Random Tid Bits

1. The kid that Isaak was having trouble with at school is giving other kids grief now. I'm glad it's not just our little boy. 


2. We went to the school district's main building to check out middle schools. This is the 2nd year we've checked them out. We really like one school, but it's in a crappy part of town. Mica would be bussed too. Some middle schools are going though growing pains. They made 6th grade a part of many middle schools last year, but there was no transition/training for the teachers. I kind of want to pick a middle school for Mica that already had 6th grade in the school prior to last year. I never knew that picking out middle schools would be such a pain.
   
   The school district I went to had 1 middle school and 1 high school. There were no decisions to make.





I wanted to get a photo of the whole pencil, but there were girls climbing on the other side.

3. Travis chopped his hair (see the photo above). It cracks me up because he has a white spot in the front. It looks like he's bald there. Ha! My hair is very grey, but it's grey all over - evenly. I tell the kids that I have frosted highlights.


4. Isaak's been Mr. Forgetful. He forgot his homework a few weeks ago. He left it at school. Yesterday he left his jacket on the bench at recess. It was nowhere to be found. He's so hard on himself about forgetting things that I don't make a big deal out of it. I did tell him that if he takes his coat off be needs to run it in to put in his locker. My kids have never lost anything at school. In my mind that's a pretty good track record. 


5. My students just did fliers for nonprofit organizations. I was really impressed with all of them except for 3. Their job is to bring awareness to the nonprofit, and to get people to donate to it. In the 3 I didn't understand what the nonprofit was about, so they didn't do their job. 

The Last Stretch

The last few weeks of class is always just as hard as the first few weeks. It's stressful with the students that are near the bottom of the class. Trying to catch up students that have struggled the whole time, or who saved most things to the last minute is a drag. 
 
I just like things to run fairly smooth. Last week, and the week before all major projects were due. 

I have one student in my first year class that is bright and gifted. He hardly shows up to class, and shifts most assignments to be what he wants them to be. Guidelines go out the window. His ego is too strong. That happens a lot with artists. Some artists know they are good, and refuse to conform to what's needed to really get the job done. I hate that an A quality student is getting D's from me. It is what it is.

I have another student in first year that begged me for extra credit last week. I had some that I had already given out. I reminded him of that extra credit. Then I said, "Really what would help the most for your grade is getting your main projects in." 40 points extra for going to an art movie is nothing compared to the 100 points for getting this illustration in, and another 100 points for getting that illustration in. 
 
I have a third year student that spins his wheels. I really think that he's working, but he hardly gets things turned in. Then when things get time sensitive he wants to turn in things that are half done to receive some credit. Well that works in some cases I suppose. With a website I kind of need it working to grade it. Especially at that level. He was pissed at me. I could see the fire behind his eyes when I said that I wouldn't grade his website that is 2 weeks late, and is 1/2 done. He was mad that our web guy wasn't here to help him. I reminded him that it was supposed to be done 2 weeks ago. He's still not passing.

At college level I'm not for the No Child Left Behind policy. If they don't do the work that everyone else is getting done, then that's on them. I try. Trust me I try to get them caught up. I printed out every critique sheet, every handout, and every grade slip they were missing to give to them at the beginning of the week. I think they want a passing grade just handed to them. That's not how I roll. You kind of need to work for a degree. 
 
I've been unpopular the last few weeks with a select group of students. I'm ok with that. I'm not going to lie, it's stressful being unpopular. 
 
I had one instructor say to me, "Would you rather teach them during the summer?" Quite franky the answer is, "Not really for my sake, but if they deserve it then yes for their sake." No one wants to keep negativity around them. My job as a college instructor is to make sure they can get a job when they are done with college. If they can't get my assignments done, then they shouldn't be passing my class.
 
How do you feel about about the No Child Left Behind policy? Obviously I teach college level, but that mentality from those younger grades move on up to upper levels of education.

Random Tid Bits

1. Part of me thinks everyone should work retail at some point in their life. Even if it's just a summer job. 

You may be wondering why I'm saying this?

