In a message dated 04/27/2001 7:45:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
artappeal@home.com writes:
> If enrollment goes down, though, I'm told our
> classes would be 50 min. Believe it or not, I'd rather have that than more
> prep time.
>
Leah, I agree! I am scheduled with 20 classes a week- k-5, with the average
of 24 in a class. I have 4 classes a day for 40 min. each. Certainly not
enough time to do and complete meaningful art, discuss, assess, etc. I have 3
of the 4 classes in the afternoon, literally back to back, and not
sequentially by grade level. Since our day contractually begins at 8:10
until 2:45, you can figure out the "prep" time- LOL. Not so, however. I
never sit down or see the inside of the teachers' room all day. Instead, I
try to give "extra art" in order to achieve the kind of art program I think
want the kids to have, or do special projects. A luxury, I know.
My choice would be 60 min. classes for all and less prep, but that interfers
with common prep for the teachers. Also, there's so much going on in my
school that there's not enough time in the day to fit it all in.
The kids just finished three 8 foot long drawings for stained glass windows.
After teaching about Frank Lloyd Wright during art time, I was able to
extend the project during my prep time by scheduling 6 students at a time to
work on this design. I'm turning this design over to a professional stained
glass artist who will transfer the kids work onto 3 windows over the front
door of our lobby. A feat I don't think I could accomplish without my
schedule.
Susan on Long Island
