Random Tid Bits

1. I decided to get a bunch of design things done, that I wanted to get done. Now my scratch disk is full. I've even deleted a bunch of other things off.
   


2. All my students have been good through all this COVID-19 stuff, except for 2. I have had others not participate much. That's to be expected. I'm talking attitude.
   
   I had one tell me I wasn't a good person because I didn't grade her boyfriend's stuff. I missed his attachment entirely. I counted...that day I had 42 emails from the students. I apologized to him. Explained I'm human, and that it would help if he worked in the order of the assignment. Then I emailed the girlfriend telling her that I'm human, and it's not really her business. If he has a problem, he should contact me.
   
   I had another student that's having web issues. She keeps giving me her old file. Somehow that's my problem, not hers. She's had issues all through school. When the Director told me that she's had issues with the online learning, I think she just has issues in general.
   
3.  It snowed 6 inches last week. Now it's in the 60s. Hello Nebraska! What's the weather like where you live?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. I've messed with our weatherman some more. I really like him, so it's all for fun. He was talking about it being cloudy. I asked, "Is it cloudy with the chance of meatballs?" That was a few weeks ago.
   
   This week he kept saying his favorite word, "Spectacular". I told him the boys were outside digging in the "Spectacular" dirt. He reads the comments out loud, and often chuckles with mine. 
   
   

   

   
   
5. Isaak has a group chat with 3 or 4 girls. It makes him happy. Mica cracks up over it. Says he has too much drama in his life. 

Random Tid Bits

1. I think it's odd that there's "Stationery" like a mailing package, and "Stationary" like someone is holding still. I noticed it's used wrong on graphic design websites all the time.
   
   There's 2 acceptable ways to spell, "Doughnut" and "Donut".
   
   "Wind" like your hair is blowing in the wind, and "Wind" like you wind your clock is the same spelling. The English language is so confusing. 


2. I'm pretty sure Isaak doesn't believe in the Easter Bunny. He's playing his card well. I asked the boys, "So do you guys want to visit the Easter Bunny in a store?" Of course they didn't want to because they are too old. A Reese's Pieces carrot shaped bag fell down onto the ground downstairs. Isaak said, "This fell." I said, "That's too bad!" He said, "We'll have to leave it out for the Easter Bunny." At this point I'm about to tell him, "Isaak that bunny isn't real." I'm ready for, "I know Mom." 




3. Mica thinks the Easter Bunny is like Santa. He starts to ask for things. I'm like, "The Easter Bunny doesn't work that way!" 


4. The Director came into my office earlier this week to say, "I can't tell you anyone's name, or the situation, but a student thinks you don't like her."
   
   What in the heck am I supposed to do with that? It was one of three students. Two girls leave a lot. I started calling them out on it, to show I noticed. The one girl who I know it is went through a lot of depression the first part of the semester was all sad last Friday and left suddenly, which isn't like her. The last student I mentioned is the one.
   
   She was all happy and laughing last Friday morning. Then in the afternoon she was all down in the dumps. She turned no work in to me in the morning. Then slapped it all down on the table with missing components. I said, "You're missing this..." Then I asked if she was alright? She said, "Ya." and left. I told Travis when I got home from work, "I really don't know what I said. I was all excited because we were talking about Children's Books." He said, "Don't blame yourself if she tries something. It's not your fault." A different girl came up and said, "So did the Director talk to you about (insert name)?" So that's how I know who it is. Drama! Students in this field have to have a thick skin. I have no idea what I said, or how I offended anyone that day. I can't even ask because I'm not supposed to know it's her. 


5. Finally taxes are in. With Travis adding that teaching gig, which is done now, me looking for "freelance jobs", and work we just got behind more than normal. They kind of looked cross-eyed at Travis when he turned them in. So much medical stuff this year! But I told him to tell them, "It's all calculated!" I hate doing taxes! I'm going to hate it even more next year when I can't deduct the kid's camps, medical, and dentist. 

