"Gandalf" - this one is for you, too.....sometimes
there is a reason why I had to be "Good Witch of the
North"....The middle school schedule just wasn't
conducive to teaching "responsibility" in our
building. We were a "no book bag school" - before
coming to Exploratories all students were supposed to
put all academic materials in their lockers (Well... I
am sorry but ART is academic! I demanded a pencil -
LOL at me). All students were to bring to PE was
clothes to change into - to choir and music? just
their bodies and voice - nothing needed for other
explos except Health and Art needed a PENCIL. Health
could keep their notebooks in the health room if they
chose to do so.
I guess the pencil issue -- is also an issue about
respect...Maybe the kiddies break the pencils because
they don't feel they are getting respect? When we were
thankful for pencils - I didn't find one single broken
one in my classroom. Catharine - I have a feeling you
have discovered this secret too. The most important
thing is that they make art in art class -- and to do
that they need some kind of tool.
I forgot to tell you why my wonder boy was buying his
own pencils in middle school and up.... I found broken
pencils in his book bag once...He said he didn't break
them - but I told him his pencils were his
responsibility and he would have to buy his own...and
he did. Then when he proved he really was responsible
- I wasn't about to pay $7.00 for a pencil! so he
continued to buy his own. He still buys expensive
pencils. I just never got the hang of mechanical
pencils myself - I press too hard and the lead breaks.
Mechanical pencils are Matt's thing - he is majoring
in mechanical engineering....one of the "Geek" things
(smile).
If my kiddies chose to use mechanical pencils for
their academic work - all they had to do was trade
with me during art class. I would baby sit their
mechanical pencil while they used one of my art room
pencils. That worked just fine, too. I had a special
can for my charges and they would sit in my office
until class was done so they would be safe. Student
knew if they forgot to trade back they could come in
at any time to retrieve their property -- as long as
they had my art room pencil to return. That worked
GRAND!
Catharine - I hope all of you are safe from the Bird
Flu - Is that making its way to Hong Kong? I just
can't stand to see all of those chickens killed every
morning on Today Show.
Blessings coming to all of you "Good Witches" and
"Wizards"! I love you all! ...and now we have a Queen,
too (smile).
Lady J
P.S. Oh just LOL this one was just a test to see if my
Gandalf is reading.... I will only do this
occasionally. I must have fun sometime too -- You
folks get to have fun all day long with kids.