I learned how to deal with people more when I worked at ShopKo behind a jewelery counter for a summer, than I have as a teacher. I'm talking about how to deal with rude people. As a teacher I have some rude students, but it's nothing compared to working retail. When I have rude students I think I deal with them in way as if to turn that negative energy into a positive.

We have a few people that work right inside the front door at my work. I walk in and say, "Hi!" :) or "Good morning!" :) All I get back is silence. I know their desks just happen to be there, but if they worked retail in the past they'd know that it's nice and important to say, "Hi!" to anyone that walks in the door. At first I thought I did something to piss them off. Other people have experienced the same thing. I know it's not me. I'm the type that says, "Hi!" when I see someone. I say, "Bless you!" when someone sneezes. I walk in the door at home and say, "How was your day?" Life is too short just to be grumpy. I find it awkward when people are silent. How do you feel about this? Part of me wonders if I over analyze things though. 


2. I have to say that I'm ready for the semester to be over. I have one student that is very demanding. She doesn't make decisions on her own. It's 50 questions kind of a day. Yes my job is to teach her. It's just that I start to feel like she's taking up other student's time. I have politely said, "Can you go back to your desk; just while I answer this next student's question." I'm not alone in feeling this way. So far I've been VERY patient. I feel like I should answer any question a student has. Students pay a lot to go here. I should be helpful.

One other teacher was in the classroom last week, and got super irritated by this same student. He snapped. Rule number 1 in teaching: Don't snap. If you need to discuss something important with a student call them into a different room to discuss how you feel with them! It was so awkward after that moment in time.


3. I have another student I discussed absences with. Her's are high. That's compromising her work. She said, "I think I should be given a break. I don't have a car, and can't get here on time, all the time."

Rule number 2 in teaching: Don't laugh when a student is serious. I didn't laugh, but I wanted to. I felt like saying, "Be ready early. I'll pick you up at 7:30 AM. That's right before I come to work." I didn't say that of course. Instead I said, "Maybe you need to talk to the Director about this." Somehow what's a student's problem becomes my problem.


4. Rule number 3 in teaching: No surprises. I work at a small school. We have the ability to print off their grades. This time of year I print off grades at the beginning of class day, and at the end of the class day. I don't want them to have any surprises on their grade when the class is officially over. I remember being in school, and really not knowing how good, or bad I was doing. 


5. I love teaching, but I have to say that I'm happy to have some time without them. I still have to be here over the summer. I teach summer school, and get prepared for the fall. There comes a time when students and teachers want a chapter to be over with. That time has come.

Campus Book Rentals

Every year I have the lucky job of making the student's art supply list. A lot goes into making that list. Beyond that the student's have a book list. Many students get their books new.

It's hard to have a book sell back program at a small art school. As much as we would love to start getting digital books, the students do not have laptops first semester. Even when they get their MacBooks, publishing companies for ebooks are not consistent. Some rent out e-books, while others sell them to keep. Many online books have no page numbers on the book, so it's hard to tell the students to read certain pages. There are just too many problems going that route.

This is why I love the idea of Campus Book Rentals and Rent Back.

Some Perks About Campus Book Rentals:

1. They have a huge selection of books. 
2. They have live help. To me this is such a perk. It's difficult going to a site, having questions, and not having someone there that can help.
3. There is no fee to sign up.
4. They have a 1-800 number. It's very visible.
5. College students spend 40-90% off what they would if they bought the book full price. If the student loves the book they can keep it and just pay the difference. 
6. The book can be highlighted or underlined in with no additional cost to the student.
7. Renting a book is kinder to the environment. Books that you don't want to buy, but need, is then reused by someone else. 
8. The book can be returned in 30 days for any reason. I know instructors change their mind on books. They are flexible on their renting periods.
9. The shipping is free both ways. The company actually gives the student a self addressed envelope for easy returning.
10. For every book rented, they donate money to Operation Smile. A nonprofit organization that helps children that are born with a cleft pallet.  

 

Disclaimer: The opinions on this post are my personal take on the products. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. I am not compensated to provide my opinion except for receiving a basket of fruit, or PayPal funk. If you have questions about this post please contact me at: alissa4illustrationAThotmailDOTcom

College Life

Somehow this week is going way easier than I thought. Our plates are full of things to do. Somehow it's getting done. Then little surprises pop in. Some shake things up, some don't.