Random Tid Bits

1. Mica looking at the ad below, "Why do they call it Double Quarter Pound King, when they could just call it Half Pound King?" Us, "Good question." 





2. We also discussed during one breakfast this week what an Oxymoron is. Mica said, "It's like freezer burn. Two opposites in one word, or set of words." The Great Depression is another example. Isaak said, "I bet butt cheeks is an example of an Oxymoron." Possibly! Ha! Can you think of an Oxymoron? 


3. Another season of basketball was wrapped up a few weeks ago. Isaak loves it! He's getting more aggressive with getting the ball. That's a good thing in sports. A few of his team members had issues. The coach's son was getting in trouble at school for talking. The coach kept him out for all the games! Then one twin had violent problems. The other twin was great! He took off his shoes, and threw them across the court, yelled at the ref, slammed the door a few times, would slam the floor when the other team had a free throw and more. He too was out the rest of the season. Isaak couldn't believe how the one twin acted. 





4. We may be ending our relationship with the Leadership Camp the boys go to on Saturday nights. We love having some time away from the boys. I loved what the organization stood for: Building Leaders.
   
   • They are getting less consistent with their discipline tactics. Our boys don't need to be disciplined, but they see the lack of consistency with other kids.
   
   • Their turn over rate for workers has been really high lately! Mica got snapped at for touching insulation. Well he didn't know it was full of tiny particles of glass. Cover up the insulation with a blanket! There's tiny kids that go there. Insulation looks like pink cotton candy.
   
   • Our boys are in the minority. The organization is all about equality, yet my boys are always picked last for every game, or event. There is a thing called reverse discrimination. I wanted my boys to get a taste of it, but it not be their every Saturday night!
   
   • When we pick up the boys they have to ask our names every single time. It's not that big of a group.
   
   • I feel like our boys are leaders already in many ways.
   
   We'll see if they can talk us into staying, but as of right now I think we're leaving when it hits the next tier. 


5. Travis started teaching at a Catholic elementary school this week. They needed a sculptor resident teacher a few days a week. I think he now gets how much work there is in being a teacher. He gets paid well. That doesn't account for all the prep work. It really doesn't account for all the help his wife and boys helped him with either! It will be a great experience, something to put on his resume for sure. Good luck to him! It's his first day, and I'm writing this Monday! We cut out many cardboard pieces for Kindergartener's to make a puzzle sculpture (560 to be exact), strips of colored paper for them to add to their sculpture. He cut out lots of wood bases for older kids to make a wire sculpture, with pantyhose on top, and Gesso on top of that. Lots of colored pieces cut for some older kids to make a 3D shape. Teaching is a lot of work. Especially when you first come up with a project! The rest should be easier! They have days to complete their projects. 

Random Tid Bits

1. I love listening to the stories of the Dalai Lama in a CD I won called The Book of Joy. I won it off of Mom's Own Words. He's all about peace, which is what we need right now. I get sick of negativity, people being put down, and being called names: left wing, right wing, and so on. I say it's name calling because those terms are generally used in a negative context. Even our president, and last president I've heard being called names. If one doesn't agree with someone, does it give them the right to call that person a name? I don't think so. We learned that when we were in elementary school. I wish just once that we could see that we all have differences. I wish we could see one another from all sides like Picasso drew. Maybe our differences is all we have in common. That's ok. I wish you all even though we may be different - peace, love, happiness, and understanding in this difficult thing we call life.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Lately I've been swiped - unfriended on facebook by two people. Most normally I wouldn't care. I do care. Why does it bother me? I just wish they'd message me a heads up, so I could understand what I did wrong. After all we're adults. If I said something offensive I could apologize. I have no way of knowing what I said, posted, or did to swipe me from their friend list.
   
