Art Teacher vs. Artist

When I was in college, the Art Education club tried to host a "Dinner with an Art Teacher" once or twice a year.  We would invite several nearby art teachers and all have dinner and then discuss a topic related to our field.  For one memorable meeting, we chose to discuss art teachers as artists.

It seemed that a commonality among art teachers was the apparent lessening of personal art making, even a complete cessation for some.  One guest speaker told us that she had gone for ten years without making any art--she told us she just couldn't find the time, energy, or inspiration to work on her own ideas.  After so much time had passed, she became interested in items she had found at a yard sale and began to photograph them.  It snowballed from there, and she became an active artist once again.  This led to a very lively discussion.  Why was art making left by the wayside?  How did they begin creating again and how did this affect their experiences in the classroom?

Week One

So, week one of my comics workshop.

It was kinda stressful but slowly got better.  Day one was by far the worst.  The kids in my workshop are by and large good kids, and I know most of them.  However, I do have some large personalities (and large voices).  That first day was kind of a nightmare, honestly.  One boy, who had some behavior issues last year--nothing bad--has been hit with fourth grade attitude.  He was all around loud and rude, and made more than one comment about cartoons being stupid (or something to that effect--it's kind of hard to remember thanks to being upset).  He and a few other kids were just plain obnoxious for the entire hour.

Workshops Aplenty

Every year, the entire school participates in something called "Brain-based Workshops".  These workshops are meant to stimulate our kiddos' brains and give them more focused support in certain subject areas.  Workshops range everywhere from mathematics to drama, depending on each teacher's choice.  I wasn't able to participate in this last year as I left in the afternoons to teach at the kindergarten, but I'm pumped up for it this year!

No Contest

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday (we all really needed the break, I'm sure)!

Other Art Teacher and I got the art show hung just before school let out for Thanksgiving and just in time for literacy night, so we had a lot of traffic through that hallway.  It was wonderful!  We were hearing a lot of feed back about how good our 1st and 2nd graders did and how great the hall looks with all that art up.  Our superintendent even got to see the kids efforts, which is pretty great I think.

Done and Done!

So I spent the last two days crawling around my floor mounting art for the 1st and 2nd grade art show; I am absolutely tapped out.  Because of certain issues, we (the other art teacher and I) mounted the artwork on large sheets of black bulletin board paper to be hung on the wall.The way I did mine meant working on the floor was easier than the tables. But I am sore, and my knees feel absolutely shredded.

But everything is hung and labeled now! Yay!  We've gotten a lot of positive reactions from teachers and students so far.  The older kids keep asking when they get to have an art show (it will be in the spring). I am very happy they're all so excited.

Overall, very pleased with how it all looks and the reactions.

Back in the Saddle! (Or at Least Trying to Blog Again)

When the new school year started, I had every intention of blogging on at least a semi-regular basis.  Alas, I have been lazy.  Of course, things have been rather busy...

Worst Day Since Yesterday

EDIT: Is it bad that I'm too lazy to go through and change all the present tense wording to past tense? I wrote this yesterday but forgot to post. Blegh.

Really, what can be more embarrassing than having a half-dozen teachers and aides witness a class full of kindergartners pushing your buttons thoroughly until you explode? To be honest, I really couldn't say.

In my last post, I declared that there was a new contender for the title of "the Challengers". Well the  kindergartners aren't giving up their title so easily. As you might have guessed, I've had a vexing time today (and I'm not even getting into the standardized testing going on right now--I'm testing a group to help out).

To start us off, I was informed that there was a new student, a quiet and sullen little boy standing near the back of the line. Then, one of my usual troublesome boys was really acting up; I left him sitting outside the office where he--I am sure--promptly fell asleep (I think he needs it anyhow).

I had a nice long talk with the kids about their previous behavior, and they were quite eager to offer up reasons the class didn't go well and how they could change that. Of course, there was plenty of chit-chat and interruptions galore. Nothing said penetrated their brains, I am certain, except for those precious few whom give me no real trouble on most days.

At first, they were marginally well behaved. But by the end of class, well... I didn't lose it like I would have at the beginning of the year, but I felt as though I could have.

Maybe I should have closed the curtains entirely (it really kind if stinks being on display for anyone passing through the cafeteria) and stood quietly while they went insane. Maybe that would have made an impression. I don't know. All I know is that I'm at my wit's end, and summer vacation has never sounded sweeter.