Work has been drama city. I had one student drop out early this week. She had a lot going on in her personal life; some of which I knew about, some of which I don't. Here it is close to the end, and she just dropped out. Her mom and her were fighting in the classroom. It wasn't pretty. When the mom left, I hugged the student and said, "When or if you are ready to talk, we can talk." Later she came up and talked to me. I didn't side with her or the mom. I just said, "Listen sometimes moms and daughters need time-outs from one another. She might be mad for awhile. She has a right to be upset. Just like you are upset with yourself, she's having a hard time swallowing things. She'll forgive you. You will move on. Life gets in the way sometimes." She seemed to understand what I was saying. Then she thanked me.

The student that I thought/think he has Aspergers has been great this second part of the semester. He hasn't had any real emotional outbursts. I happened to snap at him this week though. He listens, but not to the things I want him to really take in. I kind of blame him for this. I only blame him because I know he doesn't read his handouts, or take notes. Inside I think he has problems. At the same time I know he needs to learn how to function outside of his first year of college. The teachers in 2nd year don't go over things as much as I do, they don't tolerate excuses what so ever, and school only gets harder with web, 3D animation and video thrown at them. When he walked up to me this week and had his document set up all wrong, I gave him a piece of my mind. I didn't yell at him, curse at him, I was just to the point about how I covered this twice and it's in their handout. I expressed how I expected more. Somehow in the depths of conversation another student slipped that this man boy is going to be a father. I wanted to say, "What? You are not ready for kids!", but I kept my mouth sealed. Sometimes with students it's like having kids of your own; you want to know everything, but you don't. For some odd reason we have a lot of pregnant folks in this school right now.

We have an older student in one of my classes. Most of the students come straight from high school. He's always been a little different. He's in his early 50s. He was going to drop out of school recently. Instead he decided to distance himself from his whole class by sitting somewhere entirely different. It has something to do with one girl in the class. The thing is, is I've been there all year; I've never seen her bother him at all. In fact she's very nice. Everyone is really quiet in that classroom. It's all very odd. As an outsider I see an odd obsession going on there.

Just when I thought things couldn't get more odd, things got better.

I had portfolio reviews a few weeks ago. Many didn't do as well as I would have liked. Their pieces weren't bad. It was just the layout of their images on the page, and the order of their images. I spent a day writing and writing changes. Then I copied them, so I'd have a record. The only real power I have over them is with a grade. I graded their portfolios. Their resumes were horrible. Someone is supposed to go over those before they get to me. I'm sure they did, but didn't make them change things. Programs were spelled wrong. I get it programs are spelled odd (Power Point PowerPoint, Quark X Press QuarkXPress and Indesign InDesign), but if I'm seeing these things, people that would hire them would see these things as well. They had 2 weeks to make them better. If they didn't do anything, then their grade dropped even more. If they fixed up things dramatically their grades got better. Guess what? They all fixed them! :)

I had a student create this on Facebook, and tagged me:

BTW I know it's not a policy at many school to friend your student on Facebook. I don't ask anyone to be friends. I only except if they ask me. It's a private, college school. I'm very careful about what I say on there. Really I only talk about my kids, or he news. Then I don't get into trouble. I don't hang out with them outside of school.

I know it's silly, but my student making this made my day. It made all the odd things go away. The girl that made it is a great student. Just like anything, there is way more good than bad with things. I have a lot of wonderful experiences in my job!

Midterms

I've been wanting to post lately, but I've been so busy. Last week I took nearly 1/2 a day off to go on a pizza tour with Isaak's preschool class. This week is midterms at where I teach. I have a stack of illustrations to grade, another stack of papers to grade, and exams to finish writing.

Two things annoy me about midterms and finals time: 1) The Education Director keeps wanting to add points into the exam. I know it's college, but I have them for computer art classes. To me their work is what matters; their tests should be a side note. Here I am adding questions to their exams. 2) I get students that tell me they have appointments every year on Friday. That's the day I have my class. They want to take the test early. When one student does that, others want to follow. Of course I'm a bit*# if I don't say, "Yes." For some reason it's only 1st year that asks to take an exam before it's time. I hate giving exams out early because there's a possibility that they can talk about the exam to others in the classroom. At least this semester they have computers; that means I can give them a test on a program that randomizes the questions, and I don't have to hand grade a stack bigger than a phone book!

