The First Phew Weeks of School

Tam: So Pam, How are the first few weeks going for the Art Instructor Extraordinaire?

Pam: You know they say there’s no tired more than end of the year teacher tired…, that’s not true. I’m way more tired at the beginning of the year. It takes me a few weeks to get back into it, so definitely not extraordinaire.

Tam:  I have been excited, exhausted, and having a blast.

Art Teacher = Rock Star

Pam: Of course you’re a rock star! You used to do some mean lip sync in college!

Tam: But you were the one who rocked the Partridge Family air band on the keyboard.

Pam: Nope, that was Shelley…,she was better than the real Lori Partridge. I was Danny.

Tam: Minus the red hair and annoying negativity

Pam: I think I’m feeling not only tired, but old now.

Tam: My back and my feet hurt and I always wear purple now(would anyone but old people get that?)...but enough of that granny talk, I have been learning so many new things to use in my art classroom this year. Our staff is rolling out restorative practices so I have been doing brief class meetings, conferencing with students, and working to get to know them better. And...I have a grateful tree in my room. They are adding grateful leaves and apples.

What have you been doing that is new?

Pam: We’re full on PBIS at my school, and frantically handing out our incentive cards as the year begins, “Badger Bucks,” for anything students do that is showing good behavior. I’m trying to convince our committee that teachers should get these too! Ha-ha!

Tam: Teachers definitely deserve Badger Bucks, or wine or chocolate or something...

Pam: Agreed. We have a slush machine at school and I’m forever suggesting we have margaritas in it. So far others like the idea, but there has been no implementation.

Tam: I don’t know, but that might be illegal in Wisconsin.

Pam: You know Sheboygan is #12 of the top 20 drunkest cities in America…, not that it applies to me. Anyway,  I started off the year with an “Art Chopped” collaborative project - being a lover of Food Network, I thought it might just work. Each group got a paper bag with three items (i.e. quilling paper, feathers, sandpaper, or something else I found in my closet) and an art element or principal (line, texture, balance, etc.) that had to appear in their collaborative work. It was a hit, they keep asking when we’re going to do it again.  I was wondering if it might work for an after school art experience and have a tournament to find an “Art Chopped” Champion?

Tam: So brilliant and so beautiful! I would actually love to try that in my classroom. My start of the year was a K-8 collaborative work of 4x4 hearts. We will be creating a giant heart out of them to promote kindness. As Vincent Van Gogh said, "There is nothing more truly artistic than to love people."

We also practiced procedures. I learned some great ideas from Cassie Stephens this summer. We have a gong clean up bell, we walk like Ninjas to our table(heel toe, crouched, silent, and dangerous), and we are using Art Teachers in Training at each table. By the way, no wonder you moved to Sheboygan(just kidding everyone, Pam does not, and I repeat NOT have a problem with the drink.)

Pam: I love that you’re ninjas! I once had my bio on my classroom blog say that I was a teacher by day and a ninja, monkey wrangler by night. One day a mom came in and told me that her son read that, and thought he had the coolest teacher in the world!

Tam: Well, I have to say that she was right, you are the coolest teacher in the world. My students tell me things like, “Mrs. Minnehan, you forgot to shave that one part of your leg,” “I think you have on too much blush today,” or my favorite, “When you bend over I can see your underwear.” Those are true statements, but they do say kinder and nicer things too. The little ankle-biters actually melt my heart.

Pam: I love it when they argue over whether I’m an artist or a teacher. Land sakes, you can’t be both! Another thing I love is getting spotted at the grocery store… where they try to hide behind the pork ‘n bean pyramid spying on me. Then when I get to the next aisle they’re invisibly crouching behind their mom - and playing along, I stroll on by to whispers of, “I didn’t know Mrs. C-G bought Swedish Fish. Can we get some too?”

Tam: Those Badger students must be seriously adorable, funny, and a little confused about art teachers. What in the world would happen if an art teacher actually created ART. That is mind blowing.  I see you have had a great start to your year! I can’t wait to hear more about it in your next blog post.

Pam: I love that your little Rockets are so comfortable with you that they can give constructive  criticism to you…, what I would have done for a little of that one day when I got home and looked in mirror and saw a blue chalk streak going the right side of my nose. I used chalk with a class third hour…, and they let me look that way the rest of the day. To a good start - and more humor, stories, and strategies for our classrooms!