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Jordan Warren
3/1/15
132 Work of Art
Winter 2015
Course Reflection

Being in a FRINQ again had evoked a sense of dj vu, I had taken this course
during fall term the previous year as a freshman, and after transferring to a different
college for a year and then transferring back to PSU, I had no idea that I would have to
complete it before I was able to move onto my SINQ. Initially, when I found out that I
had to complete this course even though I was a sophomore, I was less than enthused. I
remember from last year that this course included a lot of writing, reading, and discussion
of social, political, and economical issues as pertaining to art. Upon re-entering this
course, I prepared myself for the long lectures, copious amounts of reading, and
numerous papers that the prior year had presented; but although I was dreading this, I
tried to keep an open mind. Although the course objectives were the same, to my pleasant
surprise this year proved to be less reading oriented and more centered on the discussion,
involved a lot more art, and used a lot of pop-culture and references to current events,
which managed to keep it interesting, something I welcomed wholeheartedly.

Although the curriculum of this course was extremely doable, it also proved to be
a bit challenging at times, which is something that I think is very important in the

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learning process. Branching out of your comfort zone ultimately helps betters yourself in
the end, and Professor Newlands assignments and teaching approach definitely
made you think in a different way, her method required a lot of critical thinking, which
often caused me internal conflict, but it has helped me to view art in a different way. We
were introduced to art through different points of view, and were encouraged to not only
voice our own opinions about works of art, but also to encourage others to voice their
opinions as well, this approach helped me form new opinions and expectations of what
art should and shouldnt be. This open-minded way of thinking has also helped improve
upon my ability to understand and analyze art pertaining to topics of culture, social class,
gender, and sexual orientation, hearing everyone elses opinions really helped me take all
sides into consideration. These points of view also provided an understanding of the
effects art can have on someone emotionally, socially, and politically. I believe that it is
important to be a well-educated and opinionated member of society, and the amount of
time that was dedicated to educating each other and ourselves about art in context to
different social phenomena proved to be a very vital part of the curriculum, a skill one
can use in any aspect of life, and carry with them throughout their lifetime.

Upon entering this class I felt very welcome and comfortable, my instructor,
every single one of my classmates, as well as our peer mentor Charlotte, was very
friendly, extremely down to earth, and helpful, this made it a lot easier on me when it
came to working in groups or asking for help. We did a lot of collaborative work, which
meant I pretty much got to know everyone in the class, and not once did I ever feel
uncomfortable voicing my own opinion or working with new people. This University

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Studies course has indefinitely educated me on important social issues in regards to art,
but it has also helped me form a more positive relationship with interactive discussion
and group work. Not only was I exposed to art and literature that provided a
different perspective, but I was also given the opportunity to engage with fellow
classmates of different backgrounds and ethnicities, whom possessed varying social and
political views, this helped me gain awareness and understanding through different points
of view, overall contributing positively to my learning experience. The assigned readings,
projects, and in-class discussions all meshed perfectly with one another, and Professor
Newlands unbiased way of teaching offered me an opportunity to absorb all of the
information presented and use it to build upon my own personal beliefs and form my own
opinions.

In my past college experiences, my professors have often been dull, stern,

opinionated, and incapable of empathy, having no compassion toward the students,
lacking flexibility, and possessing little to no passion for teaching both views of the
curriculum. Since I had previously spent a term with Sarah Newlands as my instructor, I
knew she possessed none of these fatal flaws, that being said she still continues to
astonish me with her enthusiastic and liberal approach to educating. Professor Newlands
always made sure to connect personally with the class, always showing interest in what
we had to say, and making sure we felt like our thoughts and opinions were being heard.
Professor Newlands always had compassion, although she made her rules and
expectations clear, she was extremely understanding when it came to things like
occasional tardiness, need to leave early, and even assignment due date extensions; she

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always did her best to adapt to our specific needs, making accommodations if we
provided rational reasoning. Professor Newlands compassion towards the emotional well
being of her students really made me respect and appreciate her even more as an
educator, I believe all professors should take note of such character.

Overall, I found taking this course to be a very positive experience. I feel that
taking the Work of Art FRINQ has benefited me exponentially; it helped me to improve
upon my writing, develop an understanding of social and political issues, as well as
contribute to my critical examination of art surrounding these issues. I do not think that
this course would have been as beneficial as it was if it were to be executed in a different
educational approach, Professor Newlands generous practice of diversity throughout the
curriculum and classroom proved to be extremely beneficial to myself and others around
me. The skills I learned in this course are something I can take with me and use in other
aspects of my education and everyday life, which I value to be priceless. I believe that
more courses should be taught with a similar approach, and I would recommend this
FRINQ to anyone looking to develop a diverse, socially driven, understanding of art.