DELIVERING WORKSHOP TO DACA

REVEALING ALL PLANS TO STUDENTS AT DACA

Our workshop to DACA was about the art of making mistakes and from that finding different ways to mark make. We wanted to teach the students that Art doesn't always have to be objective and to the point but it can be expressive and performative also and that it is okay if faces don't look like face when paining and building are not straight etc. We wanted to get the message across that trying to find 'perfection' when painting isn't always the answer to 'a great piece of work'.

We found out the night before that the usual train we get at 7:30am wasn't going on that day so we had to get an earlier train which was at 6:54am, which meant I had to wake up at 4am to get to the school in time.

Before getting on the train we already had a problem on our hands, one of the members from our group was running late and wasn't going to make the train and that member had all the handouts and presentations with them. Nonetheless the rest of the group got there, unloaded the cars with materials in and started to set up the classroom. Just before 9 o'clock the students had already come in and sat down so we started with the day without the member at first and we introduced ourselves and said a little about our practice and told the students to introduce themselves and say what they like most about art. Thankfully our last group had turned up by the time we finished and we started with our plan and put on the powerpoint while the students sat on the floor and listened. 

It wasn't long till we found out that the late member forgot all the handouts at home and so we had to re print them. Other than this the workshops carried on very well and the students got stuck into making the mark makers and making marks with them on paper with different inks and paints as shown in the images below.

(Images above) Students making the mark makers and using them on the paper to make marks. I along with another group member Heidi got involved with the students.

(Images above) The painting workshop that myself, Celine and Ffion held as our little workshop where we used everyday items such as liquid, flour salt etc to make different textures in paint.

The morning session went tremendously well because we had planned everything down to the minute of lunch and everything was well timed (plan of the day in previous post) and all the activities were carried through good and excepted by the students.

(Images above) the obstacle course and games session in the afternoon.

We had a few problems in the afternoon because even though we had planned the activities for the afternoon we didn't plan the timing well and so some of the games didn't end well whereas some did. In these scenarios most of the group worked together to overcome it and carry on smoothly whereas there was one member who was keeping away from helping us find a solution and when asked why they are not helping replied its not my task when the afternoon was a team task there was no one specifically designated for it. However, we smoothly went onto other activities and took away the minute of dullness with more fun activities such as the obstacle course the students made. It was good to see them all really get involved however at this point the group did think we were running our of stuff to use. 

(Images above) Some feedback forms filled out by students on how they think we performed and how they performed.

Although we did face a few problems the day went really well and the when we did go a little wrong the main point was that the students didn't realise and so they still enjoyed their day. I have also learnt that planning for only one days worth of lessons is so much more harder than I thought and it really does take more than one look over to get things right before we go out to teach it. But if the lesson is taught with confidence then it makes it that bit easier to show the students that the tutor is always right. I have also learnt the importance of team work and how planning a day like this one and executing right would have been near to impossible without team assistance and so this was well done throughout the especially she  we had a few problems we all stuck together.