Week One

Remember the kid that walked out the first day?  He was great the next day.  Now that we are getting to work it he's actually working.  I even emailed the principal with the little bit of happy news.

This week we started with some basics.  Elements of Art.  Line.  Thought I could cover a few of the elements a day, but changed to covering one a day.  I had a cross-curricular/connect to previous knowledge moment when I asked students about where they had heard the term element before.  "Science!" they shouted.  So if in science elements are "stuff you use together to make more stuff"then it was easier for them to understand that in art, the elements are "stuff you use together to make more stuff."  We also played with pipe cleaners to illustrate the different kinds of lines we can make.

As the week went on I realized something amazing.  My students seemed happy.  They were working. They were learning. I was beginning to see opportunities.  I even did a little bit of playing stupid.  When I got a new student that wasn't doing anything yet, I'd say, "Oh I'm sorry, I forgot to get you some paper.  Let me go get you some."  They would look at me confused and when I got back didn't know what else to do other than get to work.  Also the my hall pass rule has worked surprisingly well.  Want to go to the restroom?  Leave me your cell phone or your shoe.  My students are usually gone for 2 minutes, 5 tops instead of wandering around the school.  They also know if they leave early or even without permission that they lose whatever points they've earned for the day and get -5 instead.  I've had much fewer problems, especially at the end of the day, with kids taking off.  It's the first week of school and my kids are working AND learning.

After we learned about Line, Shape, and Color we had a Pictionary competition on Friday.  Most of them had never played before!  Not only did they enjoy it and use what they had learned, but they got to practice inferring by observing the drawings and then trying to interpret what they were.  You're welcome central administration.  

I think what I gained the most this first week was feeling confident in being myself with these kids.  I laugh a lot.  I joke with them.  I don't get in their face.  I don't give them a reason to feel they need to rebel or prove themselves in a negative way.  I greet new students with a huge smile and learn their names as fast as I can.  I tell them I want them in my class.  They are amazing, though many don't see that in them.  I have been having more fun with what I'm doing.  I try to keep my classroom feeling safe and welcoming while showing my students that as they meet expectations they are the ones making it possible for us to do great things.

This week I felt like a superhero.