   There was one person I unfriended. The reason? She attacked another friend on a thread I posted. I won't stand for attacking others. Especially when they didn't know each other. Typically I'm for free speech. Even if I disagree with you - I won't defriend you. That's just not in my character. 


3. Mica has an interesting way of looking at things at times. Yes sometimes I learn things through my own children. He said, "Mom I just don't understand why kids my age (11) would have a facebook page. It's not legal to have one at my age. You have to lie about your age to have one." He's very matter of fact about everything. On safety patrol if someone is not following the rules they get written up by Mica. It doesn't matter if they are friend or foe. I like that neutral quality about him. He's very by the book.
   
   There are times when his loved trait can be a not so good trait. Everything has a little yin and yang to it. He points out when he thinks something isn't fair. He said, "Mom the leader at camp only gives candy to some kids who win. That isn't fair. They should give it to all the kids in my opinion." I said, "Mica then all the kids in the camp would have nothing to work toward. There would be no goals to achieve. By only giving candy to the winners, others will try harder the next time." I think he got it. Remember he was raised in a society where all the kids get a ribbon no matter if they won something, or not.
   
   If you're a rule breaker, or not a very fair person stay clear of Mica. If you a fair person that follows the rules he'll be your best friend ever!


4. Isaak is sweet and sour. Don't cross him! He won't let you forget it. Be nice to him, and he'll have your back like he has his own back. He's managed to hang on to his friends for all of elementary except 1. That 1 has issues at home, feeds off of negative behavior, so he lost the whole group.


5. There's always one student in every class that seems to want to call the teacher out on their mistakes. I have one in each class right now. I'm far from perfect! I will admit that. One I can handle. The other I steer away from. She called me out last week. I was going over multicultural design. I was talking about how we don't eat bugs here, but how they do in other countries. I had a video that was featured on Fast Company's blog some time ago that had a company that was proposing the idea. She looked it up on her cell phone trying to figure out if the company went anywhere. Apparently they didn't get the company off the ground. I did find it, but the design was horrible. Part of me wonders if the company that proposed the big idea got bought out. First off they are not supposed to be on their cell phones during lecture - period. Second I never said the company went anywhere. I only proposed it as an idea. Third I connected it to the news that discussed a few weeks ago that a group at University of Lincoln is making bug products to sell for protein. The way this student says things is like - ha I got you! It's like she's trying to make someone feel small. Have you ever had anyone in your life try to push you down, and make you feel small?

Random Tid Bits

1. I used the nice, very expensive camera at work. I attached it to a tripod, and continued to show each student that turned in their work how to use the camera. I sat down after showing a student how to use it, and BAM the camera did a face plant into the floor. I tested it. It turned on. The black plastic on the lens towards the top was shattered. :(
   
   I'm on the last season of Dexter. The thought occurred to me to play dumb, and pretend to not know what happened to the camera. It could have fallen when I was out of the room. Reality slapped me in the face. What was I thinking? Tis' the season of giving, and here I am thinking of covering up something that wasn't my fault, but happened in my care. All weekend I stewed over the situation.
   
   On Monday I went right into the boss man's office to confess what had happened. He was ok about it. Then I felt awful about the thought that I was even thinking about covering up the camera's face plant. I told him that I was afraid of how he'd react, and that I should have told him right away. 


2. A student that isn't even my student right now has been really disrespectful to me twice this week. (I'll call her non-student because she's not my student right now).
   
   She keeps coming in to talk to my students. That's not usually a big deal, but it's finals week.
   
   The non-student came in to talk to one girl that owed me 4 major projects, my current student always has people around her talking to her, and she is the type that can't say, "I have too work to do. Leave me alone right now." She's too nice. I would have liked to of said to the non-student, "The girl you are talking to owes me 4 projects. She can't focus when others talk to her. She's too nice to tell you that. Be a good friend, and leave her alone, so she can work." BUT that's none of my non-student's damn business! I asked my non-student politely to leave the room, so my students could study and get their artwork done. She flat out refused. When I was more stern in my request she said I was so rude to her. I don't get upset very easily. How she was talking to me made me shake inside. I said, "The first time you were in here I said nothing. This is the second time. I have students that need to get their work done. I would have never talked to my teachers like that. It's time for you to leave. Get out!" She mumbled, "I'm not disrespectful!" She stayed for another few minutes then left, came back 10 minutes later, saw me see her, and left again.
   
