About Me

(REPRINTED FROM THE FIRST POST)

Media Arts – a new addition to the spanking new Victorian Curriculum in Australia. Technically the new Victorian Curriculm begins next year in 2017, but schools have been encouraged to give it a go this year as they see fit.

After discussions with my Principal, it was decided that we should go ahead with making Media Arts a full specialty subject, for all students from Prep (Foundation) to Grade Six. To me, this was hugely forward thinking. To look at teaching kids from age 6-12 how to create art using digital tools, it’s pretty mind blowing.

At this point it might be useful to introduce myself. My name is Joel Aarons. I’ve been a primary school teacher in Victoria, Australia for eight years. This year I was given my dream position at Bentleigh West Primary School, which was as a Media Arts specialist teacher. This aligned perfectly with the other hat that I wear, which is an Adobe Education Leader. Although hardly an expert in the whole of Adobe’s Creative Cloud suite of programs, I do know enough to give tips, tricks and lesson ideas to fellow educators.

The purpose of this blog is to have you follow me on my journey as a baby Media Arts teacher, and to share with you my highs, my lows and my lessons learned. I hope that this blog gains a small following of likeminded educators that can share ideas to help make Media Arts a success.

I believe that young people in primary school are often sorely underestimated. Many of the lesson plans I have wouldn’t be introduced until late high school. I believe that we need to give the children the freedom and the creative drive to take risks and produce works that they can be proud of.

You can contact me at:
Email: (Click here for the Contact Form)
Twitter: @mrjoelaarons
LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/joelaarons
Adobe: https://edex.adobe.com/member/fbda59/
Web: https://mediaartsconfessions.wordpress.com/ and http://myadobeclassroom.wordpress.com