Today was fantastic. I always knew it was going to be hard my 1st year teaching. I knew this to an extra extent because enough people told me what I was stepping into for a classroom. And I don't mean this disrespectfully but I was about to be handed 375 kids out of 550 that were used to a classroom where they could get away with anything and nothing, and most their projects were more or less started, created, and finished by the teacher in the room. Meaning they would start a unit and the teacher would jump in and complete the task - the only thing the student had to do was put their name on it. Again, no disrespect-to each his own but after hearing this from teachers, students, and parents-I knew it would be tough. One of my theories in art is that the best art is created on your own with your own planning and imagination - it's rewarding to look at a piece you made and know it has you "written" all over it, regardless of skill or knowledge.
That said, my year started tough. A number of my students put up a defence and became defiant to my theory as well as procedures that involved classroom/time management. "We've never had to do our work before." was a constant statement made. By the end of the first project, the students were started to break out of the mindset but not 100%.
And then today. Of all days, the last day of the week for the kids, I had a student, one of my most defiant students, leap up, completely out of her stool and squeal with the biggest smile on her face that I have ever seen. The conversation below followed:
Me: Whoa! What's the excitement about?
Student A: It's...it's awesome! It looks great. I just reallllllly love it!
Me: That's great, can you give me a reason? (Of course, I'm smiling.)
Student A: (About 3 minutes of trying to come up with words but just a smile.
Student B: Dude?
Student A: Because it looks so goooood - and I did it. I did it all by myself and you didn't do anything for me - you just showed us how and I...me...I made it! Ahhhh! (Followed by some crazy excitement.)
Me: Wait, so you're telling me you LIKE doing your own work?
Student B: I love that you make us do it ourselves, it's awesome making it.
Student A: Mine is just so cool - I didn't think it would be this cool but it is!! It really is!
Me: Do you know how exciting this is for me to hear?
Another student: Miss J, it's exciting for us!
I didn't fabricate that conversation at all. I ended the discussion asking the students if after 4 weeks they had started to understand how important and rewarding it is to create on your own, with your own ideas. Most of the students started talking about how they were proud of the work they were done and how they loved hearing from other teachers about their work because they actually did it.
Now. I've had a lot of rewarding moments within the last 4 weeks - but after today, this one has taken the the top slot. Knowing that the kids are warming up, that they are starting to realize the point and the process of art is fantastic. And seeing some of my most defiant kids get the point - getting excited about making art and doing their own art - make me even more excited about teaching. I love my job. I love the bad and the good - but I especially like the good.
You ROCK, mentee!
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