   That's the part of teaching I don't like. They are college students, so many think they know everything. They are "adults". Those same students think they are free to do anything.
   
   There's a reason why this one student was in my classroom, she's rubbed her own classmates the wrong way. I also found out from her teachers that she owed them a major project, but wanted to do the minimum on it.  


3. I'm not a HUGE Star Wars fan, but I like it. When I was younger I'd beg for my mom to give me Princess Leia buns. I'm not the fan that collects all things Star Wars. Travis knows the boys want to see The Force Awakens. He secretly got tickets. The boys know nothing. It will be fun to surprise them tonight. 


Are you going to see it?



Source

4. It most certainly feels like winter this week. Christmas most certainly crept up on us. When Mica shouts out how many days there are until Christmas every morning. I panic every time. I have most of my cookies done, but had to make more because my sisters, mom and I are decorating them this weekend. It's ok if I have too many. We're having a kid New Years party. In the deep freezer the cookies will be. I have wrapping to do as well.


5. The boy's holiday program is today! I'm writing this on Thursday. It will be a hectic day for sure. Their program times are 10 and 1:30. I have to give my final at 1. 10:30 is the time I go. With it being the last day of the semester it's a crazy time to have to leave work to go to a concert. I do want to see it though!  

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.

He Got a Job!

It's midterm week, which basically translates as CRAZINESS!

Every student that saves things for the last minute makes sure their work is turned in at 12, expects that I have it graded by 1:30, that way they know where they stand after their exam, and can leave for the day. Never mind that my lunch hour is at 12, and the exam is at 1.

Yesterday I had a student that showed up at 10; when presentations for the class were all morning. She had forgotten about her presentation. At 1:30 she said, "I'm ready to present!" with a smile on her face. I looked at all my piles of work to grade and said, "It will have to wait until all this work is graded." She scoffed, "Ok then." I said, "If you are going to make me wait to see your presentation, I'm going to make you wait to give it until I'm ready. Everyone else in this class wants to know their grade. Be grateful that I'm still letting you still give your presentation." I'd love to push it off on their generation, but I have a student in my class that is in his early 30s, and is one of the worst about turning his work in on time.

Thank goodness there's only a handful of slackers. The rest are great! 

Midterm and Finals weeks are crazy busy for any teacher. 

Even when I'm not working I'm bushed. I haven't updated you on my news.

Dad - My Husband Got a Job! 
I call him "Dad" because someday the boys will read this blog.

The stress isn't over yet. We're now busy trying to find out what to do with the boys all summer. Mica's in 3 camps (Math Camp, an Outdoors Camp, and an Acting Camp), and 1 week of fun summer school (that's with my nephew's school district). Isaak's in 2 camps (Outdoors Camp and an Acting Camp), and 1 week of fun summer school. 

It sounds like we have them in a lot, but summer break is from the end of May to the beginning of August. Don't hate me for this, but I'm so ready for year round school! My kids get bored if they aren't busy. They retain less to. With year round school they still get breaks, but they are more evenly distributed. My parents only want to help only so much. I can take time off - as Dad won't have vacation time anyhow. There's a kid we trust we're going to ask if she can watch them a few days a week. We're flexible with what days for her. If that won't work out then there's community centers that will watch kids, but we didn't like that program when Mica went before. We found that they weren't being watched well, Mica was bullied, and the people that were in charge refused to do anything about the bully behavior. But Mica went when he was only in Kindergarten at the time. Maybe things have changed; the boys are older. There are other community centers around town that may do a better job.

