Help with designing a high school photography curriculum?

I was recently hired as a high school art teacher. Two of the classes I'll be teaching are black and white traditional

darkroom photography, levels 1 and 2 (beginner and advanced) in the same class. My question is, does anyone have

any tips for me on the following:

1. Some basic steps of teaching photography (such as first, parts of the camera; technical info. Second,...)

2. Some ideas on how to teach beginner and advanced students in the same class

3. Some lesson plan ideas

4. Any resources that would be helpful for me.

This is a lot of information I'm seeking, I appreciate any input I can get. THANK YOU!!!!

I must say that your question just reflects the amount of education you have received.

 

I don't mean to be insulting but, I feel that your question reflects the results of our educational institutions and the attitude

of younger people today.

 

Weren't you taught how to make lesson plans?? Weren't you taught how to read and develop resources??

 

Actually, you have insulted me in requesting that I do your work for you so that you can collect your pay check.

The previous answer was rather harsh, but the points should be well taken. The school should provide for you some resource material, like a basic photography textbook. My first suggestion is to disassemble the darkroom, sell everything in it on ebay, and set up a digital program. Traditional chemical photography is dead, gone, done, kaput. If the school won't support that find a different job. Do you have any background in photography?

http://highschooljournalism.org/Teachers/Lesson_Plans/Detail.cfm?lessonplanid=166

 

I agree that Joseph Martines was rather direct in his personal opinion... This is a site I recently found on the internet by googling "lesson plans for teaching youth photography"...

 

Just because we are photographers doesn't necessarily mean we are adapt in teaching it.

 

An opportunity has just opened up recently for me to teach youth college in photograhy... I too am looking to make my own lesson plan and I agree with Robert... I am focusing only on digital photography... I think the most important aspect that I want to teach is: how to use a camera in manual mode... give them full control of the camera and it's settings.... also about the use of light/ rule of thirds, etc. I will use my own images in the teaching... etc. I am going to meet with an experienced teacher soon to show me how to design a teaching plan... If you contact me in a week or so... I will email you what I have put together.... (info@rosinadibello.com) Also I think it is more important to give the kids assignments on rule of thirds/ composition/ posing people... fun assignments that can make a huge impact and seperate the hobbists from the serious students....

I tend to bottom line things and they do come across as harsh. Truth is funny that way.

 

I totally agree that the basis of the photographic course will have to be digital.

 

The problems on the horizon will be in getting everyone on square one. Will everyone have access to digital equipment?

 

This means both the camera and the equipment to "develop" the images?

 

A problem arises as to what text books to use and developing the course will require teaching both from the camera

capturing and the computer developing. It is a big task and I sincerely wish you success.

While I agree that Joseph's response was harsh (although he is right), as a photo instructor, I find Robert answer much worse and a sign of ignorance of education. Sorry if that offends you Robert, but that's the opinion of someone who has taught in public and private high schools and colleges for 25 years.

 

Robert-

 

Many schools have left textbook ordering to the instructors instead of just relying on standardized texts like they do for history, science and other subjects. I've met some teachers that don't actually use a single supplied text but instead create the written text themselves. If this was the case, the new teacher cannot use them without written permission.

 

You second suggestion is asinine. First off, new instructors rarely have the power to overhaul a curriculum the way you suggest. First, film is not dead. If it were, we would be mentioning it. It is archaic, but so is portrait painting. However, if the program is about art, anything could be considered a viable medium. That is the school's decision. Get off your digital high horse. Although, I think that a properly set up digital curriculum is better, this isn't the place for evangelism-either film or digital. The program is what it is-the OP has to deal with it. If she were to teach there awhile, she may be able to have some curriculum input. But for those people who think it is easy to change from an all film curriculum to a digital one, I've got bad news. If you want to teach the proper technical skills, the program change needs to be completely scrapped and rewritten. It takes time and lot of real, not assumed, knowledge of both film and digital. The class I've been converting to digital is in it's 7th month of conversion/analysis/fine-tuning and I work with some of the best technical minds in the business.

