Intermediate & Advanced Fashion

Today I gave students a quick review at the end of class on the fabrics lesson I taught the week before the week long break. Most students had forgotten a lot of the terms we had discussed in the lesson, so it was good to go over it again with them as a group discussion. Doing this quick review discouraged me a little about my observation coming up tomorrow. I kept thinking what if students don’t participate as they did today?  

Beginner Fashion

Today my mentor gave me the opportunity to practice teaching my observation lesson with her beginner class. The lesson was on fabrics and seams.  I did some modifications in a few areas being that they don’t have the same prior knowledge as the intermediate and advanced class. To be honest, I did a lot of improvisation as I taught this lesson since I was not expecting to practice with them.  I didn’t have any printed out handouts. I only had my slideshow presentation as a tool. However, the lesson turned out great! The way I improvised and made it relatable to the students really had them intrigued and enabled them to give me all their attention as I was teaching. The students seemed very interested in what I was discussing and the majority were really participating.  Since I didn’t have any handouts, I used the smart t.v. as a handout for them to come up individually and do each part of the assignment. This really helped to keep their interest, interact, and be attentive to the lesson. After completing my lesson, I heard the students say how fun the lesson had been and how much they really enjoyed it. Doing this practice run, really helped me feel ready and enthusiastic about my observation.

Intermediate & Advanced Fashion

Students do a peer critique. Each student leaves their black & white outfit sketches on their desks. Each student walks around to view classmate work and leaves a post it with any suggestions or comments they may have. The class teacher and myself walk around as well leaving asteriks wherever changes need to be made. After the critique, students look over the notes that were left for them. The teacher and I meet one on one with students who need adjustments to be made.

 

Beginner Fashion

Students continue to work on motif designs independently. Teacher and I walk around helping students where needed.

Intermediate & Advanced Fashion

The class had a college guest speaker from the Academy of Art University of San Francisco. Both my mentors and I discussed my lesson plan for Thursday.

 

Beginner Fashion

Class is now on new unit, Textiles. Students are working on designing 3 different textile motifs each 2”x2” on graph paper. Teacher goes over with the class what they can use as inspiration (ie: architecture/nature). She also reinstates the guidelines to creating a workable motif that can actually be repeated as a pattern. I walk around to help students one on one with symmetry and balance of motif.

Intermediate & Advanced Fashion

Today the class met at the school library where they were able to finish up their fabrics selections and print outs. I helped students as needed and gave them suggestions on fabrics to use based on their designs.

Intermediate & Advanced Fashion

Students met at the computer lab where they used the websites I provided in my lesson the day before to pick fabrics they want to use in their designs and print out photos of them. I did a quick review of the different fabrics and their properties and what we had discussed in the lesson prior. Once the students got started on their research, I went around the room helping each student with their selections and any questions they had.  I also made sure to check the students had all the information they needed before allowing them to send anything to the printer. Fabric images had to be a specific size and fabric information needed to be listed or jotted down for later use in their projects.

 

Beginner Fashion

Today I observed as the teacher introduced drawing shoes to the class from their unit packet. When the teacher began, she started with various questions in regards to accessories. For example, “What is an accessory?” and “What is its function?”. She later went on to go over all the different types of shoes as the class followed along on their packet handout. Then, she explained the different perspectives when drawing shoes and the most common in Fashion Design are usually frontal and profile views. I noticed how the teacher used a lot of questioning throughout the entire lesson which kept the students interested in what was being taught and also attentive. Later, she did a demonstration for the class in which she explained and drew the shoe in 2 different perspectives, profile and frontal using a projector.  The students were asked to draw along with her. Once the demo was completed, the class had about 10 minutes to work independently. I went around helping students and giving them suggestions where needed.