Dad isn't getting paid as much, it's further away. It's much more of a rewarding job! Their full time is 32 hours a week. He'll get benefits.

He's going to start next week for training. He's going to be working with adults that have special needs. He's teaching them art. He can work on his own art at the same time. 

If you've never heard of Judith and Joyce Scott - they were twins. Judith had Down Syndrome. She was separated from her sister, and put in a home. There she stole things. Why? To make art. She passed away in 2005, but her work is now world known. The video I wanted to share with you is disabled, but you can watch it here.

Images found here.

Here's an alternative video that isn't as good:

Random Tid Bits

1. Daddy was talking to me about how his co-workers think he's not being the husband he should be because he doesn't get me flowers for Valentines Day, birthdays and so on. I've told him that if he gets me flowers consistently I will be annoyed. I don't like him wasting our money on things that are going to die. He is really wonderful and makes me jewelery sometimes. That's much more unique, and special in my mind. Plus he has gotten me flowers a few times. Because it's infrequent, it's much more special. I don't like when people tell someone how they should be. It's like someone telling me how to discipline my children. If I want your advice I'll ask for it. 


2. My students in one class are working on a campaign for a nonprofit organization of their choice. They have to do a flyer, a mailer of some kind, a billboard-bus bench-environmental graphic {one of their choice, not all of those}, and a blog. It needs to look consistent. Once their design is done for one thing, they carry that same look throughout. I've been showing them things with their blog weekly. They have to make more than one page for it. The additional page is the nonprofit's mission statement. They have to have the nonprofits social media buttons that link up, 5 to 7 posts, a banner, a share button, and a disclaimer at the bottom saying that it's student work. Anything that they share from the actual nonprofit they have to source. I've shown them how to do each thing more than once. I record the lectures, and put them on the server for them to watch. I had a lot of them wait to do a lot of things with their blog until the last minute. For some reason there is a vast difference of students in the class. We have very smart workers, students that don't try that hard and on top of it do not ask questions, and a needy student that doesn't try at all to figure things out for herself, but wants A's. Let's just say after that day I was tired!


3. My sister that is pregnant decided to go with a name I picked out again! I love picking out baby names. I picked out Emerson. His name is from Ralph Waldo Emerson. The new baby's name will be Edison. My Dad had an uncle named that. Old names are coming back. My Brother-in-law is one of those people that wants all his kid's names to start with the same letter. I think that would get confusing.


4. Each time I'm done with something, I think of something new I have to do. I can see why people get stressed during the holidays. I always feel a lot better after finals are done. I'm not stressed, I'm just super busy! 


5. People were complaining at work about how it's so cold out. The temperature took a dive. I said, "I don't care what it's like outside. I'm just happy that Travis "Daddy" cleaned the garage out. My car now fits in it!" :)

Random Tid Bits

1. Thank you for many of your thoughts on the What the Teacher Said post. I've decided not to discourage Isaak from being friends with the girl he likes so much, but to encourage him to play with others as well. Sometimes we'll invite a boy over for him to play with; other times it will the girl he likes so much. A happy medium. Mica liked a girl a lot in Kindergarten, and first grade; now he plays with other kids. I don't think it's anything to get bent out of shape over.
2. The best thing that happened all week was that I had a student that fell asleep towards the end of one of my lectures. He's my oldest student. He happens to have Daddy's name, which is Travis. That in its self makes me giggle just a little. I told Daddy that this student is a Travisty. Most lectures I talk, I engage the students somehow (like reading out loud interviews about artists we're talking about, or playing review games), and the rest of the lecture we listen to a video that shares painting techniques. The video was playing, I tried really hard to ignore the giggles and the loudly snoring Travisty. I just kept staring at the video. I don't think my students knew I could hear the snoring. I was just trying to figure out what to do about it. I turned the volume way down, motioned for them to be quiet, switched the mode on the stereo from video to radio, and jacked up the volume full blast. Everyone was laughing. He looked at me and said, "Wow that sounded like the Bee gees." I seriously don't think he knew he was snoring so loudly.
3. All of my handouts are getting moved from a program called QuarkXPress to InDesign. It will be nice when it's done. In the mean time it sure is a lot of work!
4. I use Google as a dictionary all the time. Does anyone else do that? I have a built in dictionary on this computer, but Google does a better job. Words like "Eczema" I can never remember how to spell it!
5. Mica asked me what sex is. I just turned the tables and said, "What do you think it means?" He thought it was sexy kissing. I told him, "If that's what you think it is, you can think that for a few more years." He didn't push the conversation, neither did I.
6. I can't get my boys to wear pjs to bed. They will wear underwear. PJs are a lost cause. On their list of things to do before bed, I put, "PJs optional." They may change their minds when it gets cold outside.

