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Published: December 17th 2005
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Observations from within an Italian classroom (non University): -There is no rubric for grading. It seems very subjective, if not completely. The last day of my computer design class, half Italian students, half Americans, we lasted 1.5 hours overtime simply because there seem to be no rules. People arrive when the please and the teacher is happy to repeat info (if they start on time) if not wait up to 30 minutes for the rest of the class to show...wasting the time of those who arrive ontime. Now, during overtime this particular day, we were supposed to lay out or final design projects. We, Americans, were also supposed to receive grades, but 1) Italians have no idea what A,B,C ecc mean and 2) have no means to grade, ie no rubric breaking down logical methods of analyzing ones work...process? attendance? unique ideas? method of working? participation? No, instead, the two professors chat about who they think came and participated, who took advice and suggestions, and thats about it.
-In my printmaking classes, 2 of which I am the only non-Italian, we have been having lots of discussions with the director of the school, the artist fellow, assistant and other
teachers, about how to push and challenge and help grow the Italian students who have been coming to the scuola for years with a certain project in mind, having only to do with something beautiful and worrying only about technique, and never really questioning, challenging, thinking. These women, most in the 40's and 50's (if not some a bit older), come with set ideas, and in between chatting about their sons and daughters, cell phones ringing, and questions about how to do this and that...often demanding help, never waiting patiently in line, never cleaning up properly, rarely taking advice outside of technical advice, and never, in my opinion, ever put their emotional self into their work.
This is all completely opposite to our, American, educational training. Opposite to my artistic training. Opposite to what I yearn to do as a teacher myself. One professor said, in so many words, that these women were beyond teaching. Many already think of themselves as perfect artists and do not come to be challenged. That is just the way it is.
And yes, some do have talent. And some are open to being challenged...to think a bit more about why, how. Where can
A sample page from my book, called Isolario...about ourselves as independent, but often isolated beings...
Used thread to hand bind pages with special stitch, cut paper, japanese prints, thread between cut forms as wel. this project go? Why is it that I draw like this? What feedback, like other people's thoughts and ideas, provide for me?
-During class, I involuntarily receive backrubs, pats on the tush, words of advice on love and life, questions probing the reason for my acne, my coldsore, and demands to help make photocopies..to which I reply "I'll show you how to do so that you don't have to ask me or rely on others anymore."
-During class, I practice my Italian, laugh, eat what Venetian, Friulian goodies there are that have been donated to the class but one of the students (a mother, of course). I seek out challenging words of advice from the teacher, the fellow (the artist who acts as the International student advisor), the assistant, ecc, for advice, their perspective, etc. I observe and watch how we all interact. When we do all sit down to see slides, or watch a demonstration, they talk. One conversation over another, until, at most times, there are atleast 5 conversations at once. And no one seems to care, because they are all talking, and that is the important thing...And no one that is listening can follow any
A sample page from my book, called Planisfero...a theme open to interpretation about laying ourselves out, completely, like maps of the world...
Again this is hand stitched, with pages that open to reveal other images about constellations. Here there are monoprints and transfers of drawings and satellite maps of my hometown Canton, as well as photocopies worked and sanded to reveal spherical images. one conversation so all the potentially wonderful things people are referring to are lost.
And that is often how they communicate.
Our International Student Exhibition Thanks to the very hard work by the assistant and fellowship artist, we were given a week in the gallery to hang work. It was quick, but wonderful. The 3 undergrads from Connecticut, plus us 3 graduate students chose several pieces each and signed, them, cleaned edges, hung and admired them. It was essential to see our work dignified on the wall. We work so many hours, often 10 hours for days on end, and to step back and see the pieces to which we are so intimately connected, if not just labor wise, is a satisfying event.
When we come back in January, our Spring semester begins, and 25 new undergrad art students from Boston arrive. The peace and calm in the printmaking studio will no longer be peace and calm. Our habits and processes will have to change. We will have to share more, communicate better, adjust. However, I look forward to continuing my work, for which I received GREAT feedback. I am working on books, drawings, woodcuts of the iron
gratings and gothic windows of Venice, lithographs that are self potraits and more. I include a few samples in this travelblog...
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