there seems to be some confusion as to the age that I am teaching. You may think to yourself "must be elementary school with these levels of competence..." well in fact these are high school students. right between middle school and college. YES, the grades 9 to 12. As in a few of these kids are thinking and planning on going off to college next year. hold the phone. for real??!?!
question: if a student cannot measure out 1 1/4 inches on a piece of paper after it has taken him all class to fold it in half twice will the college acceptance letters be flowing in?!
I really don't know how they got this far with so little in their bag of tricks, because their bags are so far from flowing over.
Yikes! I'd be scared to go out into the world with so little to go on. or maybe they really have no idea that, well, they have no idea. I mean I wasn't so keen on academics in high school, and I most certainly would not have gone far on my SAT scores (i didn't even put them on my college apps). But I had commonsense on my side, and there's a lot to be said for that. These kids don't seem to posses that at all. If you can't motivate yourself to at least try in the easiest art class on the planet how in the hell are you going to make it in the world where art class is supposed to be intense?!!? No more art classes for them I bet!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
are you playing for real?
It looks as if today I will have to do some assigned seating. I really did not want to do that, and I told them, I don't mind talking as long as work is getting done. not the case! I have these 3 kids who spent the whole class cutting out two rectangles, yes I said 2 the number right after one and before three....two! I had to stop them mid-cut a handful of times and ask...
me - "so. what'cha doing? what are you cutting out now?!"
student - "uhhhhh, a square." (yes, he said square, 3 times.)
me - "oooh, a square, hmm? is that what you are supposed to be cutting...?!" (i know the answer to this one, pick me pick me!)
student - "a rectangle." (very good!)
me - "now how big does it have to be? look on the board if you can't remember, it's written up there in two different places."
.......
student- "I'm confused, I can't find 6 1/4 inches...?!"
me- "????????????"
i'm starting to think maybe these guys are playing me. can they really seem so normal and be so damn slow?! How do you not know where the quarter mark is? or the half for that matter, yes I'm not lying.
the big problem for me is not that they don't know where to find a measurement, I mean it's surprising but people are raised and taught very differently and it's not my place to judge. But for the love of Buddha shut the fuck up and get something done! they can't be having fun sitting there pretending to cut cardboard. I'm bored just looking at them. So i'm going to try sitting people in different places today and see what happen. That's it, i'm going to be that teacher who makes you say goodbye to your friends and sit next to the icky person...dududuuuu! Watch out kids Ms. Mollie (they were having trouble remembering how to fold paper I figured they were never going to get Remillard) isn't all sunshine and smiles, there's a new sheriff in town and she means business.
me - "so. what'cha doing? what are you cutting out now?!"
student - "uhhhhh, a square." (yes, he said square, 3 times.)
me - "oooh, a square, hmm? is that what you are supposed to be cutting...?!" (i know the answer to this one, pick me pick me!)
student - "a rectangle." (very good!)
me - "now how big does it have to be? look on the board if you can't remember, it's written up there in two different places."
.......
student- "I'm confused, I can't find 6 1/4 inches...?!"
me- "????????????"
i'm starting to think maybe these guys are playing me. can they really seem so normal and be so damn slow?! How do you not know where the quarter mark is? or the half for that matter, yes I'm not lying.
the big problem for me is not that they don't know where to find a measurement, I mean it's surprising but people are raised and taught very differently and it's not my place to judge. But for the love of Buddha shut the fuck up and get something done! they can't be having fun sitting there pretending to cut cardboard. I'm bored just looking at them. So i'm going to try sitting people in different places today and see what happen. That's it, i'm going to be that teacher who makes you say goodbye to your friends and sit next to the icky person...dududuuuu! Watch out kids Ms. Mollie (they were having trouble remembering how to fold paper I figured they were never going to get Remillard) isn't all sunshine and smiles, there's a new sheriff in town and she means business.
Friday, January 21, 2011
whhhhhhaaaaatttttt?!
I don't understand high schoolers. I mean I know it's a pretty difficult time of life for most people, it certainly was for me, but honestly pull your shit together. I had to explain to them way too many times that the cardboard they were cutting needed to be 6 1/4 inches wide by 9 inches long (and yes it was written on the board, twice!), even after I made them all put their work down, stop talking and look at me while I showed them what it was supposed to look like. I know it's Friday and all but really it's only 12 and that shit is so simple.
