Daniel Higuera

Art Ed.
McGuire
CAHS Reflection

During my seven weeks at Columbus Alternative High School, I realized that students

can be hard to read. High school is far different from elementary school. In younger kids, you

know right away if they like something, hate something, understand a topic, or don’t. HIgh

schoolers are just more masked than that. They take their time to get to know you, and if you’re

worthy enough they let you into to see their thoughts, emotions, and passions.

I had a hard time in my first 3 weeks at CAHS. I felt like I wasn’t quite clicking with the

some students. I kept thinking to myself, “wow they really don’t like me, or they really don’t

care”. It turns out I was dead wrong in both trains of thought. They were just trying to adjust to

some new face that they weren’t sure they could trust. Luckily I’m very reliable, so I made it a

point to be there for students if they needed something. Over my short period of time, I saw a

change of heart that filled me with warmth and hope for my future as an Art Educator. The

students make it all worth it in the end, and I’ll miss them dearly. However, I’m very excited to

start fresh with a new group of students in my class.

There seems to be such a difference in the ways teachers run their classes. I’m no

stranger to this, and it has been very hard for me in general to fit into someone else’s classroom

structure.My time at CAHS and OSU helped me understand what kind of environment i want to

set forth in my classroom. At CAHS there were a good number of students who I knew were just

trying to do the bare minimum. For me having that type of attitude really devalues the culture of

the room, and the art that is made in it. I want to find a way to weed that out of my classroom.

Even if it means making the first couple weeks of class a very intensive workload. Ofcourse,
finding different ways to inspire students is equally, if not more, important. I want the

atmosphere in my room to be related to the fragrance of hard work and the essence of effort. I

want to help instill a growth mindset for groups of people and not solely individuals. I can only

see that happening if I can get everyone on board trying their hardest to complete work that they

are passionate about.

I think I got exactly what I needed from CAHS. I got a glimpse into what high school is

like, and I got a glance at a future me. I’m very grateful to my Co-operating teacher and

supervisor for all the feedback they have given. I feel prepared, and I feel excited for the future.

I feel ready, well as ready as I can be. Being ready for teaching is kinda like being ready for

marriage or being ready to have kids, from my perspective at least. I don’t think I can ever be

really truly ready for what is to come. However, I can be committed and willing to do to the hard

work that I know will come with the future. Even more importantly, I can be prepared to learn

and grow from everything that will unfold in front of me and all that I experience.