Teaching Artfully

Earlier this year I reviewed Alex Nall's Are Comic Books Real?, and one of the things that struck me about that book was just how viscerally it made me feel about teaching. Teaching Artfully is another wonderfully, painfully honest looks at education from the perspective of an art teacher. There was a lot about this book that I could relate to, the feelings of being overwhelmed, the amounts of grading, the effort that goes into planning, and the wondering about what you are doing with your life. But this book also delves into a bunch of academic and theoretical work, citing major scholars like Maxine Greene and Elliot Eisner, which feeds into my scholarly interests. This is a complex, multi-faceted work, one that I took a long time to read, because I wanted to take time to reflect and pore over each chapter.

Teaching Artfully is a terrific long-form visual essay about the enterprise of education that expertly meanders and offers insights along the way. It mixes in scenes of teaching, intellectual commentary, one panel gags, lists, metaphors, static images, and abstract visuals in exploring multiple dimensions of the profession/calling, and I loved the mix of narrative/expository/aesthetic forms that it employs. It is a great treasure chest for educators, showing her teaching, some of her activities, and how she approaches planning. It also shows scenes from her life that give context to the whole enterprise. 

This is not a linear work, but that is also part of its point. Teaching is not as simple as one would imagine, and it requires all sorts of lenses to bring it into some sort of focus. I think this graphic novel is a clever for its commentary and its loose structure where it is divided into seven chapters that mirror the major components of art, including line, color, shape, space, and form. I loved its vibrant colors, and the way that it frequently took off into flights of whimsy. It is also a very contemporary book, commenting on our present moment when technology and social media loom large in people's lives, and the role of art is perhaps more nebulous but necessary than ever. I feel that Teaching Artfully is an important work linking education and visual literacy using comics to its best capabilities.

This debut graphic novel was written as a Master's thesis, and author Meghan Parker is an art teacher who works in Vancouver. She speaks about her work and this book in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Kay Sohini called it "a timely reminder of the expansive future of comics scholarship, of what comics practitioners can do with comics as medium and as method, and of the importance of storytelling as humanistic inquiry." Publishers Weekly wrote, "Educators will appreciate heady musings about art-as-process and prompts to “design a new home for a snail,” though creative young readers may prefer passages on self-expression, identity, and inclusion." In a starred review from School Library Journal Thomas Maluck called it " a manual and call to arms for creative perspectives." And I agree with Melissa N. Thompson who wrote that it "does not have to apply solely to art teachers but can foster ideas on how to create meaningful discussions and connections with students by thinking outside of the (report card comments) box."

Teaching Artfully was published by Yoe Books, and they offer more about it here.

Are Comic Books Real?

Teaching can be maddening, frustrating, exhausting, rewarding, surprising, and rejuvenating, and Are Comic Books Real? captures those emotions in a visceral way I've not seen another graphic novel do. This series of stories from teaching and glimpses into the lives of elementary school students and their teacher, captures the good days and bad, the days when you question your sanity/life choices, and the times when something happens to make everything seem worthwhile. Some times nothing seems to go right. Others, the students amaze you with their work or crack you up with their observations of the world and/or ways that they interact with each other. There is a certain sense of capriciousness that goes with teaching, and this book depicts that roller-coaster ride with great acuity and empathy.

I loved how it incorporates lots of different sorts of representation, from more traditional ink drawings (both in black and white and in color) to color pencil drawings to single page portraits of students to actual student comic work. I loved seeing how all these various images combined to portray the realities of teaching and learning and how art affects it all. It captures the tenor of the controlled chaos of a classroom as well as the unique politics of students and how their behaviors affect their teachers. Just check out this moment:

I loved this book and found it incredibly moving. It made me laugh and cringe, empathize and recall some of my toughest days, and also called back some of my most memorable students. It made me remember what being a school teacher was like, and I think that it should be read widely by folks who would like to be educators or educators themselves, but perhaps especially by those who purport to know what teaching is like. I think ignorance and abuse of the profession and those who sacrifice much (both financially and mentally) to practice it are some of the biggest issues facing education in our country today. This book entertains and enlightens.

This book's creator Alex Nall is a teacher and an artist. He has published a number of other comics and books, including Lawns, Teaching Comics, and Kids with Guns. He speaks about his comics and teaching in this interview, and there is also more about his work on his (maybe no longer updated?) blog.

