Teaching Portfolio Section 3
When I was preparing to write this Portfolio,
I looked at guidance on creating one and noticed that a personal teaching philosophy
is listed as a must. Why? Educationalists like Elliot Eisner have said enough,
arguably. Eisner's views were expounded at such length at Bretton Hall nothing
else mattered and, despite some UCIE Med research, it still hasn't: 27 years
on. However, I'm a conformist and I will now add some philosophical content:
Why did my PGCE course not include Primary study?
HANG ON!!!
Perhaps I've said quite enough in the Teaching portfolio! I'm a visual and performing
artist and the education/job bit was initially
intended to be just a 'bolt-on" - not the be all and end all. Let’s
retitle this text. Here we go!
Please check the title page (apologies if I’m insulting your intelligence). At
51 years of age I can still recall being filled up with enormous personal pride
when my Coventry Infant school class teacher said 'it's a Hodder' as he viewed
a painting: confirming my precocious:] artistic bent. Mr Tucker was a visionary
individual who used to take us rambling in the Malvern Hills. Later, in Junior
School, I remember a landscape watercolour painting of mine being put on
display. I was thrilled that my work had been selected – a “natural” selection
had been made. I grew up on an island in Hants and started taking a chalk
pastel set down to the beach near my home - enthused by teacher-fans such as Mr
Tucker. People wandering along the beach started to buy my pastel images of local
picturesque scenes: I'd become a successful pastel artist - without any formal
art education! I later u-turned and shunned Art as a subject option at school and
literally shelved it until 6th form college - achieving a “Grade A” watercolour
(pictured below). I was a teenager who needed my space.
So, I now have, you may recall this from my awkward intro, a fairly impressive professional development portfolio in teaching. I've performed my fair share of "artistry" in hundreds of classrooms East and West of London. Fortunately, I've met with a pretty good reception in the lecture theatre as a teaching fine artist. In 2009, for example, I became an award-winning teacher owing to my outstanding contribution in Vocational education with “impossible” students. Once again, the "Malaprop" played a winning card! Ironically, the teaching activity (I would like to call it a career), which has made my life so insufferably complicated all these years (in freelanced education nothing is too much hassle if you "want the gig" and another one down the line) makes the history of my “developed” as opposed to student art as easy as the proverbial pie. I endeavour to exhibit, outside a captive educational audience, around about every decade. Lately, however, web publishing has been my preferred way forward. I’m old. Very few original works of fine art complicate or clutter my life currently although I’ve a fair few patrons as well as scroungers leaching my output. My creative energy has been anchored, ephemerally and lucratively, in “the classroom”. After 26 years, then, I have a generated a fairly substantial collection of educational publishing “exhibits”. There is a growing band of successful pupils out there who've been enabled by me in one way or another and my educational exhibits have possibly facilitated their academic growth. Ofsted agrees in 95, 99, 09, 14 & 24:] I’ve worked for several, decent, Local Authorities in the UK - both directly and indirectly to date and received a Long Service Award in 2018 for my continuous efforts in front of classes. Unlike me, some of my BA contemporaries have become gallery artists, perhaps in line with more traditional Bourgeois values. Making smudged pictures of lonely or psychotic individuals for a lifetime is perhaps super but not as enriching as sharing your ability with a largely receptive student population. Who knows? “The Greenhouse”, as we called ourselves at graduation, were quite a tight bunch on my BA course and I conversed with some of the top alternative practitioners such as John Timberlake - an inspirational individual. Consequently, my work, since graduation, has been consciously fashioned into a form of alternative fine art practice - much more multidisciplinary than my Degree specialism, a recycled Foundation course in the arts! I am, therefore, avoiding the temptation to present in this memoir a mere collection of mature ”Bon Degree” level paintings and drawings. Had I got a 1:1 I might be a different fellow now. For better or worse, I’ve self-augmented my first Degree with that thought in mind I suppose | Here we are again in Primary Education and still in the first paragraph of this document. It’s been education all the way so far and, in the oddest sense, that is the nature of my artistic life - hence we're still at the beginning because I believe that I am, despite my fairly advanced years, still in a foundation type state creatively. Moving on to a few specific examples of my teaching “output”, as a Primary educator, in over 50 Schools, I've spread a fair amount of artistry including a school web site publication highlight on Ancient Egypt which was photographically shot by me and worded by a few of my Year 6 [10-year-old] pupils - the Get head Club. From Secondary projects I possess a prodigious archive of photography, as a specialist Arts teacher for 25 years, in over 50 UK Schools.