Intermediate & Advanced Fashion

Today I had the opportunity to teach the class a lesson on “Fabrics & Textures” which will serve them to make fabric choices for their “Vibrant Birds” project.  After reflecting on my performance as well as speaking to my mentors, there were a lot of things I noticed I can improve on for the future. The first thing I definitely need to change was the program I used to create my lesson presentation. I used the online program “Powtoons” which, afterwards I realized is mostly intended for showing short videos instead of an actual slide presentation. While I was giving my lesson, I was limited to the amount of control I had with the slides because information was playing as if it were a video. For future lessons, I must use a simpler program such as google slides or microsoft powerpoint. Here’s the video I created for the lesson:

https://www.powtoon.com/c/gpNPxaPK3UZ/1/m

Other improvements I need to make are:

• Spend more time on “Do Now” and thoroughly explain each fabric swatch and why they are different.

• Give every student a handout even if it is a paired activity in order to avoid unequal participation and workload.

• Ask more questions throughout the lesson to make it more interactive and have students more intrigued in the lesson.

• Time management: make better use of the entire class time. Spend a little more time on lecture and going over all the information.

• Do a more in-depth check for student understanding at the end of the lesson.

 

 

Intermediate & Advanced Fashion

Students are introduced to their next project, “Thematic Fashion Project: Vibrant Birds”. The instructor went over all project outlines and requirements as well as showed fashion show images and videos of bird inspired designs.

 

Beginner Fashion

Students are introduced to new unit: “Accessories”. Teacher provides students with a packet that includes guided instructions and examples of drawing shoes, handbags, hats, and eyeglasses.

Intermediate & Advanced Fashion

Students continue to work on their African art projects. I walk around giving some positive reinforcements and also helping those who need help. I give some tips to students as they are working on how to add more shadows in their drawings using colored pencils. One student asked me to check her homework which was a back and front flat sketch of her designs. I suggested some edits and also gave her a technique to use when drawing flats for the next time she has to do it. I helped another student with her flat as well who was missing a garment construction detail and explained to her the importance of showing that detail. The teacher reminded them of the upcoming deadline of their projects. She also showed me the rubric she uses with her classes which students have to complete and submit to her as a homework assignment once they are done with their projects. The teacher showed me how she posts all of their assignments on Google Classroom for them to see. She also puts the homework on a wall in the classroom for them to grab from a folder.

 

Beginner Fashion

Students continue to work on their jewelry and portrait sketches.  I walk around offering my help to those who need and also providing positive reinforcements. Some students have begun their portraits. As I walk around I help students and give them tips on correcting their faces and getting the correct proportions.  One student asked me for help getting the head shape started. Another couldn’t figure out what was wrong with the eyes on her portrait. After taking a look, I instructed her on how to correct it by editing her guidelines on the face. The teacher showed me what will be their next lesson once they have completed their current projects which will begin next Monday.

 

Fashion/Art Club

Students finish up Valentine’s Day cards. The teacher and I take some of the unfinished ones and complete them this way we get a minimum of 15 cards to sell at the fundraiser.

Intermediate & Advanced Fashion

Students continue to work on their African inspired project. I walk around to observe students work and offer my help if they need it. Once again, I pointed out to students where they were missing seamlines.  I also provided positive reinforcement to some of the students on their progress and how good their work was looking so far. I helped one student with the drawing of stripes on her garment and teaching her a technique to use in order to make her stripes look real on the garment as opposed to flat. I also suggested to some students where to add a little more shading on their garments (ie: underneath skirts, behinds arms, etc.)

 

Beginner Fashion

The teacher explained to me the project the class is working on at the moment which is African inspired necklaces using multi-colored & printed duct tape and paper clips. She showed me the requirements and details of the project and images of examples she showed to the class when she introduced it to them. At the beginning of the class, the teacher took a few minutes to explain the deadline of when the jewelry pieces need to be completed.  She also explained the second part of the project to the class which is to create a small portrait in which they include the necklace they have created. The teacher demoed the basic start of sketching a portrait and reviewed face proportions and guides used to draw. As the students continued their work, I walked around and gave some tips and suggestion to some students.