I have relinquished all of my classes to my student teacher.  I have read that some teachers have a hard time doing this.  I have had about five or six students teachers in my career and have never felt apprehension in handing my classes over.  I might worry about how the students will adapt to and treat the student teacher.  The art classroom can be a protective place, a place that fosters a family atmosphere.  That can cause the students to build a fortress around the group and refuse to let others in.  Luckily, my last two student teachers have gained the trust and respect of the classes and there was/is no fortress.   The woman I have right now is the best so far.  She took to the students right away and they took to her.  They can tell she respects them and has expertise and knowledge to offer.  The only problem is trying to make myself invisible to the kids.  They still come to me for help if she is busy.  I wish I was team teaching with her!  We bounce ideas off each other.  She has an art aesthetic that is true art, not crafty crap.  In some ways, it is like I have an equal colleague, not a student teacher.  Wow, would it be easier having a photo teacher to co-teach with or have an assistant.  But I fall behind, observe, and try not to be intrusive or possessive.  I want her to let me know if I am not relinquishing enough control.

Having said all this, the day she was out for the AENJ conference was back to normal.  And normal is not really "normal" in my class.  I was running around like a madwoman.  One girl marvelled at how much I have to be EVERYWHERE when dealing with the students.  It's just such a part of the way I teach and the way the class goes, that it just doesn't faze me.

Yet, my student teacher and I were talking recently.  She had just taken over and was re-evaluating how she did that day.  She pointed out what it took to be aware of what every single student was doing at each and every moment.  When a student requests help, you need to know exactly what point that student is at in the printing process.  You must be able to understand the question, evaluate the situation, and give the answer immediately.  If not, you lose the student.  Or more questions pile up.  You cannot have a line of students waiting, waiting, waiting.  Part of it is the short amount of time immersed in the work each period.  Part of it is the time sensitivity of the medium.  Part of it is the short attention span of the age group.  As a photo teacher, you are always on.  There is no slowing down.

That's the way I like it.  I hate being bored.  I hate having nothing to do.  That was one of the things I did not like when I worked in publishing.  Too much down time.  However, I am tired.  I wear myself out.  I am involved in three groups/committees in my locality.  I had to skip the monthly meeting this week for one of them.  I feel guilty, but I just could not do it.  There is work I can do from home, but that still doesn't make up for my absence.  I have another group's monthly meeting next week.  Then, that weekend, another group's meeting.  Then we have some actions we are supposed to take part in.  I just cannot do all of what I want to do.

I could just switch to straight, black espresso.  That would take care of the exhaustion.  But what I really is need more hours in the day.  At least I have not started to hear kids calling my name as I try to fall asleep at night.  Not yet.