Year 8 [12-year olds], however, in their newly created masks, with me, unashamedly, unmasked sort of says it all. As an Adult Tutor in 3 Colleges I didn't shoot a single roll of film on the journey to 100% examination success: perhaps I wasn't being paid quite enough money for my evening class teaching duties:] Hang on!! This brief tour of my artistic life is easy now because I've ticked most of the boxes in this document but, before I forget, my obligatory “County Council” exhibitions must feature in this miniscule history! Here's a flavour of them - not exactly in HD:
OK:] By performing for around 30 hours per week in the class room one is on
show constantly –one’s got the gig. But, what have I formally exhibited? (a
“flavour” of selected shows is presented above but it doesn't say it quite all). I have alluded a lot to my
on-going postgraduate "foundation course" mentality so far. How has
this manifested itself and what are the products of it? I'll explain. I'm like
a lot of people who've read drawing on the right side of the brain by Betty
Edwards - I can visualise quite well. To study this book is to crack the seeing
technique which is part of being an artist but it doesn't make you one
necessarily. It’s a foundation and
not a house. Acquiring my BA was
mainly about mastering such techniques and developing, moderately, a personal
visual language not to mention skivvying in restaurants to put food on the
table. Once I'd left the BA course I started to, literally, consider deeper
concerns regarding self-expression conceptually. I’d also taken my tutor’s
words to heart (Patrick Burke's) about the interest of multiple visual languages in one picture. I have, furthermore, to
be honest, become more multidisciplinary in my approach, perhaps through teaching - osmosis if you like. This
process has been a cleansing one rather than a muddling one. The House Book
[Terrence Conran] and Elle Deco mag excited me enough to present a one-day
lecture on interior design in 96. This was a well subscribed successful event
attended by a large group of creative women. I've written and presented a
successful short stage play also retained by Michael Grade at Channel 4 TV for
6 months with a view to screening. I've recorded sound both independently and
professionally: not that I’ve ever seriously fallen for the great rock and roll
swindle! [despite recording co. interest from CYP]. I returned to a seminal
stage because I felt the need and found some artistic “success” in the process.
Specialising is a great idea in theory but does not always cut the mustard in
practice – not as a 21st Century creative male. | One of the benefits, and still on an
educational note, of working beyond fine art “specialist” parameters is
coinciding with and/or becoming the apprentice of big names in other creative
industries: Michael Grade, Chris Goulsten, Stephen Drew, and David George. I've
made a living as a musical malaprop
as well as a Fine artist and educator. Diversifying, however, as much as I have
does not dilute my belief in energising picture power and the “new directions”
are invariably image-orientated. Karim Hamid, the American artist and establishment figure, who I shared a
home with as an undergraduate, used to call me "the image". I've
lived up to that nickname quite studiously. I have, undoubtedly, evolved
substantially as an artist to date -
whilst taking a step back from painting solely as part of my own expression and
seriously considering the next piece of creative play. Decent paintings,
however, are still a force to be reckoned with, in my books, as they are
self-sufficient and can brighten human lives instantaneously. This is why I do
and teach "a-a-rt and design" as much as my agents afford me the
opportunity. Hang on! Is it time for a new paragraph?
Time now for a new paragraph then - at last!!! A BA Degree course in Fine Art for intending gallery artists may have been available in 1987. I did not, however, complete such a course of study and was appointed as an Art educator one year forward having got a teaching Cert; inspired perhaps by my favourite tutors Robert McClellan and the legendary “Next” suited David Campbell. In my view, I was afforded the opportunity to develop artistically, shall we say, in the present tense. Lecturer Jack Smith’s comment "people just don't teach art" illustrates the dichotomy in that Degree course structure. Thus, I would now comment, as an experienced educating artist, that my BA, unlike my PGCE, was a preparation for other related endeavours or further qualifications - a second foundation layer. My subsequent PGCE pass, engineered by brilliant academics like John Atkinson and Keith Clements, was based on the good Degree (possibly not quite good enough given my continuous lifetime success as an arts educator) I was awarded the year before. It, the Graduate Certificate in education, was to become my occupational passport - my key to a fulfilling creative[ish] life. I would describe myself as a creative-ish individual as opposed to an artist which is now arguably too vague and anachronistic a picture of yours truly.... My BA, therefore, was an indisputably excellent grounding for people going on to complete training courses for intending Teachers of Visual Art and English; I’m professional proof of that. It also set the scene for my supplementary study of Education as a Master’s Degree participant at Cambridge University in 1996. My professional responsibilities were, however, reluctantly prioritized: deserved to be put first (a financial manoeuvre admittedly) and I completed my UCIE research MEd in part (sponsored by my LEA and Onyx). The Michaelmas/Lent MEd was transcendental:]]. In the oddest sense, however, I subsequently "completed" the MEd spiritually by boldly going and "serving", as a private educator, in several Alternative Provisions Schools (educating the "unreachable" minority of South East Essex “ganglands” as artistically as was practicable HA HA HA). There I am, below left, pictured in the inner-city Children’s Library where I fostered “exclusions” for four years plus in a write up in "Lowdown" Magazine (Internal Public Library press).
Conversely, being hit by a football in the face entering a Virtual School classroom (Pupil referral Unit for Behaviour Exclusions) is perhaps an exercise which should be set for all intending teachers. I learnt from such an experience in 2014 in a truly real sense LOL (!).
