OK – you’ve gotten this far. Great. First assignment:
Each student will post at least one reflection on this blog for each week AND one comment on someone else’s reflection.
In your first reflection, please do two things:
(1) What should we talking about in this weekly blog? Simply comment on what you learned in class that week? Reflect upon some image or text you encountered that deals with artists or descriptions of artists? Something else?
(2) What (if any) should the rules of the blog be regarding types and tone of your comments?
Let the fun begin. 
The Art of Crossing the Street Weblog 
(1) talking about anything/everything we encounter during the class, and certain things that we feel relate to it
(2) The comments that are made in response to the prompt questions (if there are any. If not, just the thoughts on things learned during the week) should be left completely open, allowing everyone to be as critical/harsh as they want, while the responses to other students’ opinions should be ruled simply by the guidelines of respect. (constructive criticism & all that jazz…)
I think commenting on what we learn in class each week would be fine for the weekly blog. It would give us a chance to learn about everyone elses opinions and perspectives. I don’t think there needs to be any rules or guidelines.
I think the discussion should focus around things that we see/hear/think etc. outside the class that relate to what’s been going on in the classroom. As far as guidlines or rules, I guess just be open and responsive to what other people say and unafraid of what you have to say.
(1) I’m really all not that sure what the class will be about, as I was enrolled late and this course was recommended by my adviser. I’m looking forward to learning more about the class and making appropriate comments on this blog.
(2) A guideline that I would support is that comments should be only valid and thoughtful.
As far as actual rules go, I think one obvious rule is should be that no SPAM shall be allowed.
1) I believe that the subjects of the blogs should start off broad, and from that stand point they will slowly be narrowed down to specifics. From these specifics, new blogs can be created and complexities will form.
2) I think there should be no guidlines, allowing us to be as open as we want but w/ a certain degree of respect
I think it’s hard to think of what we should discuss here because none of us have a very good idea of what the class is going to be like… but it will be a good place to ask questions that arise once we are out of class and to share ideas.
As far as comment etiquette, we should all be open and polite. I agree with Kate that it will be good to learn about other people’s perspectives. Disagreements will happen, and they are good and helpful, but we should try to avoid conflict and harsh judgement. And please please please, no one TYPE LIKE THIS!
Hello!!
These are all great comments.
Basically I took this class because it was the sounded cooler than the Shakespeare one. I’m excited about art in the community. I want to get out there and do murals and public art and I like working with people.
I think this blog should be about ideas we all have. I think it should be an outlet where all of us can throw around ideas and organize thoughts into actions.
Yes, painting murals is an inspiration of mine as well. I look foward to working in teams and with other artist.
I think the blog should encompass anything that might be on someone’s mind that relates to what we’re doing in class and not just what goes on in the classroom.
I think jus being respectful and open to other opinions is all that should be required for the posts. Differences of opinion are great – and a heated discussion about them is great too, but flame wars are stupid. I think Beth’s last rule is good too.
The name of the class instantly grabbed my attention and seemed like a nice change from my other English classes in the past.
Once class starts I’m sure there will be a lot to discuss. I think there should be little or few guidelines as to the content of the blogs. Respect is a must.
I agree with what has been posted … I believe that as long as we can create an open dialogue to help strenghten our exisiting ideas about art, and help formulate new ideas, anything is game … but respect for opinions should be encouraged!
I was interested in the title of the class and it wasn’t just regular English class. I thought it would be good to learn something pretty new for me.
I think as long as being respectful and acceptable to other people’s opinion, there shouldn’t be any specific rules.
1) I enrolled in this class simply because the admissions director believed that it fit well with my mentality and style of my work. Seeing the immediate aforementioned responses, I am excited that this class is quite active and inteterested.
2) I believe that no opinions, views, or beliefs should ever be silenced, as long as the people who carry them truly believe in them.
I think it is pretty much well documented and agreeable by all as to what the content left on this page will be about, as well as any rules, or lack thereof, regarding it. So, yeah… nothing new, I guess.
Oh, and I think that my comment counts as both the introductory statement as well as a response. . . Yeah?
In case it does not, I will include this:
Yes, Nicole, respect!
Yet, if the original comment was lacking in just that to a certain person, then I would suggest no retaliation. Instead, figure out why that person made that comment. Who knows, maybe based on that person’s particular background, the comment was justifiable and perchance praiseworthy. So, instead of a war of words, maybe it could be a learning experience? And maybe not.
1.)I am taking this class becuase like most people it was recomended. but I am excited about it becuase from what I know about it, it seems to show how there is art in everyday life and I firmly believe that so it should be an exciting class.
2.) I think there should be room for anything , becuase I think we will explore the most if theres not really limits. Like the rule could be just try to explain things well so that other people can understand where you’re coming from. But otherwise I think the less restrictions the better and I think most of the other students have basically the same idea.
1) I’ve taken classes that had blogs before, but don’t really know what to expect from this class, but I hope to not get attacked by pigeons on the way.
2) Good, strong opinions are what spark discussion and thought.
I decided to take this class because I am always considering the role of the artist in society, simply because otherwise I lose sight of the reasons for art’s existence. Art has such enormous power and to create it without considering its impact on the world is to be somewhat selfish and masturabatory.
As far as comments go, I believe that everyone should post keeping in mind that their comments will be read, by their peers and possibly by people in the larger world, since this is the internet. And since these comments will be read, they should be made in the spirit of respect for diversity and with consideration for their impact.
1.) I think that the class should be more than that. We’re all artists in some manner, here to develop, share, and refine our ideas. I hold a deep belief in the power of a strong, open community. I think the blog could be the kind of place where we share an interesting link or essay or video touching on a topic we are discussing in class, which will in turn lead to more discussion and allow each of us to show off how awesome we are at typing and responding to long paragraphs of text.
Consequently, I think that while it could be a powerful tool, making it mandatory may not be a good choice, as those who aren’t necessarily as interested in the subject may make comments simply for the act of doing so, which on the whole would lessen the strength of the community.
2.) I think that we should be ourselves. Which is to say, we should say what we think. Self-censorship in the interest of retaining a polite or professional atmosphere can only hurt discourse. If Jim sees that an entry has no comments and would much rather write a comment exclaiming “First!11@” rather than a detailed analysis of the impact of Italian sculptors on the organizational methods of communes in San Francisco, then I say he should go for it. Everybody knows that Jim doesn’t know the first thing about sculpture anyways, so anything he’s going to write about the topic is probably hogwash.
3.) ???
4.) Profit!
I think it would be valuable for the members of this class to share their own personal experiences and encounters that pertain to the topics explored in class, in addition to sharing comments or questions derived directly from class discussions.
I don’t feel that any rules are necessary, beyond the general agreement that we will respect and consider each others opinions rather than being intimidated by them.
I liked Megan’s statement about community artwork and this class being a forum for turning our thoughts into actions.
I just enrolled in this class, and missed the first two classes. What a pity! Anyway, as I read all the comments and reflections from the classmates, I can almost picture what the class is about. It is wonderful to go out and be in the environment and having the encounters with the people, nature and surroundings. I think this blog could be the little space that we star to collect all these good qualities, and use this blog to recharge our thoughts. We can exchange and express our exploration outside the classrooms, from the neighborhood to the environment of Chicago. Good art (including fine art, literature, and all the other forms of art) is always inspired and nourished by the essentials of everyday living, nature and surroundings.
And I just wanto say that all the comments should be honest but not hurtful to others.