What worked well for this art experience? Why?

I think having multiple parts to the art project worked well because it allowed the students to have more things to create which took up more time. Before we were having trouble keeping students engaged for the full time so it worked well to have a project with multiple parts. I also think it worked well to break up the diorama into the environment, things in the environment and people/ creatures who occupy the space. Starting with the environment further developed the ideation for their dioramas. Students began creating the environment and while they created environment they were able to brainstorm things and creatures that would occupy the space. I also think that having students create their favorite place worked well too because I could see a lot their of excitement and passion. One of the students created a Taylor Swift concert and her aid helped make Taylor, she was so happy and I could see that she was having fun. In my experience, I think I did a good job of helping some of the students with their ideation by asking questions. For example, one student brought his marvel superhero video games, and I asked if his favorite place was where he could play his game. He created a living room with the marvel characters.

What didn’t work well for this art experience? Why?

I feel like this project might have been a little too complicated because most of the students had a lot of assistance, it's hard to make miniature furniture and items even for me. I also think the clay was too hard for students to shape into what they wanted. Our introduction to the project was a little confusing as well, even some of the aids didn't know exactly what to do. It is still hard for me to not have expectations of how their artwork should turn out. At times I would say something like, "Don't you think this wall needs some art?" then I immediately realized that those are my own opinions and expectations, not the student's. 

What would you do differently?  Why?

I would provide students with softer air dry clay so that they could shape it easier without as much help. I also feel like we could have introduced the project better because we didn't really plan what we were going to say so I feel like we became confusing to the class. I think we should've broken the lesson up into steps directing students to pick a box first then think of an idea, then create the environment. We could have been more engaging if we let the students interact with our diorama since the whole lesson was about interactive art. Instead of voicing my expectations of how a student's artwork should look, I should ask questions like, "Do you think it needs anything else? How can you make this better, is there anything you want to add?"