Think before you react

I came to a conclusion today, that perhaps I have spent the better part of my life preparing to react. Rather than thinking before I speak, I react. I think we all do it.

We always prepare ourselves to have a reaction or a comment ready before a question is asked. Sometimes it is because we believe so strongly in what we feel. Sometimes, we might feel argumentative, defensive about our beliefs. Whatever it is we spend too much time doing it.

Today I was one the receiving end of this and the feeling was different. For the first time in my life, I had nothing prepared. I had not been prepared for a battle of thoughts or words. And to be honest it knocked me off my seat.

So now I have to decide if I am ok with that feeling. I don't like to argue. I don't even like to disagree with anyone. But in the whole scheme of things, I am really really tired of my mind constantly on the move preparing for someone else's move. Maybe I need to sit back and see how things roll in my life rather than always having a back-up plan. I am not sure it wouldn't be a good thing with a lot less stress. Let's see how this goes.

O'Keefe

I am trying to find ways to make history in art more fun and I have decided to throw random unique artists into our history. I like it when I can tell students things about certain artists and they look at you like...no way... that is the most fun part about teaching it.

Right now my beginning art classes are learning about Georgia O'Keefe focusing on proportion, scale, and oil pastels. This is the first time I have viewed them as paying close detail to their work and that in itself is exciting.

LOVE

Four simple letters that make up one powerful word. Photo II students were assigned a single image that demonstrates the meaning of this word. Interesting interpretations.

Using Google Sketch-up

Well the kids did it! The self taught art lesson. I still don't know much about the program but they did not do too bad. Here is a sampling of their works.

Hand Arts

For the past couple weeks the kids have been focusing on ways of recycling used items into an art. This time we are recycling denim jeans and restructuring them into bags. They had to embelish their works once complete.

My favorite

My students always ask me who my favorite artist is of all time. His name is Jack Vettriano. I enjoy his work because he makes me think. His work speaks to me. It is full of emotion and questions.

Failure

I hate the feeling of failing. I suppose I am sensitive to the idea. I understand that we cannot be great or necessarily good at everything we do, but failing at something is the worst feeling there is. For me I feel like I have disappointed others as well as myself. And that is how someone will remember me. Something inside me drops and then I am almost scared to think about picking myself up and trying again for the simple feeling that I might fail again. I am 37 years old and I have this feeling.

Then I think what kids feel like. When you are little you will try anything. No fear of failure. You just do it! Something happens as we get older. We fear it. We fear the embarrassment, the disappointment, the feeling of realizing that we can't do something we thought we could.

I don't want my students to ever feel that way in my classes. I never want them to walk in here and think they can't before they even try. If they try I want them to understand that making the effort is more important than the success. Because they don't realize that their effort is their success. I don't care if what they create is the most amazing thing or the worst thing I have ever seen. I care that they tried and they did it! To me that is the success.