At Art School (specifically Brighton
Polytechnic or University as it is in 2024), then, at a fairly tender age, one can become brainwashed by
pretentiousness and imagine that one graduates and one becomes automatically an
ARTIST of fairly high standing, that you are genuinely going to become a famous
artistic face. But any artist has imposed
him or herself on the world - even with prodigious ability. With regard to this
illusion, I'd, to an epiphanic extent, created a “buzz” before I'd ever sat any
Art exams - selling pastels from a beach in Hampshire. Art school for me had
literally been an afterthought. "Society" had already given my early
pastel efforts a seal of approval in sterling and I’d been discovered. This was my rationale for applying for and studying at
what was a revered centre of artistic
study. What was I truly made of? Still on the subject of Art school, I was
delighted to read the email of an American artist from Rhode Island (08/17)
which stated that he still holds my work in “great esteem” after all these
years having both “stayed alive” as artists. My art work then is, perhaps,
valued intellectually and satisfactorily by patrons (including thousands of
other teachers and pupils) and art school contemporaries. But there are millions
of “artists” in 2019 (Betty Edwards students many of them). Great artists like
Balthus differentiate themselves from this huge turd of people by referring to himself
as an artisan. I’m not an exclusively
visual expresser within that
community. This may be because I did not take Art as an option at High School
back in the 80s: for whatever reason. Art is not the most important subject on
the curriculum for me - the various business cards and email titles I utilise
are somewhat impressionistic. I've chosen an artistic or creative-ish path and
not an undeviating route in my vocation as an a-artist: Malaprop; maestro;
mosaicist; muralist PEDAGOGUE etc. I’m in the Foundation stage and, literally,
still moving through school:]
I'd done enough traditional pictures on the
BA Fine Art course to last me a lifetime then in one sense. I'd graduated:
where next? We were encouraged to be prolific by our lecturers who seemed to be
intent on burning us out prematurely - as if Degree work was genuinely enough
for life! Ian Potts and Brendan Neiland talked in terms of producing
"hundreds of pictures": I can now identify with their mass production
mentality as a fairly successful teaching fine artist. Teaching can be the
"kiss of death to your own work" Trisha Ferguson, an artist and tutor,
confided in me on my Foundation year course. She was extremely accurate. Hamid,
my contemporary and most valued friend, told me later, by stark contrast,
"I'd a lot to share" in an inspirational 1990s letter which
encouraged me, to some degree, to become a long-term educating artist. My
"output" as a creative individual in my own right, inevitably,
dwindled as I trod the path of an overactive teacher's life during which I'd
held numerous educational roles simultaneously. I'm STILL TEACHING!! (an official retiree - more on that later) in order
to finance my work, maintain my NI contributions for a State Pension, and contribute something substantial to society. The
expressions on the kids’ faces when they become qualified... That is not to say
the potency of my original images are diluted by my professional obligations -
less is more in a lot of successful art and cliché’s can be truly meaningful
things.... (Still working on the last sentence edit) It occurred to me today
that I had, during 6 years of full-time study beyond my own school learning journey, actually produced
far too much: I've been taking a break and deliberating over the next
"paragraph" all these years.... So, here we are a couple of "paragraphs"
into an essay on the boil. But hang on! A 2,863-word introduction to this
personal history of Art will be quite enough: no shadows: all the highlights:
the equivalent of 2.8 pictures perhaps. No worries, this is not the end of the
trail!
Where next then? That was the question for Neil AKA Nelly (Hamid's alias) in
1990. Teaching was the answer and I’ve been continuously employed as a Teacher
in places of learning since gaining qualified Teacher status in 1992 following a lesson observation by HMI: I "don't shout". I’ve now served all educational sectors as a state and, more recently, private
educator. I’ve received several Teaching Awards (2009 & 2018) and have had “a
lot to share” to date. I’m still like the sprog that I was on the beach selling
pastels without any formal art education to some extent – maybe I’m a bit
better known. I’ve certainly stayed alive by applying my BA and what I’ve
learnt on the streets:]
Next in this ridiculously truncated history of my creative life, the closing section is a short Chronology. It is the business orientated facet of the story which showcases most of my exact (aspiring precision director) commercial endeavours as an artist and educational contractor. It's a concise diaristic text stylistically inspired by a work I read about one of my favourite English artists, Harold Gilman. It is the diary of the "postmodernist" I didn't think I would become at Art School. HANG ABOUT!!!!! What about the main body of this art history? Well, I'm working on it but I don’t feel inclined to expand on the preceding paragraph - what we have here is a brief account and the foundation of something even more sophisticated - col tempo! Here comes the chronology I've been literally beavering away on for almost 52 years! :] Skip to the Chronology if you have respectfully had enough of my self-reflection and historically unprecedented narcissism
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
It is, maybe, too early for the Chrono so here’s a bit more detail about my life beyond Brighton.
Techno &
coffee:
Pull yourself together, write on about life beyond the chic mess of your
Degree work I told myself today (20/04/19) as I procrastinated a little more on
the middle section of this auto. I beat 6 other applicants to it at interview
when I was appointed as an art teacher in Slough in 1991. I was young and
convinced that I wanted to educate in a school where the Head would talk
transparently at interview and share that "if you can teach here you can teach
anywhere". I taught against all odds and passed my probationary year- a
flavour of what I was to encounter later in my career when engaged in publicly
viewed gladiatorial teaching combat with the unteachable minority. More on that
later. I drank a lot of coffee with the Head of DT in Slough and consequently
created numerous production sets after putting the world right in late
afternoon chats. I also co-brainchilded a lesson scheme which combined pneumatics and clay. The children gave me Techno on vinyl, portfolios and adopted
their enthusiastic NQT. I was black eyed from lack of sleep and immeasurably
stressed after the two-year rave in Berkshire. I'd lodged with a very helpful
head of MFL but bagged another situation East of London. Enough was enough.
