accomplishments. They would stop to say hi and chat in the hallways. They felt free to create and be vulnerable in the art room, making meaningful art that felt important to them. On the last day, I threw them a party to celebrate and say thank you, which ended in a group hug. We had many teary goodbyes and thank-you notes. I came away from this experiences with adorable handwritten letters, drawings for me, and great memories. Element 2B Teachers demonstrate an awareness of, a commitment to, and a respect for multiple aspects of diversity, while working toward common goals as a community of learners. During my time at Webber Middle School, I co-led the Diversity Alliance Club with Mrs. Ruiz and Mr. Brandon. We would meet every Monday for an hour after school to discuss Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. It was a safe space for students to discuss their experiences, share stories, and talk. I facilitated the creation of two Black History Month bulletin boards, led and envisioned by Phineas, and executed by two other members, Aliyah and Julia. They featured famous black individuals for sports, music, politics, art, and historical events, equipped with QR codes that led to a link to learn more about them. During the month of February, different students bravely spoke on announcements every morning about their experiences as Black Americans, and how it makes them feel and how it's shaped them as humans.They shared messages they wanted the school to know or hear. We celebrated the end of the month and the hard work and contributions of students by hosting a pizza party where we played the animated Spider-Man films. Element 2C Teachers engage students as individuals, including those with diverse needs and interests, across a range of ability levels by adapting their teaching for the benefit of all students. Art classes were a popular choice for our Integrated Learning Services (ILS) students at Webber, given their relaxing and therapeutic nature. I worked with several of these students, adapting their environment and materials to create the best experience for them. In the Pottery and Sculpture class, one student has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. Her PARA and I took time to figure out how we could create a setup for her that would be comfortable and feasible. She had an absolute blast on the wheel! She created some amazing pottery and loved it so much she did it again the following class! Element 2D Teachers work collaboratively with the families and/or significant adults for the benefit of students. I participated in spring Parent-Teacher conferences at Webber, speaking to 6th graders and their families regarding their grades, participation and effort in class, showed them past work and explained the next projects. This was a great opportunity to connect with the extended school community of parents and guardians who like me, wanted success for their child. I also helped in the Design & Images art show at the Foothills Mall. I chose the artwork, labelled it, mounted it, and filled out these letters and put them in the appropriate teacher's mailboxes. I attended this reception and got to meet parents from Johnson Elementary and talk to them about the art classroom and what TAB looks like, as well as hearing feedback about how they or their child felt about art class. For the artifacts below, I chose to demonstrate my participation in Artist of the Week at Johnson Elementary. Each week, an artist (or artists) are chosen to have their artwork displayed in the case or the hallway board. I took over this process from choosing artists, taking photos (w/ consent), emailing parents, emailing the office/tech staff to put it in the newsletter, printing out certificates, and displaying the art. Back to all standards Go to Standard Three