Yay!

On Wednesday, I got called in for an interview for a position at an alternative high school. We scheduled the interview for the next day, Thursday at 1:00. At about 3:30, the principal called and offered me the job!!

Here are a few stipulations...I have a job only because the previous art teacher is on leave for medical reasons. She'll be gone for a semester for sure, and she could come back anytime after that. She also left me all her lesson plans. It's kind of a bummer that she could come back, but I'm still excited about the opportunity! I'm kind of worried about the whole "alternative school" situation, and as the principal put it, "I walked out of my office and I honestly thought you were a student waiting for your schedule." Gee, thanks. So, some students are as old as 21, ALL students test their boundaries, and I need to show them who's boss.

Overall, I'm grateful for the opportunity. I know it will be difficult, but I'm ready!

The problem...
Students come back on the 24th and I have no lesson plans, and to top it off, I don't know what classes I'm teaching. I mean, obviously I'm teaching art, but I have no clue what art classes I'm teaching. Oh well, it will work out!

Why So Interested?

So I haven't posted in a really long time. I don't know why I have so many hits and who has been looking at my blog and why, but whatevs, it's a free country. It surprises me that I even look at this blog. I forget about it all the time. I am thinking of changing the direction of this blog once I start teaching. It's going to be about the funny things students say and funny things that happen to me at school. I just need to secure employment first.

Working for the Weekend

So, this is my big weekend of interviews. (When it's summertime and you're not working, everyday is the weekend.) I had one this morning, which I was totally prepared for. I practiced interview questions with my mom, who claims she does not interview well, but helped me tons. I am so grateful for her. Speaking of gratitude, I am one lucky girl to have the opportunity to be a long term sub for some awesome art teachers in the district that I want to work in! My mom helped me pick out an outfit, and even helped me with my high school teaching portfolio. So today was the big day. I woke up bight and early, had pasta salad for breakfast and tried to make myself look as old as possible, which never seems to work. (People tend to underestimate my abilities and don't take me seriously because I look like I'm thirteen. 'Where's your hall pass young lady? HA! You're not a teacher, prove it to me.')

Anyways, the interview went well. I told some unintentional jokes that made everyone laugh.

What is RTI?
um...(five seconds of silence)...ummm... (a few more seconds) Oh! (light bulb) Something, something, intervention?
(Polite, genuine chuckles. From the four interviewers.) Yes, RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION. Can you tell us what that means?
Oh crap. 'Well....(more silence I KNOW my mom talked to me about this, I just couldn't remember.) ...is it creating a behavioral plan for students who are having trouble in my class? Could it also be creating an academic plan for a a student who is having trouble with his/her grade?
Yes! Good. This is how it works at our school. Boring explanation of RTI blah blah blah...


What a stupid question. While you're at it, why don't you ask me what all these very important stand for... PLC, IEP, 504, IDEA, NCLB, AYP, DBAE, IAEA, NAEA. I don't know if it is sad that I know what all these stand for, but still, the question was equally stupid.

What would you do if a student you didn't do anything to, just didn't like you?
I don't care if a student doesn't like me. Teenagers seem to hate a lot of people for no good reason. 'Kill them with kindness' was my brilliant response.
All the interviewers laughed a real laugh. I didn't think it was funny and really didn't mean that as a joke. 'That's good. No one around here seems to share the same idea.' The principal said, glaring at one of the art teachers in the room, who forced a smile. I later found out that this particular teacher yells at students and has a bad temper.


After the interview, the art teachers gave me a tour of the room I would be teaching in, with my 40+ art students per class. Yep, 40 freshman! They were really nice and answered all my questions. I was thanking the principal on my way out when he shook my hand and said "I know you have an interview on Monday at the middle school. We all agree that you did really well in your interview here, have you had any other interviews lately?" I was honest and said I'd been interviewing out of state, looking for better offers, then he shocked me by saying, "Don't you want to stay in the area? Wouldn't you like to teach in this district? I'm asking you to please not say yes to anyone before I'm done interviewing a couple of applicants for this position." Whoa. First of all, I will say yes to anyone I dare please, but also, it kind of sounded like he didn't want to lose me to the middle school or anyone else. Oh my gosh, I can't believe it went as well as it did!

The problem: The sad news is that I went into the interview thinking it was a .71 position, later to be informed that it is a .57 position. After some fancy math skills, my mom and I found out that I'd be taking home between $700-$800 a month. I made more than that working... well, pretty much everywhere. I had a paycheck in May that was over $1800, just for subbing. This is obviously depressing. I will only take this job if it's my ONLY offer. Of course, you can't expect two art teachers to have the skills to do this kind of math either, so my mom and I could be wrong about how much I'd be earning. We factored in how much insurance and taxes would be, but we're not pros at this kind of thing.

Positives:
I have two interviews on Monday. One is a phone interview, out of state. I don't really care about this position, but I will interview nonetheless. The other one is a FULL TIME position at a middle school. I am really excited for this opportunity, although I think the competition will be stiffer.