This job is really making me appreciate the Minerva kids, who, mind you, I already thought were pretty huge superstars. I feel like I need a drink and it's only 1pm (yeah, yeah, I know it's always 5 o'clock somewhere, but it still seems a little early... plus I'm not sure the Spa customers would like being checked in by someone nursing a bottle of Tequilla). I'll just wait for Mom to get out of work and drink then, I'm sure she will be needing one then seeing as she has these kids all day long! They may end up driving her batshit crazy by the end of the year, get the padded room ready people this woman is going to need some quiet time! Not sure how she does it, it's an art form all it own.
So in the cliched words of 90's teen tv sitcoms...TGIF! YAYAYAYAYAYAY!
This job is really making me appreciate the Minerva kids, who, mind you, I already thought were pretty huge superstars. I feel like I need a drink and it's only 1pm (yeah, yeah, I know it's always 5 o'clock somewhere, but it still seems a little early... plus I'm not sure the Spa customers would like being checked in by someone nursing a bottle of Tequilla). I'll just wait for Mom to get out of work and drink then, I'm sure she will be needing one then seeing as she has these kids all day long! They may end up driving her batshit crazy by the end of the year, get the padded room ready people this woman is going to need some quiet time! Not sure how she does it, it's an art form all it own.
So in the cliched words of 90's teen tv sitcoms...TGIF! YAYAYAYAYAYAY!
no, those marks you made weren't just for decoration.
So I've made it to the end of the week, YES! It feels somewhat strange due to the fact that we have basically accomplished nothing, wait let me rephrase that, the students have do nothing.
Yesterday it took all class to sew some paper together! I mean REALLY?! When i say "thread the needle through the tack holes that you have made on the crease" you'd think they would understand...oooooohhhh no! I cannot tell you how many kids were stabbing the paper in random spots! ...well that's a bit of a lie, there were 3 different student after 3 different demonstrations (and i mean, i drew in detail directions of the board, showed them the completed step on a book I had partially made just for this occasion, and I actually carried out the step on a brand new one right in front of them! ....i did forget to tell them to put their seeing eyes back in, hmmmm, my fault?).
After class I went to hand in some paperwork at the office, where I found Mr. Boss Man (very nice guy who is super excited to have an art class again for the kids, not sure it is as exciting for the kids as he may think), and as I soon discovered there is a good reason for the random hole poking, and extreme variations in production level. There are no middle round kids here! Where at most high schools you will find a nice rainbow of student ability (ex. Greylock...although a little heavy on the high end!) at this school it's as if a giant lined the students of Norfolk up according to educational ability and then scooped up everyone, leaving only those on the outskirts to fend for themselves and find a school to take them in...enter Ryan Academy...dadadadaaaaa! So it's normal to have to show someone how to fold a piece of paper in half twice, or explain that yes the hole you just made is where you want to sew through, and when I say "unfold the paper, lie it flat on a piece of cardboard and stab it with the tack" i actually mean exactly what i said.
Friday, last day of the school week, last day of my first week as a high school teacher, one more day of me telling the kids how to pronounce my name (okay, just call me Ms. Mollie, but not Ms. Reyo...I'm not even sure where that came from, but no you cannot use it). what do you think will we finish the sketchbooks today..?! HA, no! what a silly question!
Yesterday it took all class to sew some paper together! I mean REALLY?! When i say "thread the needle through the tack holes that you have made on the crease" you'd think they would understand...oooooohhhh no! I cannot tell you how many kids were stabbing the paper in random spots! ...well that's a bit of a lie, there were 3 different student after 3 different demonstrations (and i mean, i drew in detail directions of the board, showed them the completed step on a book I had partially made just for this occasion, and I actually carried out the step on a brand new one right in front of them! ....i did forget to tell them to put their seeing eyes back in, hmmmm, my fault?).