By contrast to the post in "out West" two of us applied for the aforementioned job in Benfleet and I drew the longest straw (bagging another 11 years of teaching
employment and a building a modest pension pot (which puts the mash in the pan PM most days for this "potato eater"). Still young, I started work in
a school where very little seemed to change for over a decade. In Benfleet, I
specialised, taught in a more fulfilled manner and further mastered the
teaching bit. I featured in school mags and prospectuses and developed my
stamina as a secondary classroom-based educator. I did well and worked my way
up to the top of the teacher's pay spine at the time (£28+K). Given my own mediocre exam
performance in school, I'd probably well exceeded my forecast as a State school and Adult College
educator by my mid-thirties. I'd been a specialist Art/DT teacher for 13 years.
Despite good pupil teacher rapport, some minor confrontations in Benfleet led
to my departure from the school by mutual agreement with the hard-nosed
business Headteacher who appointed me. To add insult to injury, many kids had
overheard colleagues using my Christian name on the corridors and were ill
mannered enough to follow suit. The institution was not the one I'd joined and
I got out at a fortuitous time - it’s now been literally closed and reopened
and it just about stays viable with a horrendous data dashboard (claw claw). My
professional association (the ATL which is now also shut) smoothed all this out
with a golden handshake, securing quite a generous severance pay sum which I
used to pay off the mortgage on the Eastwood home I'm still residing in – my
Bacon’s Mews.
Pastures New:
No, the subtitle is not a misprint particularly. The pastures new which
my Head referred to in my final discussions with him have been, in a very real
sense, beyond my reach as a teacher ☹. Having
stayed put in Essex I have not moved into any post quite as tidy professionally
as my previous one. Pros are not obliged to be too robotic or tidy in their
endeavours, however, and I was, with hindsight, due for a bit of adventure.
Joining an education company, following my Deanes resignation, was, as my old
mate, Hamid, used to say: “a cleansing". I was no longer balled and
chained to one school. I was set free: I'd become a freelance educator.
Messages
in bottles:
Consequently, for many years now, the alcohol, on religious holidays, is invariably sourced free from one school or another (gratuities over and above my meagre (claw claw) daily rate. There are many perks in freelancing. This is just as well because you are working literally hand to mouth. Down time between bookings has to be the greatest break, to a large extent. Robotic classroom teaching is extinguished on supply and, arguably, worth every penny of compromise. Having served a gruelling 13 years as a classroom educator, full time, I'd like to say I took to supply like a bird to the sky but years later I'm, admittedly, still on a learning curve. Locum teaching is definitely my current niche but overall the performance envelope you require to do it is much larger than main scale in many ways - I earn my freedom 😊 Sitting by a phone suited and booted and sandwiches made hoping for a booking is supply. Receiving a teaching award is supply: two ends of the spectrum. Having made as much money on supply now in 2019 as I did as a main scale teacher I know I'm competent and my practice is now fairly strong in all sectors. That is a real professional development and far beyond what is possible in one place as a teacher. The system does not recognise this type of multi-sectorial experience in a very official way (aside to the odd teaching award I've bagged) but never mind: retirement gets closer every day. I've heard main scalers counting down to the big R. OH ITS ARRIVED NOW Curse these updates! I try not to think about it because I'm a supply, value its unpredictable lifestyle and still don't mind the gigging. My wine rack currently needs replenishing though - not a single bouteille de vin this past year ☹ and the Summer holidays are looming. Supply should not be considered too seriously, I hesitate to write, because most of it, especially now, is only temporary employment. It’s hardly all just a blur but it is also wrong to aggrandize it – all docs are shredded after each booking. You usually do the work of a real counterpart.
The
Big R…………………
Collapsing into 2022 (loves the bones of REM), an epiphanic event has come to pass. An invitation to submit an art work for exhibition at St Bernards High School for Girls Westcliff (a Catholic Academy for Arts & Science) was irresistible. I’d been visiting as a locum for two decades. Comments included: “Amazing Art”; “How do you find the time to do it?”; “Fantastic and for a great cause” * (*my agent, at the time, Bobby Alani↝).
 |
| My Sister, Naomi, modelled for this masterpiece which I donated to the old school of Helen Mirren |
“Sleepage” was sold in aid of Women’s refuge to a charming STB learning support assistant for a double figure sum.
CHRONOLOGY:
1967 Born in Allesley Park UK
70s&80s particularly during tourist season creating original chalk
pastel drawings of local scenes on Hayling Island seashore. “Treated”
occasionally, by interested adults, for my efforts. Involved with school mural
projects but not yet specialising in art on an academic level.
83 Completed a remunerated summertime work placement at
International Software Marketing™ in Syracuse USA. Created a collection of
original Koala paint images using a Commodore™ computer based in the company
artist's office. Passed and resat a few GCE Ordinary Levels and a handful of
CSEs on leaving Secondary School.
86 Sold an original landscape painting to Bedales Independent
School (previously rejected from an exhibition). Studying Art & Design and
English at Southdown's College. Gained further GCE O Levels (including Art
grade A) & passed Advanced Level examinations in Art and English Language
& Literature.