We really do live in a man's world, Tina. When asked if I would be able to coach anything or be a part of a club, I said I wasn't athletic but I'd be willing to start an art club. The principal liked the idea and told me that one of the two art teachers, who are both male, is in charge of the skiing club and the drag racing club, while the other is a football coach.

On a More Positive Note

On a more positive note, here are things I am grateful for.....

Getting ready for yet again, another long-term substituting job where I get to be in a high school! I decided last week that given the option of teaching art in elementary, middle, or high school, I'd choose high school.

The long-term sub job will likely last the whole rest of the school year starting somewhere around March 21st!

I'm thankful for my education and look forward to finishing my masters degree in the near future. 

I am grateful for all the principals out there who support the arts. Without principals using extra FTE towards art, there would be a lot less art teachers out there.

I'm grateful for the students who register for art classes, the less students there are, the less need for art teachers there are. That's why I've got to be a really good teacher that teaches fun and educational lessons.

I'm grateful that I received such a sound education in art, that I can push my students to be the best artists they can be because I can help them expand there talent as much as they're willing to. 

I'm grateful for other art teachers out there that show me it can all be done. Not without a lot of work, of course, but eventually I'll be in a spot, teaching what I want to teach at the school I want to teach at, and it will be so much fun. 

I'm grateful for all the examples that paved the way before me in both art and education. Faith Ringgold, for example, started teaching art at public schools in New York City, before she became recognized for her story quilts and children books. She is influenced feminist artwork in a big way.

Give Credit Where Credit is Due...

First, have I mentioned how brilliant Marc Johns is lately? I love him. Lastly, if you plan on using lesson plans in your class that were prepared and taught first by me, the one person you stuck your nose up at because I was teaching what I thought was best, most fun and more creative, (opposed to easy, stiff and outdated lessons that students couldn't relate to that you wanted me to teach) the least you could do is mention my name on a measly blog. Just sayin'.

And Happy Valentine's Day

From Robert Indiana

Value

I often ask students if they know what value means in terms of art. I always emphasize the 'in art' part, but I always get the same answer: How much something is worth. No, that's what students know from prior knowledge, in fact, it's the only definition of value they know. I define value (when referring to art) as the lightness and darkness of a color. I don't think it's very concise though...I'm searching for a better definition.

Here are some others I found: Shadows, darkness, contrasts and light are all values in artwork.
An element of art that refers to luminance or luminosity — the lightness or darkness of a color. This is important in any polychromatic image, but it can be more apparent when an image is monochromatic, as in many drawings, woodcuts, lithographs, and photographs. This is commonly the case in much sculpture and architecture too. 
The relative lightness or darkness of a hue. Black is low value. White is a high value.
the lightness or darkness of a color; contrasts between light and dark.
The lightness or darkness of tones or colors. White is the lightest value; black is the darkest. The value halfway between these extremes is called middle gray. Because a painted image is physically two-dimensional, a painter must have some tool to create a false, but convincing illusion of three-dimensionality. Value is that tool. The effects of value are most easily seen in a black and white drawing. In such a drawing, one can find a range of tones from pure black, across a spectrum of gray, ending in pure white. By using such a scale of tones, a painter is able to recreate in two dimensions the effects of light and shadow on a three-dimensional object. In a painting, such tones are usually found in spectrums of color instead of gray, but the effect is the same. Value is extremely important to a painter because without its proper use it would be impossible for a painter to create convincingly realistic imagery. It’s also a useful tool for adding further definition to forms, of which line alone is incapable of doing. Value also works in conjunction with contrast.

Okay, so I guess my definition isn't so bad. I need to gather some good lessons to teach value because it's so important. I think it's the most important concept to grasp, because it makes a huuuge difference in drawing, painting and photography.

I'm going to gather them together and post here when I'm done.

Happy & Inspired

"Being born is like being kidnapped and sold into slavery." Andy Warhol

I've always loved pop art. I don't know why, exactly. Maybe because it was so unexpected and irreverent in that out-there sort of nature. Liechtenstein's over-sized, comic book inspired prints next to Jasper John's Flag, Theibaud's pies and Warhol's colorful soup cans seem pointless in nature and a little bit funny. What do they mean? Nothing? Something deeper? Like many art movements, art critics had a hard pill to swallow when the pop art movement started, many rejected it as art at first. I love color. A good use of color is over looked by many people, I believe. Bright colors and recognizable images, maybe that's what draws me into pop art. I love the fact that one of the said goals of pop art, was to make everyday things the subject of artwork. I think of it like this, many people are walking around blind to the beauty they see everyday because for one reason or another, they stop seeing these everyday objects.

Is that the Reichstag? Why is it wrapped in fabric?

 

One of my art professors in college defined art as learning to see. I absolutely think that is true. Maybe that was Christo and Jean-Claude's goal. To force people to see the beauty they ignored everyday.