After class I went to hand in some paperwork at the office, where I found Mr. Boss Man (very nice guy who is super excited to have an art class again for the kids, not sure it is as exciting for the kids as he may think), and as I soon discovered there is a good reason for the random hole poking, and extreme variations in production level. There are no middle round kids here! Where at most high schools you will find a nice rainbow of student ability (ex. Greylock...although a little heavy on the high end!) at this school it's as if a giant lined the students of Norfolk up according to educational ability and then scooped up everyone, leaving only those on the outskirts to fend for themselves and find a school to take them in...enter Ryan Academy...dadadadaaaaa! So it's normal to have to show someone how to fold a piece of paper in half twice, or explain that yes the hole you just made is where you want to sew through, and when I say "unfold the paper, lie it flat on a piece of cardboard and stab it with the tack" i actually mean exactly what i said.
Friday, last day of the school week, last day of my first week as a high school teacher, one more day of me telling the kids how to pronounce my name (okay, just call me Ms. Mollie, but not Ms. Reyo...I'm not even sure where that came from, but no you cannot use it). what do you think will we finish the sketchbooks today..?! HA, no! what a silly question!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
it's getting better all the time
Day 2 turns out to be better then the 1st....Micah was right.
But really who would have thought folding paper could be so confusing and time consuming. 45 minutes to fold a stack of paper twice, cut down the middle, and then put into 4 piles (i know, 4 is such a huge, terrifying number)...it could have been the scissors that were made for something more delicate then tissue paper, or maybe the talking, or the fact that they don't listen (yup, i think that's the one). I even drew diagrams on the board of EVERY step in the folding process, although I still not sure they looked at it....even when I was standing in front of it drawing AND explaining how to put one folded paper inside of another (sounds simple, you might be surprised to learn it's even simpler then it sounds).
Despite the t u r t l e s l o w pace we were working at I think things went pretty well. I think as long as I have a project that I can walk them through (well, maybe crawl through like legless goat) I think we should produce some results. They will no doubt be a WIDE spectrum of talent, but hey they are not getting graded on the product.....oh did I mention I have to grade them. Now that is a whole other battle. I hated getting graded and now I have to do the grading?! icky!
But really who would have thought folding paper could be so confusing and time consuming. 45 minutes to fold a stack of paper twice, cut down the middle, and then put into 4 piles (i know, 4 is such a huge, terrifying number)...it could have been the scissors that were made for something more delicate then tissue paper, or maybe the talking, or the fact that they don't listen (yup, i think that's the one). I even drew diagrams on the board of EVERY step in the folding process, although I still not sure they looked at it....even when I was standing in front of it drawing AND explaining how to put one folded paper inside of another (sounds simple, you might be surprised to learn it's even simpler then it sounds).
Despite the t u r t l e s l o w pace we were working at I think things went pretty well. I think as long as I have a project that I can walk them through (well, maybe crawl through like legless goat) I think we should produce some results. They will no doubt be a WIDE spectrum of talent, but hey they are not getting graded on the product.....oh did I mention I have to grade them. Now that is a whole other battle. I hated getting graded and now I have to do the grading?! icky!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
I will pull this class over...
Day 1 and I'm still alive!
So high school. Hmm. Still kind of sucks. I made it through the hour class, which actually turned into about 45 mins because the students trickled in. Introduced myself, asked them to do the same..."tell me your name, grade and what you like about art, or what art you have done."
answers I recieved:
"I'm Bob, 12th grade and.....I like art..." ...hmmm okay, anything specific?!
"I'm Tom, I'm in 11th grade and I got put in this class by Mr. Jones, I didn't even know I had this class. I can't draw" ...wow, great. LOVE that enthusiasm!
"I'm Todd, 12th grade, I like art." ...yeah, that answer was already used.
"I'm Jane, i'm in 9th grade and I like to art cuz i got an 'A' in it." ....Toto I don't think we're in Bennington anymore
"Why do you keep saying that? you said it like 5 times" ...wait! this isn't an answer you say, I was thinking that same thing...I love when kids don't pay attention right after I tell them not to talk over or under other people! Ugh!