Are Comic Books Real? was published by Kilgore Books, and they offer a preview and more information about it here. This book was one published via a Kickstarter campaign this year. I gladly backed it and would hope others might also in their future ones.

Not Funny Ha Ha: A Handbook for Something Hard

To say abortion is a hot-button topic in the US is an understatement. Political groups use it as a wedge issue; religious groups typically rail against it, and there is a frightening contingent who use terrorism and violence to press their "pro-life" agenda. Not Funny Ha Ha does not get into those areas, but it does perform an important function. It documents what happens to the people who for whatever reason decide they need to undergo that medical procedure.

This graphic novel follows two different women, called Mary and Lisa, who both undergo abortions, one medical and one surgical. As you can see from the excerpt below, they are portrayed realistically and with intelligence, candor, trepidation, and humor.

This book takes its subject matter very seriously, but it also manages to employ a sense of humor, often through wit. The plot is peppered with very human touches and asides that lend a lot of personality to what could have been a pretty dry read. Also, along with the narrative come some pieces of advice, though they are not presented in a didactic or preachy manner, more like suggestions to help those wrestling with larger issues:

Finally, this book also sheds light on the logistical and mundane aspects of the procedure. It is sort of like a "What to Expect" type book that looks into what is typically a taboo and hidden process. This book demystifies it while also acknowledging that it is a difficult and personal choice, but it also puts a couple of very human faces on those who choose to undergo the procedure. After reading this book, I would imagine it would be difficult for someone to shun or shame those who choose this lonely path.

Leah Hayes is an illustrator, musician, songwriter, and producer who has published a collection of short stories told via scratchboard images called Funeral of the Heart. I think what makes Not Funny Ha Ha work so well is her wit, subtle yet affecting art style, and simple lettering. She takes a very disarming and approachable angle on a very difficult subject that I found very engaging. She talks about her work on this book in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Hillary Brown commented on its "subtlety and sensitivity." Etelka Lehoczky called Hayes' linework "aggressively unassuming" and the entire enterprise "formidable." Publishers Weekly summed up their write-up, "Clear headed and with a sympathetic voice, this book provides valuable information for women who have to make a difficult decision."

Not Funny Ha Ha was published by Fantagraphics, and they have a preview and more information available here. You can also follow news and goings-on about the book at its Twitter page.

Ways to prevent summer brain drain!

The Knoxville News Sentinel published a helpful article for parents and educators about what students can do to stay sharp over the summer break. Yours truly makes an appearance and suggests a few graphic novel options for readers.

Check it out!

To Teach: The Journey, In Comics

A companion piece to the memoir To Teach: The Journey of a Teacher, this graphic novel portrays a very student-centered view of education and offers insight into setting up an interactive, supportive, and relevant classroom. Starting with kindergarten students, the point here is to use real world situations for learning experiences as well as to honor students' backgrounds and knowledge. Along the way, there is commentary about standardized tests, what's important in a curriculum, and the roles of teachers in creating pedagogy. The clean, expressive art lighten up what could be seen as a didactic tone.

To Teach was written by Bill Ayers, an activist, distinguished professor, and Senior University Scholar at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He has had a long career writing about social justice and promoting democracy through education. Before he got into education, he was involved with the radical Weather Underground Organization that claimed responsibility for a dozen bombings between 1970 and 1974. This association recently came to the fore as a lightning rod for criticism toward Barack Obama, who had received a $200 campaign donation from Ayers.

The art, a combination of cartoon and realism, was provided by Ryan Alexander-Tanner, an art teacher from Brooklyn. He is a past winner of a Xeric Grant for his comics work, and this was his first graphic novel. Alexander-Tanner talks about his work in this interview at The Daily Cross Hatch and this one at the Graphic Novel Reporter. He and Ayers speak about their work here in this video from The Carnegie Foundation as well as this interview at SMITH Magazine.

This graphic novel version of To Teach has been mostly well reviewed. Angela Leeper praised this book, writing that "this new version of To Teach will continue to inspire teachers for generations to come." Jessica Restaino called it "a restless, eager, anxious work, one that points menacingly at the big picture while it also celebrates the “smallest” triumphs, one student and one teacher at a time." Kerri Arsenault offers a contrary opinion, that "the book suffers from an overabundance of words and lack of constructive illustrations, and the incontrovertible rhetoric makes the book feel pedantic, rather than salient, obfuscating its original intent." This book clearly elicits strong responses to its message.

An excerpt, video preview, reviews, and additional information can be found here from the book's publisher Teachers College Press.