Fingerprint Art

My first meeting with my Art class... I arrived a little early to figure out where I would be setting up, who was in the class, and get myself ready. My boss had left me message saying I had about 12 kids in the class, and based on that, I bought 4 inkpad sets (ones that have about 10 colors included) for the children to use. I figured a few more might come in late, but since the class was limited to 20, we could make it stretch if we needed to. Aaahhh, the best laid plans...fast forward to 25 students, with more parents showing up at school trying to enroll their kiddos into the class.

I panicked. I did. I'm not proud of it, either. The grade K-2 kids aren't exactly known for their ability to share easily. I had three tables set up, 8 kids per table... and 4 ink pads. You'll notice the math doesn't really divide out nicely here. A few of the students did not show up, but the ones who came in last moment more than made up for  the empty spaces... I was frantically trying to get extra chairs, write out names for their projects, and direct students.  I kept thinking, "I am not prepared for this many kids, I am not prepared..." Aaaack! My boss and the principal both came in and wrote names and handed out papers as I worked to get the students focused on the task.

And we made it work. This is a fun project to start the year off, and it is easy for kids to get moving with their own ideas. I had copied off a few pages in black and white for the kids to look at, to spur their imaginations, and they were able to look at my sample as well. We ended up making some fun images, sharing supplies, and being reminded to say please and thank you. They completed the project, and most of them even made some smaller versions to take home. They cleaned up, grabbed their backpacks, and waited for parents to pick them up. The hour flew by, especially once they were settled into their project.

Phew! I have a better feel for what I'll be dealing with next week. Think I will need to get a few more supplies. In checking in with my boss and the principal, they were suggesting that I have a volunteer from the PSO to come in and help with handing out supplies and whatever else I might need. Which would be great. Although once we got started, the kids were pretty good about handing and passing supplies. But another pair of adult hands - and eyes - sure wouldn't hurt.



What I learned: You definitely need to have enough inkpad sets for about every 4 children. Reminding them to use their sponges to clean their finger before switching colors is helpful, but don't expect that they will all remember that every time. Reviewing the "only 1 finger" rule was VITAL!  I maintain this is a good first project, but accurate info on who is in the class is crucial for the prep. Adding 1 or 2 names is one thing... 7 is quite another.  If I plan on taking pictures while they are working, I had best get my camera OUT.  Have all one color Sharpie... or they will argue for the brown one instead of the black one.

I am excited for the rest of the year, and looking forward to what they will produce.

Here is my sample.

Love that the sun has sunglasses on.

One of the Kindergardeners. Sharpies had more appeal for him.

Love the bat!

This is a totally different take on the project.

Love the owl!

Happy mice

The tree is really well done here.

A new school year, a new adventure...

     Yep, I spent another summer applying for the teaching positions that were posted, and not receiving any calls. I don't really take it personally anymore. When you find out that for every position posted, there are hundreds and hundreds (one even had close to 1,000 responses) of applicants, you know that unless the person reviewing potential candidates knows you personally, then you aren't likely to get a call. Who can possibly review that many applications? It does amaze me, however, that people seem surprised when you tell them that yes, you have been applying to jobs, but no, you have not received any invitations to interviews. Yes, there really are THAT many people looking for teaching positions in this area.
     So yeah, the first day of school was a tough one for me, as it always is. I did get to see my God-daughter off to the bus, as is tradition. She is in first grade, and her sister is in third, so it was fun to see the other God-parent and our friends. Certainly took a little of the ache away.
     My plan this year is to continue to substitute in the district that I always have been associated with, and then to pursue a Reading Endorsement... essentially, this means I could be a Reading Specialist, working with kids who struggle to read, a Reading Coach, working alongside teachers to create better reading programs within their classrooms, or become a really awesome reading teacher within my own classroom. I chose this endorsement because I have always loved reading... immersing myself into books and places and allowing my imagination to come alive. And I was a natural reader... I learned to read early and easily, and I was encouraged by my parents to continue. So with that as my own background, I find that I struggle to understand the "how" of reading, as it came so naturally to me. There is a program called Read Oregon that allows me to take the courses online, from many of the state universities. After being registered as a non-registered student (yeah, read that again...) at 4 universities, I start my classes in a week.
     I also thought maybe I would try something different, and volunteer at my God-daughter's  afterschool program, holding a "Homework Club", a place where kids could come and do their homework, have a teacher available answer questions, explain how to solve that math problem, or just give them the quiet space to work.  So many students these days don't have parents at home when they come home from school, or who are able to help their kids with homework. I contacted the principal, and through the grapevine, I found out they were also looking for an afterschool art teacher for the K-2 ages. I thought, "I could do that!", and added it to my list. I met with the principal and the AmeriCorps volunteer (who is my boss), and the principal told me that as a paid employee, I would be much higher on the potential list for new hires when teaching positions were available. And he told me that as a paid employee, I would be better regarded than a volunteer. Finally, a principal who is honest and knows how things really work!  So, they decided to take me on as a paid employee Art Teacher for their afterschool program, and then I volunteered to do the Homework Club. I start next week.
     I am putting together art projects at home, so that I have examples to show the students. My goal is take pictures and post them here...

See you next week!