So the answers were pretty bleak, as was the interest in....anything. But when we got down to drawing their names (and I mean just your basic "I would like you to draw your name with some relationship to something you like" kind of deal.) things TOTALLY CHANGED! Just kidding! Yes there were a few kids who actually had some talent, some who used their imaginations (yippy) and a handful who couldn't even figure out how to write their names in even an uninteresting way. So I proceed to show them what block lettering is, or bubble letters, draw a shape and make your name fit inside that shape. It was a little like pulling teeth, now I know why I didn't become a dentist.
And here I was worrying that I wouldn't have enough for them to do on the first day....turns out I think this sketchbook creating project may take all week, not just a day! SAWEET! no need to use my brain. Loves it!
I think this is going to take some getting use to and if all else fails I'm pulling out the improv games! I swear I'll do it! I will pull this class over and make you pretend! someone better warn those kids what could happen.
So high school. Hmm. Still kind of sucks. I made it through the hour class, which actually turned into about 45 mins because the students trickled in. Introduced myself, asked them to do the same..."tell me your name, grade and what you like about art, or what art you have done."
answers I recieved:
"I'm Bob, 12th grade and.....I like art..." ...hmmm okay, anything specific?!
"I'm Tom, I'm in 11th grade and I got put in this class by Mr. Jones, I didn't even know I had this class. I can't draw" ...wow, great. LOVE that enthusiasm!
"I'm Todd, 12th grade, I like art." ...yeah, that answer was already used.
"I'm Jane, i'm in 9th grade and I like to art cuz i got an 'A' in it." ....Toto I don't think we're in Bennington anymore
"Why do you keep saying that? you said it like 5 times" ...wait! this isn't an answer you say, I was thinking that same thing...I love when kids don't pay attention right after I tell them not to talk over or under other people! Ugh!
So the answers were pretty bleak, as was the interest in....anything. But when we got down to drawing their names (and I mean just your basic "I would like you to draw your name with some relationship to something you like" kind of deal.) things TOTALLY CHANGED! Just kidding! Yes there were a few kids who actually had some talent, some who used their imaginations (yippy) and a handful who couldn't even figure out how to write their names in even an uninteresting way. So I proceed to show them what block lettering is, or bubble letters, draw a shape and make your name fit inside that shape. It was a little like pulling teeth, now I know why I didn't become a dentist.
And here I was worrying that I wouldn't have enough for them to do on the first day....turns out I think this sketchbook creating project may take all week, not just a day! SAWEET! no need to use my brain. Loves it!
I think this is going to take some getting use to and if all else fails I'm pulling out the improv games! I swear I'll do it! I will pull this class over and make you pretend! someone better warn those kids what could happen.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Holiday! Celebrate!
So here we are, Sunday night, the big night, the night before my debut as an Art teacher. I've spent most of the day trying to create my own graffiti name tag so the kids will have some sort of reference to look at and so I don't have to make a fool out of myself as I struggle to create something artisticly advanced (I even have Zoe doing the project so they can see different styles). I still haven't figured out what to make mine look like....but don't worry I have the process documented very well, these kids will have not problem learning what throw away test sketches are!
I have also spent most of the day trying to figure out how to keep these kids entertained for 1 hour 5 times a week! Ohhhhhhcrap! I'm sure once I get there and settle in it will be fine, but really this waiting shit really sucks. And so I have made myself prepare, and I mean really prepare, not just half assing it like I sometimes end up doing with theater (the finished product always looks good...right?!?! ooo, don't tell Kathy this :) coming in and realizing that I have 45 minutes where I have nothing to do. I have to, because with visual art it is going to be much more difficult to pull activities out of ...well....you know where... Really only because it's been awhile and I feel much more comfortable when I can jump around and play improv games. wait, are there visual art improv games.....hmmmm?
So prep must happen or Ms Remillard looks like an ass! and I would want to use those look like an ass times up in the first week.
