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Re: Stressless or trying to be

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From: Curt James (curt_james_at_TeacherArtExchange)
Date: Tue Jul 03 2001 - 02:10:09 PDT

Marcia in IL wrote with compliments
for THEGREEN99@prodigy.net's post:
 
> I had a professor in college
> who stressed two things in class.
> One, just close the door.
>
> Close the door and the classroom
> is yours. Two, if school becomes your
> life, you have no life.
>
> If you have no life, you are not being
> the best teacher that you can.

Wonderful advice/commentary.

I had a lengthy prep period built into each
day as I worked at the middle school, but
typically I opened the doors to the art
room to allow the students to paint,
draw, watercolor, etc.

When the stress level became higher
than normal, I would simply place a sign
on the door stating,

"The Art Room is closed today."

That or a note that extended my apologies
for not being avaiable during Lunch or
my normally scheduled prep.

Most students and faculty were understanding
of a locked door, but others (both students
and faculty) would knock and knock and knock.

I would feel guilt over not answering the
door at times, but other times I was washing
tempera palettes, emptying or loading the kiln,
grading papers, etc. As an "avoidance technique"
I went so far as to move the desk from the line-
of-sight of the door window to avoid detection.

LOL

Now, I didn't hide out every day,
but there were a few times when I needed that
"control" and stress reducing
relief of being "invisible".

My unsolicited $0.02.

I hope everyone's enjoying a relaxing summer 

-- 
Curt
http://pages.ivillage.com/mr_james/
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