Back to the quote by Warhol, I think I could use it as an anticiptory set in high school. Have students write a short paragraph in respone to the quote and then illustrate it. I guess it could be a full-fledged assignment as well. I think lots of teenagers can relate to the quote, which makes the assignment more interesting to the students because it's about themselves.

Honestly

AnxiousAwkwardAwesome

Anxious
The thought of teaching kindergartners to paint...with tempra. I couldn't get out of bed this morning thinking of what a train wreck this was going to be. Today was a disaster to say the least, they only see me for thirty minutes and need at least that much time to clean up. Kids had paint in their hair, all over their hands, tables, chairs...everything. I still have two more kindergarten classes to teach this lesson to, practice makes perfect, I hope! Anxiety-ridden.

Thinking about if I'll have a teaching job next fall. All I want to do is teach. I'm done with the whole I-wonder-where-I'm-going-to-be-teaching-tomorrow feeling that comes with subbing. I've been grateful to be a sub for the past three years, but now that I've been certified for almost a year now, it's time to get crackin' on the job front. I hope to stay in the area, but this fall, I'll be will to go to any of the surrounding states. Anxious

Awkward
Walking around in a school I feel like I know pretty well, yet still not knowing anyone's name. Including teachers. Brooke! When is Mrs. W getting back? What are we supposed to do for the art fair? Where are the fifth grade quilting blocks?!?  I don't know who you are or what you're talking about. The art fair isn't for another month and a half. Calm down (okay, I didn't actually say that, I was much more tactful, but still.) Awkward.

A parent coming in to check her daughter's temperature during the crazy kindergarten painting-cleanup mess. It was embarrassing and made me look like I had absolutely NO classroom management skills, which isn't the case. Awkward.

A student farted a stinky one today. Other students were complaining about it. I didn't know what to do. Awkward.

I passed a student in the hallway Miss Christensen! I met your daughter! I don't have a daughter! Yes you do! I met her. No I don't. Yes you do. No I don't. Yes you do!...I left it at that. And no I don't have a daughter. Other teachers heard us arguing. Awkward.

Awesome
Teaching origami to first grade art club. I never was keen on folding fancy paper, but after teaching myself over the weekend, I thought the lesson would go well. The kids were so good, left my day on a high note because they're such enthusiastic paper folders. We made flapping butterflies and most of them turned out. It wasn't as easy as I thought, but the kids weren't disappointed, they still had fun. Such good little sports. Awesome.

The principal complimented me on doing a fabulous job in front of all the teachers during teacher in-service. Awesome.

I walked over to the sink to see why it was taking so long for everyone to was their hands and I noticed one of my students had three fingers on each hand, it doesn't hold him back. Awesome.

I received a notification that one of my students had something called leukomalacia, which effects his left side motor skills a little bit. I noticed it for the first time today. He's a sweet kid, but doesn't always listen. He asked me to help him wash his hands because he couldn't. It sounds weird, but it was really sweet. Awesome.

A student came in at recess and washed out ALL of the dirty paintbrushes and paint containers I threw in the sink. I offered him two pieces of candy and he wouldn't take them. I gave him a reward card. He helped me so much! Awesome.

Maternity Leave

A while back, I was contacted by an elementary teacher in the area. She said she was looking for a certified art teacher to take her spot for six weeks after she had her baby. We chatted on the phone for a bit and arranged for a time that I could meet up with her and observe her classes. I was thrilled, I'd never really taught elementary art before. I mean, in high school I would volunteer at an elementary school and teach art, but I knew the class really well, and it was only one class, it was a lot of fun too, but other than that, I've had no experience with elementary. I am certified to teach art K-12, even though I didn't student teach at an elementary level.

Needless to say, I was invited back to be the permanent substitute for this teacher! I was super excited for the experience. I'm nearing the end of the second week, and let me tell you, it hasn't been easy. I decided to make a pros and cons list, Jimmy Fallon style. Here it goes.

PROS                                                                                                  

No grading!
Student examples don't take more than an hour to make and everyone thinks I'm the best artist.
The kids are so dang cute and say the cutest things.
The kids draw pictures for me
The kids tell it how it is. ("You're the best art teacher ever!")
They're still afraid of the big, bad, teacher
Everyone is excited for every lesson
No one is afraid to take artistic risks. Really inspiring. I wish everyone had that much confidence.
Kids love to help. Before school, recess, you name it. I have helpers                              

CONS

Constant mess, especially while painting. Kindergarten. I'm looking at you. 

They lie, just like any everyone else. ("That's MY ring! It's been missing for a year and a half!") Yeah right.
They expect me to keep all of those pictures. Okay, some of them are just plain weird.
Kids tell it how it is. ("You lied to us, you said this would be fun!") Picky, picky.
Sometimes I fail as the big, bad, teacher.
Kids are so excited to come to my room, they run, some trip and spend art time with the nurse.
Scissors are used to cut up pieces of paper into 100 small pieces of paper, all over the floor.



All-in-all, I'm enjoying it. Still prefer middle/high school right now, but this is good experience for now.