Random Tid Bits

If you've been reading my blog for a long time now you may possibly remember me bitching complaining about my students a few years ago. Last year I had wonderful students, this year I have great students in first year for the most part, but I have the students back that I complained about before. Yep the ones I complained about were in first year when I struggled with them, I don't teach in second year, but I have them back in third year.

1. Girl that's uber talented hasn't shown up for 3 and 1/2 classes. We're into week 7. That means she's missed 1/2 of my classes. We have class 1 day a week. I can't even find her to talk to her. 


2. Boy that's uber talented I did talk to. Me, "Where's your work? You did great on your logos, but I haven't seen any of the campaign since week 2." Boy, "I have to admit I've just been slacking. That's all I've got." 


3. I also talked to the boy that sleeps in lecture, and in lab. Me, "Get up to walk around, exercise before class, eat right, get something to drink, or do whatever you need to do to stay awake." Boy, "Ok." So now he's taken what I've said to the max. He leaves to walk around, and is hardly in lecture. I found out that he closes his Mom's restaurant. That's great, but it's not helping his grades. He has literally fell asleep under his desk, and I could hear him snoring in class. I asked him to leave. 


4. Mr. Negative boy I haven't talked to. I'm worried I'll push him away, and won't get him back. Students like him I could use advice on. He brings not only himself down, but others as well. He is talented. He misses most mornings, and I see him in the afternoons. I said all chipper like, "Good morning!" to him when he comes in. He complains about other teachers, and probably complains about me when I'm not around. I've also hear him complain about tuition - it's as if he's bitter about it, but let's be honest the school was up front about costs every year he's come in. He got his Associate's Degree, but came back for his Bachelor's Degree. If tuition bothers him so much, why did he come back? More importantly, Why wouldn't he make the most out of his day? I'm a firm believer that if you're going to complain, you need to be making the most out of things before the complaining starts. That would be like me complaining about one of my son's swimming lessons, but only showing up for half of them. Would I be justified in my complaints? I don't think I would be. Maybe I need to talk to him in private, in a black and white way. I just fear that he'll take my conversation wrong, and will be all the more negative. I just can't take the negativity. Our school is small. Negativity feeds negativity. 


5. Lastly is a student in first year. Oh he's talented. He works S.L.O.W. I talked with him last Friday. He barely looked me in my eyes. Here were my tips:

• Paint like a 72 dpi image, and build up to a 300 dpi image. Basically paint like crap just blocking the image in, and bring the control back in the end of the piece by painting good. 

• Look up YouTube videos on graffiti artists. Watch how they start by blocking things out. Then he can work in his own style after he's blocked things out.

• Stand up to work. Sitting down is way too detailed.

What's random in your week?