Midterms Are Done!

I'm so happy! Today is the end of midterms! You know what's even better? I have 98% of my grading DONE! That hardly happens. My whole week has been devoted to grading. Everyone is doing fairly well in two of my classes. The other one, I'd like for their scores to be higher. I have to decide if I want to add points to EVERYONE'S midterms in that class, or not. That's a decision for Monday. They generally don't do as well in that class because:

A) It's on Friday. Many take off to go home for random reasons.
B) On the exam I ask a lot of dates and name questions. Artists and facts like that generally don't do well together. It's an illustration course so I ask about stock art, copyright information, the history of illustration and talk about illustrator's themselves. I'd talk about techniques, but I have a class first semester called Art Media Techniques.
C) The Education Director thought I should have the midterm and final exams weighted more. I never had tests in my hands on classes when I was in school. I also didn't have lectures either. I weighted the exam more. Now it's hurting them more. What's a teacher to do?

I'm not a fan of scaling exams. I believe that if I'm going to add points, they should get added across the board. That means if a student did really well, good for them! I don't want to discourage their efforts! They deserve extra if everyone else gets extra. 

I only had a few non-interested students this semester. That's pretty good considering each class size is around 50 students! I can't believe how many students on average change their minds for a major. Here they can't. It's illustration, design, web, advertising period. If they decide not to go into that type of art, we've pretty much lost them.

Last night Daddy and I got to go out. We went to the The Creative Institute. It's a newish nonprofit organization that's geared towards helping artists in the area. We got to talk to other artists about what we think they should incorporate on their website. It was pretty fun. I liked being able to have adult conversation without little voices jumping in.

I Should Bite My Tongue During Class!

• I'm a college art teacher. Yesterday I was in lecture. I was talking about how getting your project the right size is so very important. They could seriously loose a job if it's the wrong size. Many students come in not knowing how to use a ruler at all. It makes me mad that they get through the school system not knowing how to measure. I slipped and said not even thinking about it, "Size does matter." All of the students started laughing at me. I broke down and laughed too.
• When I first started teaching years ago {2002 I think} I got really irate that there was this group of students that seemed to never work on their artwork. They only seemed to work on their gossip skills. I yelled out, "Would you please stop jacking off!" Meaning, "Would you please stop goofing off!" They laughed and I tried to be serious. It took me awhile to process my own words that I just said.
• I teach the student's next semester in Design and Layout about printing colors. Well there is RGB color mode and CMYK. There is also PMS colors used for spot colors. Whenever I get into explaining PMS colors nearly all the boy's are laughing when I talk. It's very hard to keep a straight face.
• Another thing that I say a lot is, "Come get your prescription." Instead of, "Come get your subscription." I always mix up prescription with subscription. I'm not sure why because I know the differences between them. 
• So there you have it, I should seriously bite my tongue in class. Really I can't do that because I have to talk two times three days a week for an hour each time. It's a good thing I don't stick my foot in my mouth too often. It's also great that they are college students.