Let down...

So Monday, the 6th was the first due date for my AP kids.  Every two weeks they are to e-mail me with progress reports.  They are to shoot film and digital - rolls and cameras were signed out the last day of school.  They can show me some of the digital images if they want to.  They cannot develop the film since none of them have the means to.  I do not go to the school over the summer because it is too disruptive (massive work is done in the building each summer) so they will develop all their film in September.  Lest anyone think I just casually told them "Go shoot this summer, blah, blah, blah", here is the assignment each one received:

http://pvmvasa.pbworks.com/w/page/29829893/Assignments%20III

Sure, someone probably lost the sheets. Sure, someone probably forgot.  But, cripes, it is three days later and nothing.  I know when I forgot I had work due, I sh*t my pants and got it done, and that was never past the due date, but the night before.  I don't expect any less from the kids than I expect from myself.  I will be lenient with the grade for this first one.... However, not the next progress report.  Hell, I am shooting, developing, editing.  Modeling behaviours for my kids.



OK, that felt good to get off my chest.  I am calmer now, but still bummed.  I will be sending them little, gentle reminders.  I can picture my little doofus from period 7 right now.  "Oh sh*t.  I forgot!"  They are all good, conscientious kids.  However, the work ethic where I teach is not what will earn them A's in college.  Or get them to have their work exhibited.  I want them to get beyond snapshot images.  I want them to express something meaningful.  A couple of them have some profound stuff going on.  I want to see that in their work.

I know tackling AP will not be easy.  I feel like I can do it having been in a couple of AP courses in high school (including the first year run of AP Art) so I really want to get this off right.  I remember in Rome, when I was talking to some of the kids about concentration ideas for one of the AP 3D kids.  The conversation was so invigorating.  But his follow through that following year was not there.  This is one of the main challenges I know I will have.  If I can get my kids to have a regular dialogue with me over the summer, I will not have to jump start them in September.

Well, now to hunt down their e-mail addresses....