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Paula - hey wiz
susan - I taught for a couple of years then did other stuff for a while ...30 years sounds like lots to me... I will have to work til iI'm 70 to retire...behind the curve her
wizzlewolf - HI! I almost missed it! I was doing something for school tomorrow and got all caught up, I lost track of time!
Tam - what were you working on?
Paula - thats what happened to me last week
Jo - Paula retired last year. I am going to give another year and then go back as a volunteer.
Doc - 30 years has been a tough haul, but I've enjoyed it. I am also teaching college courses.
susan - Little guys like most anything, socialization a big thing for them...
wizzlewolf - My little ones (K-2) made a movie and I was editing it and putting it to music. It is SO CUTE!!!
Tam - What grades in school do you teach Doc?
Paula - Wizzle, your job sounds very challenging.. what is the secret to your success with the kids you have>
Doc - High school senior government, U.S. history and college history classes
Paula - Good for you Jo, enjoy life while you can... volunteering will be fun for you
Tam - your hands must be very full then, Doc!
Doc - Mostly, I love the work and the subject matter . . . and the kids are fun, too!
Tam - wizzle, you seem to be into tech stuff...do you incorporate that into your art class or do you teach a media class?
wizzlewolf - Well, it helps I have been there for ten years, so I actually have high school kids who had me in early elementary. Also, I don't fool around and they know it. Our classes can be such a blast, but they have to behave or I turn into the "Art Witch". LOL
Tam - History can be a great subject in the hands of a skilled teacher
wizzlewolf - Tam, I just integrate technology into art
Tam - and a very boring experience in the not-so-talented
Tam - I loved my HS history teacher
Doc - Well, I hope that I'm a skilled teacher. My students usually offer me plenty of supporting commentary
Tam - THat's great wizzle!
Jo - I think today art is even more important with the test crazies on we are losing our "culture" the joy of creating something personal. The remarked of the hostages from the Iran period impressed me.. the ones that made it were the ones who create in their minds, built a boat design a house, paint a picture etc
Tam - Do you teach Flash to any of your kids?
Tam - It's a great program, very intuative and lots of fun
Tam - I've heard of kids summer camps devoted to it
Doc - Susan, where are you teaching in Indiana?
susan - what's flash??
Tam - Flash is used in a lot of websites
wizzlewolf - Oh no, my kids aren't nearly that advanced. The highest (most advanced) program I have ever gotten to is Photoshop and even that is a rarity.
susan - I'm in NE In
Tam - you can make animations, add sound, make it interactive
Doc - I'm in central IN north of Indy in an inner city high school.
Tam - It's great that your school has the resources to do that
wizzlewolf - Even my high school kids are at about a seven grade level (if that). They are so behind due to their behavior disorders.
Tam - Do you teach k-12?
wizzlewolf - Yep
Jo - Doc what do your student enjoy the most?
susan - I have small town and rural kids...live in city, myself, for the'culture'
Paula - susan and Doc, have you ever heard of a author named Sally Downham Miller, from indiana.... she wrote a terrific book on dealing with children and grief..
susan - Oh, name of the book??
Doc - I recall the book, but it has been some time since I picked it up. I never did finish it due to time constraints.
susan - Throught the Cracks?
Paula - The first one was Mourning and Dancing, and I believe the second was Mourning and Dancing with Children
Doc - That's close, but it doesn't sound exact.
susan - No, worng thing
Doc - The second title is the one we were asked to read around here.
Paula - I worked with her when she was a principal in NJ now she is devoted to her writing
susan - No typist here! Through the Cracks was a children's book
Doc - We had about four or five student deaths within a 18-month period and our local mental health center recommended the second book for all teachers
wizzlewolf - MOURNING AND DANCING: A Memoir of Grief and Recovery Sally Downham Miller
Doc - Bingo, Wiz!
Paula - It is quite helpful, and if you can get her into your school for a professional developement she is wonderful as a speaker
Paula - Yes, wiz, did you read it
Paula - you need about 3 boxes of kleenix
wizzlewolf - No, I never heard of it.