Finally got out of my 'sit on my bum job', walked home (tried to get the stench of Lillies out of my nose, throat, glands, head, face, and everywhere else it could sneak...i feel like shit. THANK YOU STUPID DEATH FLOWERS), sat down to plan my day tomorrow! Figured "HEY, this school doesn't have many supplies, so why don't we make our own sketchbook?! that way when the kids get bored of what they are doing, or they finish early, or what have you they can open up their hand homemade sketchbook and draw some shit!" Brilliant (cousin Emma agrees, she's in high school so I listened to her!), thank you very much! so i google homemade sketchbooks, find a pretty sweet design (with photo instructions, YIPPY), and get to work on making my own...once again trying to avoid looking like an ass on day 1.
mid-sketchbook, phone rings, it's the newly dubbed grandmother calling
Gran-"so Zoe seems to think that you think we have school tomorrow!"
Me- "yeah....Monday, school!"
Gran- "but it's MLK."
(I knew this and had thought it strange we didn't get that day off, seeing as it is a national holiday....and I hadn't thought Norfolk was the kind of place to ignore it)
Me- "i know, but Jerry kept saying 'i'll see you on Monday' 'we'll take care of that on Monday' etc. but i'll check it out online."
Oh hey turns out my first day as an art teacher is a DAY OFF!!!
what?! sweet!
that means more time for me to prep to not look like a jerk in front a group of people in the age range that specialize in the art of gossip and ridicule. I'd say that's a win for me.
Maybe it was even good that I didn't figure this out until 8pm the night before. Hey, I'm down, now I'll have time to make my sketchbook 20 times better then theirs will ever be! (insert evil laugh)
oh and hopefully by Tuesday my throat won't feel like it's been attacked by Lillies and their army of pollen (GO NAVY!). I still feel like crapolla.
I have also spent most of the day trying to figure out how to keep these kids entertained for 1 hour 5 times a week! Ohhhhhhcrap! I'm sure once I get there and settle in it will be fine, but really this waiting shit really sucks. And so I have made myself prepare, and I mean really prepare, not just half assing it like I sometimes end up doing with theater (the finished product always looks good...right?!?! ooo, don't tell Kathy this :) coming in and realizing that I have 45 minutes where I have nothing to do. I have to, because with visual art it is going to be much more difficult to pull activities out of ...well....you know where... Really only because it's been awhile and I feel much more comfortable when I can jump around and play improv games. wait, are there visual art improv games.....hmmmm?
So prep must happen or Ms Remillard looks like an ass! and I would want to use those look like an ass times up in the first week.
Finally got out of my 'sit on my bum job', walked home (tried to get the stench of Lillies out of my nose, throat, glands, head, face, and everywhere else it could sneak...i feel like shit. THANK YOU STUPID DEATH FLOWERS), sat down to plan my day tomorrow! Figured "HEY, this school doesn't have many supplies, so why don't we make our own sketchbook?! that way when the kids get bored of what they are doing, or they finish early, or what have you they can open up their hand homemade sketchbook and draw some shit!" Brilliant (cousin Emma agrees, she's in high school so I listened to her!), thank you very much! so i google homemade sketchbooks, find a pretty sweet design (with photo instructions, YIPPY), and get to work on making my own...once again trying to avoid looking like an ass on day 1.
mid-sketchbook, phone rings, it's the newly dubbed grandmother calling
Gran-"so Zoe seems to think that you think we have school tomorrow!"
Me- "yeah....Monday, school!"
Gran- "but it's MLK."
(I knew this and had thought it strange we didn't get that day off, seeing as it is a national holiday....and I hadn't thought Norfolk was the kind of place to ignore it)
Me- "i know, but Jerry kept saying 'i'll see you on Monday' 'we'll take care of that on Monday' etc. but i'll check it out online."
Oh hey turns out my first day as an art teacher is a DAY OFF!!!
what?! sweet!
that means more time for me to prep to not look like a jerk in front a group of people in the age range that specialize in the art of gossip and ridicule. I'd say that's a win for me.
Maybe it was even good that I didn't figure this out until 8pm the night before. Hey, I'm down, now I'll have time to make my sketchbook 20 times better then theirs will ever be! (insert evil laugh)
oh and hopefully by Tuesday my throat won't feel like it's been attacked by Lillies and their army of pollen (GO NAVY!). I still feel like crapolla.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Crayola for Days
So I went in today to check out my room, yes i have a whole room to teach in. Not kidding. No one kicking me out to do awards ceremonies, no one sending me to the lunch room to sit on the dirty floor and work, just me, my room and the teacher next door yelling at her crazies!
