Goodnight Classroom

I had to put my classroom to bed for the summer.  I'm still waiting to find out if the budget gets approved.  Hopes and prayers I still have a job! I love my classroom!

A year in review

 Here are some of my favorite works from my students this year.  They were very receptive to the artists I introduced to them, and I saw a ton of growth in some of my students.  The first 4 portraits are beginning of the year and end of the year self portraits from my 6th grade class.  The master paintings are from my 8th graders, and the rest, are various aged students.  So proud of my little artist!

If your heart doesn't melt...

You don't have a heart. One of my 2nd graders did this for father's day. This particular girl has always thought outside the box, and I love all the colors of her angel.

Full time?

Last week I filled in for the 5th grade teacher, so I ended up working all week. Leaving Henry was hard, and I definitely missed my little guy, but teaching one class for a whole day was actually fun. Granted, we have a particularly well behaved 5th grade, but for the most part, it was easier than teaching art. No clean up is a big plus! I even taught math! Me? Who knew? I guess it's good to know I can still factor down to prime numbers! Regular academics are also much quieter than art. I did like it, but don't think I would trade. It's kinda nice being most kids favorite subject! Plus, I think they tell the art teacher more. While making mother's day cards this week, I asked them to write nice things about their mothers. His response was "my mom is only nice when we have company." I told him not to write that.

Coming off my high of fun teaching week, I just had another very honest kindergartner, who's mom works in the office, tell me "my mommy said art is cancelled next year, don't you go to the meetings?". Well, I didn't go to THAT meeting. It was hard for me to contain my tears, but I did manage to make it until the kids left. I'm still hoping they can find the budget to keep me, but have to admit that comment kinda sucked the wind out of me. I guess as much as I know arts in school are the first thing to be cut, today is the first day I really accepted that my job is in jeopardy. I don't think anything is set in stone yet. Come on enrollment! I just sent the soon to be principle some promotional material, hopefully it will be good for recruitment. Anyone in the La Mirada area looking for an excellent elementary/Jr high?

Frida Kahlo saves Easter

Well, not exactly, but she did help. My 4th graders have been learning about watercolor techniques while studying works by Kahlo. A big thanks to my dear friend, Mrs. Harbour for developing such a great curriculum.  We combined the techniques into an Easter project, and I was pretty pleased with the results!

Of course, kindergarten Easter bunnies are also pretty darn cute!

Mrs Miller

I hear this 400 times a day, or so it seems. This is my third year with these kids, and I love it. We've got our groove, they know what they can get away with, and i know how to react when they don't. There was a learning curve for me as a teacher. That first year, pregnant, and new, was a challenge. Having to memorized 200+ kids with a jello brain was darn near impossible. That years eighth grade class will always remain dear to my heart. I'm pretty sure they tested me more than any other class, but they were also very sweet, in their hormone filled ways. They definitely made me feel like the "cool" teacher, and conversations had in that class, have not been repeated with their predecessors.

Right before Henry was due, Ebva, a kindergartner came up and said "you know what Mrs. Miller, you're going to bleed, and it's going to hurt." She was right. My favorite still is Eliaz. Eliaz is a little boy with a sweet smile, who rarely takes a breath. He was telling me all about his Thanksgiving. The conversation went like this. "We had Thanksgiving at my grandmas house, and we had turkey and mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. There was apple pie too. All my brothers, and my sister and my cousins were there. I had a dream last night, but it wasn't like Martin Luther King's, this one was about lasers." How do you top that? .

So yes, teaching rocks, most of the time. I can see the kids improving, and their little minds opening. They impress me. My second graders were looking at the first graders projects, and remarked, "oh, their doing Matisse.". I swooned! They not only remembered the project, but remembered the artist! A's for all of you!!! It's nice to see the kids that struggle in other classes, shine in mine. Some days are harder than others, some classes are harder than others, well, one class is harder than others, but it's all worth it. The problem with being an art teacher, is job security. It's understandably, hard to get parents to pay for school when funds are tights. The end of the year is approaching, and a new a principle is coming in. Fingers crossed I will back here again next year.

What other job do you get this kind of review?