86-7 Attended Portsmouth College of Art, Design & FE. Awarded a
Southern Regional Foundation Certificate in Art and Design after being very
harshly criticised for my attitude to painting and drawing.
87: 20 YEARS OF AGE Following
a College project, presented a sketch in pencil to British Rail™ Portsmouth for
Station display.
87-90 Attended Brighton Polytechnic Faculty of Art, Design &
Humanities. Visiting artists included Alan Davie and Franz Wiederberg. Trained,
primarily, by Patrick Burke and Ian Potts. Awarded an Undergraduate prize (gift
voucher) in 1989 by Brighton Illustrators for a pencil portrait. Upon
graduation (2:1) I was presented, to my surprise, with an oil painting palette
by the artist and lecturer Patrick Burke! (See weblog introduction image).
89 Sold a figure study in oil paint to the partner (an eminent writer) of fellow painting undergraduate Helen Percival.
89 Exhibited in the 5 at 5ways Open House Art exhibition (Winner of
the 88 Zap Award for the best Visual Arts Event in the Brighton Arts Festival).
Presented two oil pastel on paper pictures: I believe the show was attended by
the Hollywood actor Richard Attenborough.
89 Invited by the Andre Deutsche™ author Ray Salisbury to
illustrate two of his works and submitted origination: Chasing after the Wind;
Holiday Activities for kids. Highly commended in writing by the author.
90 Presented with a personalised tool box by Borden Army garrison –
NEIL HODDER – FINE ARTIST:]
∆ Independent exhibition of mixed media works at Hayling Island Library
- reviewed in the newspaper "The Hayling Islander" by former Secondary English Teacher and journalist Vic Price Jones [who
later became The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth].
∆ Invited to create a portrait of The Lord Mayor/MP for Portsmouth
Sydney Rapson.
Submitted an aquarelle™ rendering and received a letter of commendation.
90-91 Attended Bretton Hall (affiliated to Leeds University at the
time). Awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in Education PASS for intending
Teachers of Visual Arts & English (11-18 age range). An interesting year of
study but I found much to disagree with here. The institution has now been
demolished – nemesis! :]
91 During Final PGCE Extended School
Experience, jointly designed and created a large-scale frieze with Mike Smith
(Head of Art, Brigshaw School, Allerton Bywater).
91 Appointed by Westgate School as a Teacher of Art, English and
Drama.
91-93 Collaboratively designed and painted
numerous Westgate production stage flat sets: Christmas theme; Grease; Ma
Bakers Tonic. Commended in writing by the Headteacher.
92 Several letters published in major sound magazines: Audiophile™
October 92; Q™ Issue 34.
92-3 Invited by Colin Moore (Westgate line manager) to perform in
assembly/production concerts and also made several "recordings"
(guitar parts) in Coach House studio, Bristol (financed by C Moore). Our studio
producer Chris Goulsten (Hugh Cornwell's choice I was led to believe) looked after me in the studio!
92 Passed my Probationary Teaching year
following an Inspection by HMI.
93 Appointed by The Deanes School as a Teacher of Art & Design.
∆ Portrait photo in Prospectus representing Art subject area. Co-wrote 'Graphic Media', an in-house graphic design handbook in collaboration with the design guru Mr Steve " drive bangers" Barber.
∆ Submitted a screenplay to Channel 4 Schools called "Many Happy
Returns".
Received a letter of commendation from Michael Grade who wrote that he had considered screening the work for 6 months. The play, which explored drugs misuse, was subsequently staged to the whole school at Deanes as part of a PHSE program.
94 November Passed an Ofsted inspection of Art & Design
Teaching at Deanes.
95-96 Appointed as a part time Adult Education Tutor by Castle
Point & Rochford Adult Community College (CPRACC). Taught evening classes -
GCSE Art (unendorsed syllabus). Received a "superb" open testimonial
from Principal Nicola Davidson.
96 Created a scale model of Roach Valley Way in ordinance survey detail
with artist Michael Barton (a Deane’s project). The work was exhibited in a
local library. Also facilitated the design and construction of a sheltered
seating area at Deanes in collaboration with pupils and a crew of
"Community Service" volunteer builders.
96 Saturday 6th July: presented a one day Summer School course on Interior
Design (CPRACC).This event was well subscribed and supported by Fads™
96-7 30 YEARS OF AGE “Attended”
Cambridge University: Taught Med (Deanes CPD) partially financed by the school
and Onyx UK™. Studied Effective Pupil Management in Michaelmas & Lent
Terms.
97-00 Created independent audio works using a Tascam™ device.
Referred by Ladybird Books™ to CYP™ recording company who requested demo
material.
98 Appointed by Southend Borough Council Adult Community College as
a part-time evening class tutor of Art (GCSE Course). Planned, delivered and
moderated two one year GCSE Painting and Drawing programs, achieving 100%
examination success (A*-C). Additionally, designed, successfully marketed and
taught an original adult modular Art historical course entitled Contemporary
Collage.
98-99 Conducted a photo shoot and interview with textiles artist
Rosemary Williams in Port Isaac (utilised findings and images on the above
Collage course).
99 October Inspected by Ofsted: lesson quality graded
"satisfactory or good".
