Catching up on the year...

I know I said I would track my day's goings-on. However, I have been too busy to do that. So I will try to sum it up. The hour-by-hour information will come some other time.

Here goes:

• arrive shortly after 6.00 am. Disappointed to be beaten to work by a student from period 5. But I know he will always beat me because of the time his father has to drop him off.
  
• sign in in the main office and pick up mail. Looks like a senior packet came in for the yearbook. They are due this week and I hope they do not all come in on Friday, because I will not leave the building unless all money has been prepared and logged ready for deposit.
• set up the darkroom and mix new chemistry.
• complete progress reports.
• check work e-mail.
• call physical therapist (not long distance) to let them know that insurance won't allow any more visits but will continue the exercises at home; still have pain in my right knee.
• sift through recycling because the students have been throwing the garbage in it. Find a rechargeable battery.
  
• student drops off her books so she doesn't have to carry them around before class period 1.
  
• co-worker comes in; we don't get much time to talk usually, so I show her my photos from this summer's trip to England; discuss differences between US and England & Ireland regarding history, architecture, and behaviour of the residents.
• students begin arriving.
• realize that the GSA meeting on Wednesday should be rescheduled for Thursday so both advisors can be there.
  
• Period 1 begins at 8.04. Take attendance and make sure all students are wearing id's. One kid is out. Lecture the class on the importance of keeping their filter sets in order. At least half the students present - today 17 - have questions. Some still don't understand how to read the meter, two took the night shots and got nothing. One exposed his film in light, one underexposed when shooting. Sign out cameras and mark film usage for all those needing to shoot again. Assist those developing their film. Cut photo paper when test strips run out. Remind class that tomorrow is 30 minutes longer due to testing. Hooray! More time in the darkroom.
  
• Period 2 - same questions but this class has only one girl out and that makes 19 students today. This class has a different dynamic than period 1. This class is quieter and has a different work ethic. They are more type A personalities, whereas period 1 are more type B. Finish washing film for those running out of time from period 1 and write passes for their period 2. Remind this class that period 2 will be shorter tomorrow. Sadness all around. Need to deal with two students assigned to the same printing station who are no longer friends. 20 students, 12 stations. Ooof.
• Period 3 - make sure I am all packed and walk quickly up three floors and across the building. I have a nasty cough right now and normally have trouble making it because of my exercise induced asthma. I take it slower today. See principal and ask if I can meet with him regarding yearbook finances Thursday morning at 7.00 am. 1/3 of the class is out for college conferences. There is only one other senior packet. So I show the remainder how to use the scanner we have and how to upload. I also answer questions about how they can upload images from home to the yearbook website. Business editors are out so I log in the payments and prepare the deposit.
  
• Period 4 - lunch in the art office. Eat and talk about elections, getting the kids all to make sure they are registered, and discussion of yearbook finances with the senior class advisor extraordinaire! Bathroom break! Many times I forget. I head over to do that but get sidetracked to talk to people about school business.
  
• Period 5 - Photo 2. Less kids but more work. Rather than having the whole class doing the same thing, they have their choice of medium. This means there can be three or four different things happening at the same time. Lost of questions, but so much fun seeing the fantastic things they are doing. They are so talented! Remind a couple of them about college deadlines.
  
• Period 6 - Study Hall/20 minute lunch. Three floors up. Trudge up there...Some kids in for study hall, some in because they are excused form PE, some in because they have been in trouble. This is my third time in 7 years doing this. The duties are supposed to be rotated but...This is my least favourite duty. They kids in 20 minute lunch are mad they they are being punished and take it out on you, the kids in PE don't want to do the work, and the study hall kids, well, some are good, some just want to fool around. Happy when it is over.
• Period 7 - Photo 2. See period 5. Lovely work from the kids.
  
• Period 8 - Prep. Bathroom break. Drop off yearbook deposit. Check mail. Answer secretaries' questions about senior re-takes. Catch up with an art department person I rarely see. Respond to parental e-mails. Submit the remainder of the progress reports. E-mail photo company about senior re-takes. E-mail supervisor about GSA's Ally Week. Clean up darkroom.
• Student stays after to shoot. Can't shoot his subject so he signs the camera out. Talk to class advisor about finances. Leave after 3.00. Say bye to students I see on the way to the car.

Once I get home I check out mail to see if any of it pertains to stuff I can use at work. I have the art school stuff mailed to my house because I wasn't getting it at work. Check work e-mail. Once I make dinner, I will check my work e-mail again in case any students e-mailed me with questions.

Whew! Busy enough? But it is so much fun. Except for the yearbook and study hall, I love my job. When I am in the classroom with my photography students, I am in heaven. Even when things are not going smoothly in the classroom, I love it.