I have a student this semester that keeps crying on me. It's nothing I have personally done. I really truly think something is wrong with him. He's a bright 19 year old. He gets really emotional when students are loud around him. Noise isn't a problem when I have class on Tuesday; it is a problem on Friday. Everyone is rearing to go on Friday. They so want the week to be over with. I've watched the student in concern nearly blow up because he was trying to concentrate, while a girl was tapping her pen against the table. I really don't think the girl was meaning to be annoying. She didn't even realize she was bothering anyone. I saw the boy student's face get all red; like he was going to freak out. I quickly tried to ease the situation before it got out of hand. I said, "Whoever is tapping, could you please stop? I'm trying to grade up here." She was apologizing. I knew she didn't mean to annoy anyone. I was just trying to prevent the boy student from having a melt down. Instead of asking the girl himself nicely to stop, he'd blow up. Well many things like that have happened. I notice he taps his own desk when he's aggravated, his face turns red, he cries and he asks really random off topic questions in class. Questions that barely relate to what I'm going over. Nothing is in his chart from his previous history. I just feel for him. Much of me thinks he has Aspergers Syndrome. I'm not a councilor; I'm not even supposed to council the students. Our school is too small to have a councilor. I moved his desk; like he's a little kid. Now he sits in a quieter part of the room. Part of me has sympathy for him; another part of me wants to be real, and treat him like anyone else. He'll be in the work force in a few years. If I hold his hand, am I doing him any favors? Uggg!

He's not the only student with issues this semester. I could go on. I have an adult student that is one of the more needy ones in the class. He wants an A on everything, but doesn't want to spend the time to get an A. I have a student who's boyfriend cheated on her with her best friend; then held a knife up to her. Another student who's house burnt down to the ground. Seriously there were just ashes left. :( At lease his whole family is ok. It's been a rough year.

School Starts For Me Next Week

I may be a little, or a lot busy next week. School starts. I'm a college art instructor for those that don't know. What I'm hoping for: I hope students get financial aid that need it, and students get our art supply package. Those two things are the biggest needs. After those two things fall in place, then everything else will work out.

I'm confident that anyone who is not good with hands on art, can and will be taught. Sure they may not get A's, but if they try, they will learn. It's amazing to see some of the students really grow. A lot of them do.

Financial aid is getting harder to get these days. Too many people in the past were not good about paying off their loans. They've really tightened up on who gets access to loans. Many wait to the last minute. If their parent's credit is bad, they are denied loans until they get a different co-signer.

Every year I run into a handful of students that have no supplies, and can't afford to get supplies. In my opinion it's pretty important to have means to get these things to do the projects. I try and help when I can. I have a stash of supplies people have left behind to lend to people who come with nothing. I don't just hand this stuff over for good. I might run into another student that needs help at a later date. I can't imagine going to school and not being prepared for it. I have mixed feelings about lending stuff out. Does it show favoritism? Is it just me being a do gooder to people that really need it? The only reason I bring this up is because we've been talked to time and time again about not showing favoritism. It can be such a sticky subject in a teaching atmosphere.

Mica starts first grade in the middle of August. Isaak starts preschool at the beginning of September. I'm taking both boys to get school supplies this weekend. Isaak barely needs anything, but I'll let him pick somethings out. I want him to feel excited about school as well.

Drama in the Classroom

You wouldn't believe the drama I've dealt with last week! It's really silly that college students just can't be respectful of each other! I'd say the majority of the time I love my students! I really have little problems with them. Then there's one time a year that I just want to pull my hair out. That's this time. HA!

A group of girls got along with each other. Then there was conflict. One girl doesn't drink or party, and she got thrown out of the group. Good for her! I think. Well things got worse. Much more drama took place. Once I brought it up to a higher up, they were called in to be talked to. Then they were friends once again.

We had a drug issue with another situation. Nothing could be done because it was an issue outside the school.

