Zine Update

Oh, the week just got better as it went.  Well, Photo II and III did.  By the end of the week, the P2 class was humming.  Groups were plugging away at their zines:  Masters were drawn, photo shoots done, article ideas discussed, and titles made.  I loved it.  It took a week, but I actually feel success with this.  And the best part - in my mind - is that no one wants to do the layout in Publisher.  They all are opting for traditional cut and paste.  It might seem like such a little thing, but knowing the roots of a method is important.   Like why I value stone lithography even though plate litho is so much easier.  They both have their place.  P3 was doing a beautiful job with a new inkjet transfer project.  I like the experimenting going on.

Foundations...  Well, they think it is the end of the year.  They did not want to listen to me at all on Friday, so I yelled a bit and said they were on their own.  If they needed help, they had to help each other.  If they did not need to listen to me teach, they didn't need my help.  I had to help out the girl who missed three days due to sickness anyway.  Well, what do you know... They helped each other all period.  They worked quietly.  They got things done.  They showed that they have been listening.  But damn, I wish they were more quiet.  At then end of the period I told them I want the same effort next week.

I have way too many relatives and friends who think teachers have it easy.  I say, come into my classroom any March week and try to teach and control the kids.  To clarify, we have no days off from President's Day until Easter break.  The kids get on each others' nerves, we get on their nerves, and they get on our nerves.  We love each other, but we need our space....

Oh, and still trying to increase my abilities to speak French.  Otherwise, hubby and I will not have much to say when I see my cousins.  Ha ha....  No stress at all.

Zines!!!!

I went to a workshop last year.  It was on zine making for your art students.  I was so excited.  I have tried to give a zine making assignment before - when I taught yearbook.  That crowd did not get it at all.  So I decided to try it again with the Photo II classes.  I started the assignment on Thursday.  Most of the kids had that deer in the headlights look.  I played a video that I found that I thought would appeal to them - not dry at all.  One fabulous student was even bopping his foot in time with the music!  He was the only one who got it right away.

Trying to get a group of people who only know mass produced items for ready consumption is hard.  I want them to understand that there is a whole culture that is more self-sustaining, exploratory, interested in things that matter (like local matters, unknown cultures, relevant issues, etc.).  After the end of the periods on Thursday, there were mostly blank looks.  Each day I have brought out my small sample of zines from home.  I let them look, peruse, question.  I liken this to mom and pop stores versus big box stores. They can grasp that because quite a few have family that run or work for small businesses.

We have spent the last couple days mostly sitting and talking.  It might look like nothing when someone walks by, there there was a lot going on.

And so, finally, at the end of seventh period yesterday, I could confidently say that they get it.  Phew...  Trying to get my kids to know and understand about something previously unheard of and not related to their own pop culture is tough.    So far, I am surviving.

Millie pros

Millie has been wonderful with a friend who just met her.  Normally she runs and hides from anyone she doesn't really know.    But with this friend, she hung around in the living room the whole time.  Behind the chair much of it, but with us never the less.

Millie also does not bark and start a dog chorus in my neighbourhood....  like the dozens of dogs around here.

And though her poop stinks, she does her best to hide it and once I scoop it, stink is gone...

I have had some stress at work.  We ran out of clay when my kids had just started the second coil project of the 3D third marking period.  I had to have them scrap the work and had to quickly whip up another project idea.  I usually do tunnel books, but I changed it a bit.  I now have them doing a pop up construction based on a fairy tale.  They hated it at first, but they seem to like it now.  I did a few demos, left my work out, and told them to try it on their own.  I refused to help them as much as usual.  I want them working more independently.  They were able to figure out the problems themselves and were quite proud.  They actually seem to be liking this substitute project.  Phew.

Photo III wants to keep printing the large format negatives and two of them re-shot.  So...  I changed the lesson plan and am adding another week.  The negatives are great... The prints need a bit more vibrance, greater range of value.  However I am still proud of them.

This week I introduce a new project to Photo II:  Community Zine.  I am using ideas from the workshop I went to last year (and paid for out of my pocket).  I have been reading zines for so long and no high school kid I have ever taught really knows what they are.  Ugh....  Time to introduce some independent counter culture publishing to them!

Time off

So am I an old lady if I can't play the student/faculty volleyball game due to bursitis in my hip acting up and possible carpal tunnel in my left wrist?  If so, then yes, this gal is old.

However, I was also supposed to have a town political meeting.  Luckily that was moved to the 13th.  I was able to have my friend over.  She has never been to the house, met Millie, or even met Dave.  Millie loved her, in her Millie way.  Meaning, she stayed downstairs the whole time with us.  Sure, she might have been behind the chair, but SHE WAS THERE...

And my friend brought her gifts.  Millie is hooked.  Then we went for coffee.  I saw a former high up person from town volunteering walk past the Dunkin' Donuts and turned so he didn't see me.  The politics in town can be complex at times, and now is one of those times....  Just wait until the meeting next week.

Two former students visited this week.  I loved it!  I hadn't seen one for a couple of years.  He is doing well.  I wish I had enough time to keep up with and visit with all of them....  We could talk for hours.

Getting excited for the trip to Paris.  I am doing meh with the French lessons.  Mother is letting relatives know so we can figure out when to visit.  And...  I hope to take a workshop there.  It is a stenciling workshop.  I will figure out how to apply it to work at a later date...