Well, Well, well... I see it has been a time since I have been here. Much has changed in my life, and I have more time to think about spirituality and the practice there of (mine). Right now, it is about the only thing that is keeping me sane.
Like many many teachers, my contract is not going to be renewed due to budget constraints. I'm a Visual Arts teacher, it seems we are expendable! As I have heard say, "we cannot teach the whole child now, we must teach the academic child." In a poor school like mine, a lot of those kids are only there because of the Fine Arts electives. It's a place where they learn that they can be successful. And if you can be successful as an Artist, you can be successful in other areas of the curriculum. Visual Art is one of the places where most children do not think they have a chance of being successful.
I specialize in teaching the student who comes in saying they "can't." I'm that good. If a kid can write, s/he can draw. They are either representational artists or abstract... or somewhere in between. Fortunately, for them and me, I can teach all of it because of my extensive art educational background. Once I get them past that hurtle, I am teaching them to appreciate themselves as creative human beings. No one can make art like they do. They are improving their own style, and only their own!
I loved what I did. It breaks my heart that I can no longer do it. Health issues largely brought on by stress are keeping me from finding a new job. I was valuable though I missed more time than others due to my expertise and love of teaching my craft and the children I teach. It's sad, but I hope that I have left my mark on many of them over the past 12 1/2 years. I believe I have.
Like many many teachers, my contract is not going to be renewed due to budget constraints. I'm a Visual Arts teacher, it seems we are expendable! As I have heard say, "we cannot teach the whole child now, we must teach the academic child." In a poor school like mine, a lot of those kids are only there because of the Fine Arts electives. It's a place where they learn that they can be successful. And if you can be successful as an Artist, you can be successful in other areas of the curriculum. Visual Art is one of the places where most children do not think they have a chance of being successful.
I specialize in teaching the student who comes in saying they "can't." I'm that good. If a kid can write, s/he can draw. They are either representational artists or abstract... or somewhere in between. Fortunately, for them and me, I can teach all of it because of my extensive art educational background. Once I get them past that hurtle, I am teaching them to appreciate themselves as creative human beings. No one can make art like they do. They are improving their own style, and only their own!
I loved what I did. It breaks my heart that I can no longer do it. Health issues largely brought on by stress are keeping me from finding a new job. I was valuable though I missed more time than others due to my expertise and love of teaching my craft and the children I teach. It's sad, but I hope that I have left my mark on many of them over the past 12 1/2 years. I believe I have.
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