99 Appointed by North Essex Adult College. Designed, marketed and
taught original modular Art evening workshops. Commended in writing by Sue
Bellamy (College Principal).
2000 Instigated an Adult Education Team Art exhibition and
submitted a large-scale photograph to a Central County Library.
02 Independent exhibition of original mixed media work (out of
commission pieces and sketchbook pages) in Hayling Island Library Reference
Section. Supported by B & K frames™.
03 Facilitated the creation of large-scale
paper mosaics appearing on the front cover of an internal School Magazine.
04 Hosted computer aided design workshops with
students from Oita High School, Japan.
∆ Appointed by Select Education PLC™ as a Secondary School Art & Design specialist/ Supply Teacher.
04-09 Completed numerous long-term teaching assignments as a Visual
Art & Literacy educator including substitution for several Heads of
Department (Art & English).
07 40 YEARS OF AGE Envelope exhibition concepts completed with an Athenian patron and personal art critic. With hindsight this was a premonition of senility setting in (!).
08 Created new single page ink drawings of Ray Salisbury's 80s projects
as educational worksheets (successfully utilised in a Select Education PLC™ 1:1
tuition assignment).
O9 Began assembling an archive of classroom printouts - recycled
educational origination (still in progress).
∆ Independently published notes on personal audio project work for the web. ∆ also began a series of diaristic writings in magazine format for personal reference/prospective web publication. Published subsequently as verified Weblogs via Google in 2024.
∆ Received the Pathways Vocational Education Award for "Outstanding Contribution" as a SEN Teacher provision co-leader. ∆ Hosted an Ofsted inspection of my PRU Library-based classes (virtually unreachable pupils) with a satisfactory grade. I was getting it right but could do better with the unteachable.
2010 Select™ rebranded as Randstad™ and invited
me to continue my registration as an educational contractor.
10-12 Consolidated work as a successful SEN Teacher on an existing long-term
contract; leading and line-managing a Library-based (publicly viewed) KS4
provision. Developed an IEP based curriculum consisting of the core subjects
and ICT. Worked with multiple agencies such as CAMHS. Participated in the
National MFL educational initiative and worked bilingually (English &
French). Became directly contracted by Randstad™ (6 months). ∆ Thanked in
writing by Simon May (Southend Libraries Manager) for teaching/counselling
services.
∆ Registered with Beacon Education PLC ™ for educational contracts
following the closure of the Library post.
Writing formalised diary entries about art entitled Recent work. Also published later as an unusual Weblog.
13-14 Appointed by a Primary School as a Class Teacher (maternity
leave substitute). Created and published an Edison™ topic work presentation
posted on the official school web site. Commended in writing by the
Headteacher.
15 Appointed for one Term by an Independent Day School as an
English & Media studies Teacher (also contributing regularly in the Art
Department). Received special votes of thanks from staff, students and parents!
∆ Substituted for the Head of Art for the Autumn Term in a Secondary
Academy. I can recall being very touched by the written feedback here:]
16 Invited to do a trial period (completed) as an English Teacher
at a School led by a former Channel 4 "Educating Essex" celebrity (Mr S Drew).
∆ Received a goodwill gesture from the Student Leadership Team at
Futures™ College [Teaching Product Design long-term]: helium balloon and key
fob:]
∆ Became a regular substitute-Teacher in Deanes School Art Department (where
I’d served full time 93-04). ∆ Self-portrait in oil paint (done as an
undergrad) retained on permanent exhibition I discovered.
13-17 50 YEARS OF AGE First
draft Edition of this brief history published
∆ Participated in National Classical Music initiative and also taught a one-day
music timetable in a state-of-the-art Primary School Sound Studio (ears still
ringing).
∆ Overall Winner!! of a Comic Relief cake decoration competition (a
whole Primary School vote):]
∆ Delivered One to One Tuition [home based] to a BA Fine Art final year
student at SEEAC advising on dissertation structure.
18 Regular Art and Literacy education sub at STB™. This role also included
work as a Library leader. Convents are
very civilised places:]
∆ Covered for Head of Graphic Products at a large inner-city High School. This role involved Computer aided design and work in a Resistant Materials Workshop (Risk assessment Pass awarded).
∆ Received a Long Service
Teaching Award from the National President of the NASUWT™ - 25 YEARS.
2019 Visiting English and Geography specialist at WHSG™
Grammar Academy. Also checking in to the Art Department occasionally.
∆ Educational blog published by Key™: “A letter to my past self”. This is a one minute read and possibly says as much as this 5,887-word doc…… (last word count)
2020 Received two tutor group DUMBO AWARDS and numerous Class of the Week
certificates during service at Sandon School (English Head of Faculty Maternity
Leave substitution).
∆ English Departmental Award for
10 months service at Sandon: a signed ceramic product.
2021 Randstad Teacher
of the Term (Summer 21) based on laudable performance at St Bernards High
School for Girls
2022 International Women’s Day Exhibition and Cake Sale at
STB: exhibit sold
5-5 YEARS OF AGE 😊 my creative-ish
life has just begun!!!!! – I’ll be back (!)
2023 Substitute Head of Art & Design: Southend High School for Girls (Summer
Term)
23/2024 WHSG Art Cover (November 23/24) Headteachers WAM Award plus an "Outstanding "Ofsted Badge.