Paula - how did you know the title? amazon
Doc - Heavens . . . we need three boxes of kleenex just to read our local newspaper.
wizzlewolf - No, I put her name in GOOGLE
Paula - tricky wiz
wizzlewolf - LOL
Doc - Got a phone call . . .gotta run. Have a nice evening everyone!
Jo - Ok I give up what is LOL?
wizzlewolf - GOOGLE is my life blood. It is better than Brittanica!
wizzlewolf - LAUGH OUT LOUD
Paula - I agree, I even put it in my tool bar
Paula - Carrie how are you these days?
susan - wiz - can it help with a clogged drain?
Jo - Dogpile isn't bad either as a gopher
Carrie - Good...but very busy
Paula - How are things at your school?
Carrie - How are you?
wizzlewolf - Can what help a clogged drain?
susan - Googel?
Paula - I am doing good, I have changed schools, now I am teaching in Fairfield
Carrie - I have been doing exhibits at school with my t&g group
wizzlewolf - Jo, I used to use dogpile exclusively, but Google beats it hands down every time.
Carrie - How is that going?
Paula - for a private state approved spec. ed school small classes
Carrie - we are having a lot of problems with our budget this year
Paula - I really like it better, none of the garbage like the public school gave out
wizzlewolf - Carrie, what school isnt having $$$$ problems?
Jo - Anybody have visiting artist in the classroom anymore?
Carrie - that is good
Carrie - LOL
Paula - Our enrollment is down from last year so our budget is tight as well.
susan - We have several each year
Carrie - well it is really extremely bad this year
wizzlewolf - Jo, I had one about five years ago and I was so glad when she left.
susan - we have grant $ for a book maker to work with K-5
Paula - will they do cut backs Carrie?
Paula - What town are you in again?
Carrie - they are talking about it....Roselle Park
wizzlewolf - I am having a GREAT year. I think I do better with less money sometimes because I am more creative.
Carrie - talking about cutting classroom teachers & having bigger classes
Carrie - that could mean 30 kids in a class
Paula - thats awful,it makes you wonder how do these administrators think
Carrie - elementary
Tam - I heard that FL is trying to cut class size and hire more teachers
Paula - I would like to see them teach 30 kinders
wizzlewolf - Oh it is the opposite here. They are giving the axe to art teachers and giving subject area teachers smaller classes.
Carrie - they have cut so much....there is nothing left
Carrie - and it has hit everyone out of nowhere
wizzlewolf - I don't think they will get rid of art teachers, but their rooms are in jeopardy.
Tam - Though that is sort of a grapevine sort of thing...I don't know if it's true
Carrie - my room was already taken away 2 years ago at one school
Paula - why dont they put math on a cart... they always pick the most difficult subject to be mobile.
wizzlewolf - Tam, we need more teachers here in Florida, but I don't know where the money will come from to pay them.
Carrie - music & art is now mobile in my one school
Paula - dont you hate it, I found it so stressful on the cart
Tam - that's true, I didn't realize you where in FL
wizzlewolf - I don't think I would ever do a cart again. I would be a classroom teacher first.
Tam - That's where my mom lives
wizzlewolf - I HATE cart art. Just Terrible!
Tam - Maybe she's just trying to get me to move down there though
Paula - Me either, I have had my days on cart i am too old for that, you need alot of energy and be happy
Carrie - I still do everything I would normally do...and it is very stressful
wizzlewolf - Tam, what part of Florida does your Mom live?
Carrie - I am so happy when I go to my other school and I have my room there
Tam - Central
Tam - South of Orlando
Carrie - I feel like I get so much more done and my preps are actually preps there
Paula - and sometime the classroom teachers can be a pain in the butt by staying in the room
wizzlewolf - Paula, I hear you! I don't think my back could take it!
Carrie - yes and they correct the kids and bud in
Paula - I did my thing at the chiropractor that year
wizzlewolf - Paula, yep yep yep!
Tam - I have to go now, very late dinner
Tam - Nice meeting you all!
Paula - The environment that you work in can make all the difference in your job... oops time to go
Paula - by tam
Tam - thanks for all the advice
Carrie - def.
Carrie - have a nice night
wizzlewolf - Yes, Art teacher time is up. The early childhood teachers should be arriving any moment. Talk to you all soon!!
Paula - you too carrie
Paula - nite all
