THINK

I picked up a copy of Lisa Bloom's book, THINK: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumbed-Down World, and haven't been able to put it down since I started reading it (well, except when I took a short nap, BUT that was only because I didn't get very much sleep at yearbook camp). I am astounded by the problems in America and how out of touch its citizens are. We coddle kids and push them along the system in our failing school system. Women's perceptions and priorities are distorted. It brought up the point that breast augmentations are rapidly becoming a popular high school graduation present. Ugh. How devastating. It referred to the fact that every, every celebrity image in magazines are Photoshop-ed, which made me think of Adam Turman's TED video talking about his photography that touches on this issue.
My goal for this semester is make my students smarter about what's happening in the world. To make them aware of their decisions and how their artwork and photography can expose these twisted realities. Turman's work would be wonderful to study in class, whether it was for ethics or how photographers show social issues.

school's out for the summer!

There is a sense of relief and excitement at the end of the school year. The cycle of a beginning and end is so refreshing and renewing. As I look out towards summer, a plethora of ideas come to my head about what I want to do all summer. Here I start me list:

• Create art: draw, paint, photography, build. Anything that allows the energy inside of me to release. I want to finish the charcoal hands - it's so beautiful. Paint nature imagery, take portrait photos of my friends and paint or draw those. GOAL: 2 drawings and 10 paintings done by August 28th. :) I better get started.
• Compost: I want to make my own compost bin, fill it and roll it around the yard as M rolls his eyes at me.
• Drawing Co-op: Getting involved with the local artist community is so important to me. I want to join a Mpls co-op and figure draw with them.
• Write Engaging Lesson Plans: I am a beginner teacher ready to know it all. I want to have the best lessons that capture my students and get the learning things they don't even realized. This takes time, but over the summer I will create amazing individual and collaborative creative challenges.
• Rework Curriculum: I have a great foundation for my classes and I am ready to take them to the next level with what they are learning, gaining and feeling from the classes.
• Paint the art room: Greenish blue. its going to be beautiful.
• Study schools to find ones that are doing well and investigate why. bring their ideas and art together to create an exciting class.
  

The Best of 2011

It's the last week of school and finals are underway. I am cleaning out the photo room, going through all of the work that's been left here. It makes me feel so satisfied, and even excited about how amazing this year was. Let's look back:

1. I got my bearings with Digital Photo. The work that came from the students this semester was awesome. The creativity was higher than it ever has. I look forward to evolving the curriculum more over the summer and creating a Digital 2!

2. Bonding with students. I really grew close with some of my students. This makes my heart feel so happy. There are so many students that I will never forget and that I will always hold dear to me. I learn so much from them. They are amazing.

3. The yearbook was a success. So much more than I ever thought it would be! Keys to success. Hold everyone accountable. Oliva was amazing at editing writing, which I am really going to have to work on with Clara for next year. She needs to be incredibly accountable, but so do the writers, head editors and peer editors. It's everyones responsibility. Always think towards our end product. Do we want people to be elated with what they see, or upset?