OKay back to the point, time comes to check out the supplies they already have so I know what I can actually do with these kids.
We have: buckets of markers (which i hate), loads construction paper (which is only good for making crappy Valentines), some crayons (all broken of course....really have you ever seen a crayon last more then a minute out of the box as a whole crayon?! I'm not sure I have), watercolor paint (the kind your parent buys you as a 2 year old, i think Monet actually started with Crayola watercolors), a few boxes of pastels (those actually will be nice to have), tiny pots of acrylic paint (i think used by the Borrowers to paint their walls), and random who's who of the art supply world.
So it's Thursday night and I have until Monday at 11:40 to come up with a plan for the week. something to teach these 12 kids, who may or may not know what pastels are...
I have a plan I just need to figure out how it will all fit together....got to make my brain function like real person now. Awwcrap!
Question:
what was your favorite project in High school (or middle school...actually any school) art class?
OKay back to the point, time comes to check out the supplies they already have so I know what I can actually do with these kids.
We have: buckets of markers (which i hate), loads construction paper (which is only good for making crappy Valentines), some crayons (all broken of course....really have you ever seen a crayon last more then a minute out of the box as a whole crayon?! I'm not sure I have), watercolor paint (the kind your parent buys you as a 2 year old, i think Monet actually started with Crayola watercolors), a few boxes of pastels (those actually will be nice to have), tiny pots of acrylic paint (i think used by the Borrowers to paint their walls), and random who's who of the art supply world.
So it's Thursday night and I have until Monday at 11:40 to come up with a plan for the week. something to teach these 12 kids, who may or may not know what pastels are...
I have a plan I just need to figure out how it will all fit together....got to make my brain function like real person now. Awwcrap!
Question:
what was your favorite project in High school (or middle school...actually any school) art class?
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Art
starting a new chapter of life...well a new part of a new chapter. more like a new chapter in a new volume of the library that is my life. oh god shut up!
anyway, i am going to be starting a new job as a high school art teacher on Monday and it's kind of making my brain hurt thinking about it. I mean I have worked with kids, well, since I was a kid...taught kids since high school, and even study how to teach them while in college. and then right after college i went into teaching. but none of this involved teaching visual arts. i have done visual arts, well, forever really, but studied them since high school and minored in them (as much as you can minor in anything at Bennington College) in college. So really when you look at it everything seems to be in place to make this a pretty perfect situation...except for the fact that I am now going to have to recall all that shit my teachers tried to teach me while i was doodling or daydreaming (i'm very good at that!) and teach it to a bunch of kids who will be doing the same thing......hmmmm. at least i won't be sitting on my butt in front of a computer all day doing NOTHING.
one problem i am having is i really can't stand when i run into people who just want to talk about how the feel about art and how it effects the world. i have the same problem with theater. i love it but for the love of Buddha when people start talking about it in deep conversations i just want to punch things.
...so i am searching the internet for things to teach these kids and searching my brain for things I learned in high school. and i really tried to block most of high school out, so i'm coming up short.
anyway, i am going to be starting a new job as a high school art teacher on Monday and it's kind of making my brain hurt thinking about it. I mean I have worked with kids, well, since I was a kid...taught kids since high school, and even study how to teach them while in college. and then right after college i went into teaching. but none of this involved teaching visual arts. i have done visual arts, well, forever really, but studied them since high school and minored in them (as much as you can minor in anything at Bennington College) in college. So really when you look at it everything seems to be in place to make this a pretty perfect situation...except for the fact that I am now going to have to recall all that shit my teachers tried to teach me while i was doodling or daydreaming (i'm very good at that!) and teach it to a bunch of kids who will be doing the same thing......hmmmm. at least i won't be sitting on my butt in front of a computer all day doing NOTHING.
one problem i am having is i really can't stand when i run into people who just want to talk about how the feel about art and how it effects the world. i have the same problem with theater. i love it but for the love of Buddha when people start talking about it in deep conversations i just want to punch things.
...so i am searching the internet for things to teach these kids and searching my brain for things I learned in high school. and i really tried to block most of high school out, so i'm coming up short.
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