Exhibited for 3 months and became 'CEO' of the
506 Art Gallery in Westcliff-on-Sea.
2024 Blogs published on the world wide web supported by Google: including A is for Artist's Log & Medlet’s Tale.
FIVE FREEZES FOR FRESCO recorded in home studio (CDR) plus other contemporary punk rock cuts :}
Ephemeral self portrait in shop window (glass) at the REMEDY.
……. THE BIG R – BACK TO THE PRESENT:
“Hang
on! what about the big retirement phase write up? you say to yourself as you
read this tome DEAR READER (I magpie Jennifer Saunders and she never raises
objections bless her cotton socks in a never tidied and vacuumed room). I’m now
a retired member of the Educator’s Pension Scheme but I cannot leave it at
that; get out “burnt out” (as an ICT teacher of 40 described himself on my
SCITT outing equivalent in Normanton in 1990): malaprops booked, in the next academic
year, for 5 days as an 11+ English assessor again. So, it’s phased retirement
and the big R is deferred perhaps - indefinitely. The visionary Vas Brekas wrote
to me fairly recently and pointed out “does anything matter particularly in
advanced years post-50?”. You bet! Former Ladbrokes cashier insists on the back
of a NASUWT envelope...
“Neil!
Cut this tragic waffle!” I surmise as I write to the Remote Part (Idlewild) in Sarfend
Library: I’ve never bought a computer of my own – other than my current trusty
s-mar-t phone. Incidentally, I drafted this flash of silly inspiration Platinum
Jubilee Bank Holiday in the UK - a nearly retired Secondary and Primary phase
teacher – yes, I’ve a Primary teaching-based pension pocket money for my
diversification efforts. Focus on the theme of the text Schoolmaster!
What of
the “amazing art” (a Head of Psychology in the old school of Helen Mirren where I serve and exhibit) exhibited
this past year in retirement? It is no time for showmanship in advanced years
according to Catholic teaching (I quote from my St Thomas More High School for
Boys issue of the ‘Key Workers’ New Testament). BUT, HEY, I’M NO CATHOLIC GUYS!
The Catholic Church/Schools have, however, adopted me of late as a classroom
‘resource’. If pure Catholicism, then, is founded on “guilt” (a Psychology Homerton
graduate asserts on a staff room), Neil Hodder Fine Artist is once again the malaprop in his life’s
journey – still stagnating in the foundation stage. I’m still young in spirit
etc. and still desire to flaunt it and bowl it around (!).
The Big R (retirement), for Nelly, is theoretically here,
then, and it could be a prime time to eek out even more of a creative-ish life
(inspired by the likes of the abstract painter Gillian Ayres in her perhaps desperately busy fifties). But “Evil” Neil (cheers
Mrs Edmondson) does not wish to join the heaving camp of anachronistic artist folk who
merely imitate what the majority deem to be “the great artists” (a great mag in
the day I hasten to add). Realistically, a retired teacher is highly unlikely
to soar unexpectedly and artificially to artistic fame but this text is
nevertheless a miniscule addition to art history: I’ve made an indelible mark
and remain fully accountable. Hand up if you think I’m an artist ? The Catholic wolf and Adlerian malaprop, inside Neil, values what is essentially anonymity - a little localized notoriety (Google analytics satisfyingly assure me, I hasten to add, that my retirement weblog reach extends to Australia, China and the USA).
Returning
to life as a pensioner/artisan, an index linked income for life is a cleansing
outside Brooklyn. I’ve been lucky my working life and stayed alive
solvency-wise: I’ve no outstanding debts. “Where there’s muck there’s money”
Alexander (my Father) used to repeat to me. I’ve scrubbed pots, fed washing up
machines and gathered holiday camp dirty laundry to win some bread – MENIAL
STUFF. Nelly’s Italian restaurant waited (very pampered by diner’s gratuities),
petrol-pump attended, music shop cashiered – MORE RESPONSIBLE AND GROWN UP
STUFF.
I’VE
TAUGHT – SMART MOVE
I
TEACH Art (et al)
[TEACH – A TEXTUAL ART WORK BY NEIL ANTHONY HODDER
2022]
Therefore,
the fruit machine pay out based on my teaching efforts will help out fiscally
in my old age (in denial): PENSIONABLE SERVICE rocks!! This minor jackpot nudges me into
the realms of the big R but I can’t
land at the moment. Yes, classrooms can be insufferably begrimed and disorderly
but they still bear qualification fruit in expert professional hands – that’s a
discrete bit of locum-teacher lingo and they are a source of a little bread.
Graffitiing
a school coursework ring binder as a prospective fan [I never did any summative
O levels; just formative resits largely but all GCSE pass equivalents if not
strong ones MINUS ART (malaprop I’m afraid)]; purchasing a digital audio tape
without a DAT machine; holding a BA in oil painting and never doing a single
oil in a working life as an Art teacher. Autobiographical thoughts are truly
terrifying. Tell me, what do we do with ourselves when we are younger? Age is a
diamond which evolves as we mature and learning from its former guise is an
asset of advanced years. Here I go (grumpy old git), young school workers say
“the children hate us” and “because we’re young they don’t listen”. Yours truly
knows a way around this through valuable experience. At almost 55 years of age
I still “get the gig” as an instructor as yet another academic year comes to
pass (please forgive the pun): THANK GOD! I’m the artist who befriended the
visionary Vas Brekas in his twenties and this is still where I am.