There was also a harassment issue. The one(s) that harass rarely think they are in the wrong. Then the one that was harassed feels guilty, like they did something to bring it on.

There were a few more situations. Craziness!

It's Been a Bad Day

I don't mean to get you down, but it's been a bad day at the Apel household. Nothing major happened, and everyone is ok.


My Day:

• I had class today. It was for my senior college art students. It's finals week. 
• There is about 5 students that have low grade point averages. They can not pass if they don't pull their grades up. Some of those students said, "How can I get a B?" They were sitting at a C. It's really impossible to bring a grade up that much on the last day! 
• I was pretty annoyed that they were taking their problem and trying to make it mine! I'm not going to just hand over grades. In fact I'd rather not know that they need a certain grade to pass because I don't want it to reflect my true judgement of what I'd give them. Especially this late in the game. 
• I've noticed this kind of a trend with some of my students. They want things handed to them. I wonder if Bush's No Child Left Behind Act has anything to do with it, if it's just because I'm getting older and they're getting younger, if it's just the Millennial generation thing, or a combination of all the above?
• I want to note that I have way more good students then bad! It's just that the bad apples are the ones that stand out.

Daddy's Day:

• Daddy calls 10 minutes before my class is about to start, at lunch time. He was all flustered! 
• Mica's preschool class went to one of the kid's house to have a picnic lunch and fun. All good, except they had the address wrong to this kid's house on the school letter. This is where Daddy had to pick up Mica! 
• Here's Daddy in the car with Isaak and Elijah {3 year old's} and no correct address to pick up our 5 year old! They had no cell number on the sheet. Panic set in that he couldn't find or pick up Mica!
• Daddy went back to the church. The parking lot was jam packed. Once he hauled out the two 3 year old's, the church secretary couldn't find where this kid lives. Daddy left his cell phone number with her. He proceeded to drive around looking for our kid. 
• He was pissed, and rightfully so. I would have been too! 
• Then the church calls him to give him the right address. 
• He gets there. Everyone's having a grand time. Don't you HATE when everyone is having a grand time, and you are the only one NOT! I do!
• He talked to the teachers right off the bat. He told them, "This can not happen!"pointing to the wrong address the whole time! He tried talking to them calm, but if anyone knows my husband that's hard for him. They crumpled up the paper.  As if to cover up their mistake.
• We like the preschool. Mica's learned a lot there. But every once in awhile they get dates wrong. Like they on a whim moved Grandparents Day after I had already told my parents and grandparents when it was. If they worked full time, and asked for it off that would have really sucked. Things like this we don't like! It's not a big deal to some people. Daddy and I like things planed. We really hate when our plans get messed up! That's just how we both are.  
• He didn't want to get too pissed because Isaak is going there next year. But...GEE WIZZ it's Mica's safety that he was thinking about!
• No one else had the problem because everyone else knew where this kid lives. I guess we're out of the preschool loop. Then Daddy was so mad and distracted; he left Mica's backpack and jacket behind.
• Daddy got called into work tonight. We have our in-laws coming into town and all kinds of stuff needs to get done. We can't do much of anything tomorrow night because of Mica's preschool graduation shindig. 

Anyway we both want to scream! Mommy and Daddy both need a timeout. Double, triple our timeout and we'd be perfectly fine with that! 

Finding a light in the situation- Isn't it funny that kid's hate timeouts and we'd love one? Kid's sometimes hate going down for a nap and we hardly ever get the chance, but when we do it's nice! It's like their punishment is our blessing.

The School I Work For Got a New Website

• I work for a college art school called the Creative Center.
• They got a new website that one of my graduate students worked on. 

These are all the things the intro Flash page does:

1. You can make paint squirt
2. The pencil draws
3. The computer desktop changes what's up on the computer
4. The Red Bull spills
5. Chips get eaten
6. A lizard sticks out his tongue to catch a fly 
7. The Viewbook flips
8. The folder spills out documents
9. The phone vibrates
10. The keys beep
11. The paint mixes on the palette
12. Loose change clings 
13. Red pen circles careers in the newspaper

It's pretty fun. Check it out here.
Of course if you click on any of the words it takes you into the site.