 

Your next comment is even more pathetic. How much money do you think that schools have to essentially throw away equipment they own and buy extremely expensive equipment that they will have to update in around 3 years? Unless you are offering to buy the necessary equipment for any school that needs the help, you should reconsider your attitude. The other alternative is to eliminate all photography-now that would be a great thing.

 

Lastly, ...FIND A DIFFERENT JOB!!!??? ARE YOU KIDDING!!!??? (Yes, I am yelling) Do you have any idea how difficult it is to find even one job teaching photography?

 

Addressing the OP's requests

 

I'm not going to give you lessons, but things to consider after you do research.

 

You haven't given us much information about yourself, your background, photography knowledge and skills. All of the basic black and white photography texts set up a basic structure about the equipment, exposure, development and printing.

 

Since you didn't mention the length of the class period, how many times the classes meet per week, and any other schedule issues, you need to figure out how to set up the class that you can devote a specific amount of time to both the beginning and advanced students.

 

As for teaching beginning and advanced students in the same class, since you are a new teacher at the school, you need to establish your policies and lab rules. All students should meet together so that they understand that all rules apply to everyone. Don't assume that the advanced students know and follow the rules. I would also hand out a list of vocabulary words to both the beginning and advanced students. Include all the terms that you think are necessary. This way there will be less confusion if you and the previous instructor use terminology differently. Be prepared for challenges to your definition if they are different.

 

You first need to determine the level of the advanced student's skills. Come up with an advanced shooting assignment that the student can do quickly, but will challenge them. Send them off to do the shooting (if the school will allow students out of the classroom during class time). They are required to process the film and print out the best shot by the next class (or relatively soon thereafter). Once again this depends on the school's normal curriculum. Some schools start the session slower than others. If the students start off with 5 hours of homework the first night, you may need to spread out this assignment longer.

 

Advanced students in a combined class will probably have to be given an independent study structure. This would be more of a project-based program instead of a lesson-based program. Because of this you need to set up the assignments in a way that the process of the doing the assignment and the critiquing the assignment is where a large part of the learning takes place. The beginning students will probably need lecture, demo, hands-on practice, assignment and critique.

 

Consider alternative processes, large format, digital, etc for advanced students.

 

If you are in the US, contact your regional Society for Photographic Education (SPE) to contact other instructors in your area for more info

 

www.spenational.org

 

John

John, I appreciate your answer.

 

You and I agree on many things. I can't express them as well as you did. Thanks for chiming in.

 

When one considers that this is an introductory class to digital imaging for high school students it opens a wonderful

introduction for young people and their creative juices.

I am not a teacher and never played one on TV. My photographic background is through formal education, I am one of those silly people

who went to college to learn photography. I am advisor with a local high school photo program through Kings Regional Occupational

Program (KROP).

 

Roselyn, I have a really bad feeling here by looking at your post and I maybe wrong that B&W film experience is somewhat lacking. The

reason I am saying this is simple. If you were taught this then you should already have a plan that at most should need fine tuning. So

here is what I would recommend for the beginning students. You need the very basics of who to use a darkroom. First project I would

have them do a simple project like a photogram.

 

The second project would be how to load and develop film. Next the basics of camera, such as: aperture, shutter, mirror focal lengths. I

recommend teaching on a fulling manual camera like a Pentax K1000. After that exposure the relationship of shutter speeds, f/stops and

ISO. Last for the beginners composition.

 

For your advanced students, push processing, portraits, lighting, sports shooting and maybe shooting 21/4 formats and view cameras.

 

Joseph there is a part of me that very much agrees with your sentiments, but I can guess that Roselyn Marino was not hired to teach

photography as her primary function but as a secondary. At least she is asking questions, the alternative could far worse.

 

Robert, I agree with you that digital and Photoshop is a must in today's market place, but I will strongly disagree with about completely

pulling the plug on film process. I will tell you from my personal experience the shooters of have a film background tend to have a much

greater understanding of exposure and capture than non film (The digital shooters tend to be better at post). In the commercial and

editorial fields I were understanding basic concepts of film processing comes in very handy such as with imagesetters and older

pressrooms. I know several wedding photographers who shoot medium format film and call it traditional shoot and charge extra for it.

