The people over at The Art of Education deserve a huge round of applause. A standing ovation even. I can’t imagine all the work and organization that goes into putting on an event as big as The Art of Education Conference Winter 2014. The presenters were stellar. STELLAR! Technical issues aside, attending this conference was well worth it, and I can’t wait for the next one. Some of you joined us at the cool kids table on Twitter to share your experience. For those of you who didn’t make it, here are some moments you missed. Continue reading
"No one gets preferential treatment."
I was engaged in a conversation the other day* with a group of colleagues. As you do. Two coworkers were recounting a meeting they had with a parent. Nothing surprising there. During the meeting, the parent had essentially mentioned that the “good” kids always get the short end of the stick. They never get called on, and the “bad” kids, or the “problem” students get preferential treatment. My colleagues, including myself, responded as you would have expected… “What?”, “That’s ridiculous”, “No one gets preferential treatment”, “We’re always fair”, “Parents are ridiculous”, blah blah blah. We all left the table, some of us laughing, some of us shaking our heads, all of us in a state of disbelief. And that was that.
Only it wasn’t. Continue reading
In Which I Tease You
You know what’s great? Art room hacks.
You know what’s even greater? When someone compiles a convenient list of art room hacks. You know, maybe something like, 10 Creative Art Room Hacks?
Well guess what? I did just that.
But here’s the thing. It’s not a blog post. Oh, no siree, Bob! It’s a video presentation. Yup. You read that right, a vid-ee-oh pres-en-ta-tion.
“Oh where, oh where, Ms. ATHG, can I view what I can only assume will be a glorious and informative presentation,” you ask? That’s easy, at the Winter 2014 Art of Education Conference. It’s online folks, online. So you know what that means, right? No need to shower, get dressed, or even brush your teeth. AND it’s on a Saturday this go around (unlike last year’s which, while awesome, was on a Wednesday. I think. Maybe it was a Tuesday). Check out some of the fab presenters: Continue reading
‘Tis the Season for Not Caring*
‘Tis the Season for Not Caring*
(To be sung to the tune of Deck the Halls, obviously, but make it the Wednesday night drunken Karaoke version.)
Deck the halls with rows of selfies.
Tra-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Clear the sculptures from the shelfies.
Tra-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Don we now our clay apparel
Tra-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la.
Wash those tables ’til they’re sterile
Tra-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.
See the glazing crawl before us.
Tra-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Strike a wound and hold back a cuss.
Tra-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Wallow deep in worried horror.
Tra-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la.
While we cringe at all the error.
Tra-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Fast the days and weeks they pass us.
Tra-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Hail your clay work, lads and lasses
Tra-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Sing we joyous, all together.
Tra-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la.
Now you a gift for your mother.
Tra-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
True story: This afternoon a teacher was picking her class up, when she asked to speak with me in the hall, privately. My mind was whirling, running down the list of possible suspects she wanted to discuss. Instead, she secretively asked me, “Will we be finishing anything up soon that we can wrap up as gifts.” “Ummm…” I responded, “no.” “Oh, well, I hate having the kids make something. I guess I’ll figure it out. Maybe you can for Mother’s Day.”
Yeah, I’ll get right on that.
In case you missed it the first time around, 2011’s Holiday Carol.
*What’s that? It’s the day before Thanksgiving and 8 students are absent? Whatever, game day! What’s that? There’s a concert on Thursday morning and another one at the same time next week? Whatever, guess we’ll finish our work after break. What’s that? The students are super squirrely and can’t contain themselves? Whatever, free choice day! What’s that? You’re crunched for time and want me to have the students make a holiday gift? Yeah, no, I don’t care, it’s not happening.
Overheard in the Art Room II
My second graders were working on cutting out a shape man so they could practice positioning the human body for a cut paper collage. I was walking around… singing a song… no, not really, but I was walking around, helping the students and eavesdropping on their conversations, which is always a great idea…
Male Student: “Girls have babies.”Female Student 1: “But they get special medicine.”Male Student: “They still suffer.”Female Student 2: “Some of them suffer.”
And later, at a different table…
Male Student: “Mine doesn’t even look like a hip. It looks like a nip.”Female Student: “What’s a nip?”Male Student: “I don’t know, but I’m calling it a nip.”
I die.
Art Teachers Hate Glitter 