Working with
good Catholics, like devout Vas, and the odd Jew has augmented my Christian Faith as you have just well
read – new bolt-ons of this type are perks of an adaptable locum. For example,
I’ve actually experimented with a shift to the Jewish Shabbat of late – yet
again the malaprop is deviating from the
norm. I’m an iconoclast shocking the new right until the end of my
Placeboiean “20 years”. Hang on! I can sense a picture or something coming on
post-Angelus reading around the Feast of St Peter and St Paul. The priest is on
the red grape and I’m envisioning the bottle of red I may receive end of Term.
My final real Term as an absurd _ each_r of, amongst other things, ART &
DESIGN & ENGLI_ _
For now,
my Pensionable service as a Teacher is officially over. In my minds eye, I’ve
sight of every single ephemeral artefact I’ve diligently produced as part of my
educational oeuvre since 1990 – the oeuvre which is now cracked and simply
surplus to requirements having timed out. My Agency employers insist, perhaps harshly,
on a, Baconesque, self-destructive Term of Engagement whereby all is shredded end
of booking (I wait until my fee is cleared by BACS). Well, quite, why should
any piece of artistic expression live forever as if it is like some
indispensable Premier in our lives (Boris Johnson has just hung up his tools
like me - good man). Art’s life is surely finite and artisans and lay-people, perhaps, think
far too highly about what too many people can just do! The materials would
perhaps be better upcycled (no Fascist dictate intended here). Dare I write it?
Too much is currently made of Art. I have had no need to mix a single blob of
oil paint since I got a good Degree in Fine Art – I did get the Degree! (enter Catholicism and Mr. Vai). It is perhaps time
to reacquaint myself with the delights of oil paint on Patrick Burke’s old
palette (see cover). I committed to draw every day but not paint. 😊
Beyond “Pensionable Service”:
I find myself explaining, to the Head of the
retired members association, that I have been too inundated with supply work to
even think about attending one of her monthly socials during the past two years
of my membership. She’s “sad” I’m apparently truanting but needs must – the paid pension needs to be topped up, despite
index linking. Lo and behold two longish projects exactly focused on my
subject aptitude have kept me ludicrously busy : twenty years too late I hasten
to add (again, that’s agency employment I’m afraid to divulge). This very tome,
dear reader, sent to a new Consultant, may have caused this tipping point. More
silver ware in the form of a Headteacher’s WAM Award at close of play in June
pleases “Medlet” (!): I’ve notably upheld the values of a Girls Academy Grammar
School judged, during my diminutive service, “outstanding” by Ofsted. I’m still worth a mention (WAM). The M should denote Million maybe.
Of late,
in 2024, I’ve been treading Jane Scrivener's detox route and mastering new
publishing skills: I’ve now a total of three blogs
on the world wide web which have been stagnating
in a Key™ corporate hard drive or incarcerated in my usb flash drives.
Medlet’s tale is now out there illuminating the musical aptitude of the greatest malaprop of several Centuries (self-certificated). As is A is for Artist's Log – a paternal couple of yarns on my life long trade, Napoleonesque (Ha Ha Ha) and general travail. Oh, and there's also the inaugural one on best practice as a teacher when not stationed anywhere (Malaprop still lurks!).
Additionally, the retail arena has bounced back into my life during early retirement. My three month exhibition in the 506 Shop/Gallery was looking like a sell out at one stage. Hedy Sadoc hosted and curated the show for a small sales commission: 2023 was a lucky year re "exposure". Regrettably, funding for the Gallery dried up and it closed soon after I removed my fairly saleable chattels – my a-art made little more than boot fair trash and barely nibbled at my annual trader’s allowance from HMRC. The only consolation was that I was the best seller in the Art gallery and I've doubled my money for originals since graduating. So ART has to be a decent bet if, like me, you are currently weighing up your subject options HA HA HA!. Thank you for your time and hope to update you about any further fireworks - as and when I next consider this little dab of Google Blogger™-powered "Art History".
A BRIEF HISTORY OF ART - EPILOGUE 2024
My final, current 'word', in this brief history (hopefully scheduled for another annual update in due course) focusses on what I would regard as my milestone originals. There are not too many of these to consider due to the nature of my output: I have not been terribly prolific to date. Anyway, these are "my proud":
2025, July (annual update as promised):
- We're both able anglers: sea bass and tope in my net; roach (I believe from the film documentary) in JMWs.
- We are both prone to womanising: I'm insufferable and Billy has his moments.
- He's a marine artist and I have my non-historical seascape moments (which do sell for a cockle).
- We have both had dealings with the Royal Academy of Arts: Billy being the high flyer of the two of us! (he's reviled by a minority and my precocious nightscape praises are sung at Graduate level only). Not sure whether I'm big enough to be reviled.
- Turner and I have, both of us, the wherewithal not to need to sell our entire oeuvre (Billy bro is by far the more prolific of the two of us).
- Turner is a muso and so am I - hands off my new powered mixer Billy!
- Dad's our extra pair of hands (!)