Digital cameras still can't match a viewcamera in tilt shift. I will say from a commercial standpoint digital is the priority but film aint dead

yet.

 

Finally, I know some artist who film is still their medium.

WOAH WOAH WOAH, I didn't mean to offend any of you. I've been a public school art teacher for ten years (and Joseph, I'm not one of the "younger people" you spoke so low of). I have to defend myself in saying that I am a nationally recognized art teacher for my efforts to improve the lives of children through the world of art. I have an opportunity to expand my horizons in art education, and while I was researching many different avenues of gaining insight, inspiration and education in photography I thought I'd also use this forum to see what's out there. And did I. I was a photography minor in art school over 20 years ago, and it's been some time since I've worked in this medium. I do appreciate all the constructive ideas you all gave. This is my first time using this forum, and what an experience it's been, in just a short while. I will take what I feel will allow me to grow as an art educator and leave what is toxic. Rosina, Ralph and John: Thank you very much for all your time, ideas and support.

check with your local community college ..see what books they are recommnding for their courses in basic photography and buy one. I personally like Bryaon Peterson's Understanding Exposure.

Get real folks. She's not asking you to do her job for her as someone stated. She's asking for guidance. It's called doing research to see what others are doing to avoid reinventing the wheel. You can bet that English, math, science, PE teachers don't start a new class and just come up with curriculum off the tops of their heads. Did you know that most History textbooks include all the lesson plans, handouts, overheads, PowerPoints, and tests? You barely have to even know history to teach it, it's all canned.

Roselyn, send me an e-mail I am in the same position as you and have several ideas on how to approach this.---

smilsop@comcast.net

Roselyn,

Teach them with B&W film. They will love it and they will feel a huge sense of accomplishment when they get it right. It will impact their lives and they will never forget they learned how to do this. Now more than ever, teach them with film. AND it will help them when they work in digital.

<p>This is an old forum post but perhaps the original sender will still get the reply. I just want you to know that there are curriculum tools out there. I taught photography for 28 years and learned a lot from other photo teachers as well as a class or two from Ansel Adams and his friend Bret Weston in Monterey. I now offer teachers a resource at scphoto.com where you will find come tips as well as an online Teachers Break Room course that provides some curriculum assistance. The site also has a digital textbook of the Basic Digital Photography Curriculum and a version for independent study. Feel free to check it out.</p>

<p>I am a professional shooter for thirty years- I have been offered a slot at a private high school summer program. My background is editorial mostly doing higher end environmental portraits for magazines. Obviously I started with film, light meters , strobes, and shooting everything on one piece of transparency film- my motto was bracket bracket bracket. I know light- artificial,natural, mixed, filters etc. It's a digital world no matter what you think of film. I am sooo happy not to walk into a mixed light office,figure out color temps etc BUT having already learned this has helped me greatly when I shoot digital. I want to design a class on SEEING photos. Does anyone have experience teaching someone who apparently does not have much of an eye for photographic composition.</p>

<p>I have been developing a high school photography program for the last 3 years. I came from an art background with one photography class as an undergraduate. I believed the explosion in interest in digital photography was something a teacher could use to involve a wide range of student ability. I recently put what I have developed online for anyone to take ideas and make them yours. Best of luck.<br /> <a href="http://madisonhighschoolphotography.weebly.com/">http://madisonhighschoolphotography.weebly.com/</a></p>

<p>You know, I just have to say, having been a teacher for 17 years the kind of responses Roselyn received from quite a few people were really nasty and embarrassing. All she asked for was help and what a lot of you responded with was snide nastiness. Chances are she is a brand new teacher and building a new curriculum is daunting. I am a mid-career, senior teacher at this point in my life and I find it daunting at times. She is just asking for help finding the resources. I came on here for the same reason, to look up resources to build my photography curriculum for next year - and I am not an expert photographer, just a damned good art teacher who knows she can learn quickly & build an enjoyable course - and reading that drivel made me hesitant to ask questions. Roselyn, not sure how recent your request is (I didn't check the date before I started this response), but I'll gladly share the resources I've found so far with you. Hopefully that is a good starting point in addition to the help that some wonderful folk did share with you here. Contact me through the site and I will give you my email address.</p>