1. the Schedule! I will only see the same kids every 4 days for 40 mins. NOT very productive.
2. Moving all my stuff out of my HS room and into another room.
3. Creating new curriculum... for 7 levels with ONE prep period a day! YIKES!
4. I'll have to drive a bit farther away to this school... my HS is literally 3 miles from my house.
5. New staff, new Principal, new room... scary!
6. I have never taught at elementary level... not even in student teaching.
7. Coming off of maternity leave, I will be starting over at a new place.
9. Level of art will not be of the HS level... I will have to lower my expectations for outcomes, but can still challenge them just won't be of the caliber I am used to.
10. Student teacher can't be placed with me... he needs HS.
11. Grant will have to be adjusted to 6th grade rather than 9th.
12. National Certification is Secondary not Elementary... will that affect it?
2. FUN! I don't have to worry about graduation requirements or mandates.
3. NO grading... just do art to do art. No dragging 150 sketchbooks home to grade and entering 300 grades or more in a 5 week term!
4. Kids LOVE art! Seriously love it... so excited to get there and make messes and create!
5. Not too many discipline issues... kids misbehaves... send said kid out and they don't participate. Kids WANT to do art and don't want to miss out.
6. Excited parents, staff, and kids... much more enthusiasm and support there.
7. Empty Bowls Project... I started doing this in MS and they have it there at the school I will be going to... I taught the teacher who is retiring there how to do this project so I can't wait to get into that again!
8. Helpers... older kids love to help younger ones.
9. More grant opportunities at K-6 level.
10. Get to do fun projects that require kids to try new things. At this age, they love to try new things. THEY don't whine about how they are not good artists.
11. No Scholastics art competition... I won't have to stress about this!
12. No weekly meetings with HS staff, Union, or curriculum meeetings. Just a monthly meeting and faculty meetings. No biggie!
13. No school store... I will not have to worry about that.
14. NO gym requirement forced on us this coming year.
16. No student teacher... just focus on my classroom.
Okay, so that is my list. More pros than cons. More of a chance to have fun and play with the kids without the serious deadline factor and grading over my head. Notice that all the cons have to do with ME and all the pros deal with KIDS. So, how can that be bad? Ok, so it's not the level of work I want to work with, but I'm sure I'll be surprised at what they can do and what I can do. Visual Journals will still be made in 5th and 6th grade next year, a grant will need to be adjusted for 6th grade rather than 9th grade, and a new opportunities to try some things I have always wanted to do with younger kids. I could shine at this level...I could LOVE it! I just hope I can do it ! I dread packing up my room... 11 years of stuff. Pack, ship, unpack, order new stuff?? WOW! Not what I expected to happen for next year.
I didn't post a new tutorial yet. I may have to hold off for a bit as I find myself so busy with a 4 year old home all day everyday this summer and a baby who is deciding that sleep is unnecessary but fussiness is not. It's challenging on so many levels. I am tired, short on patience, and annoyed that I'm home all day alone with too kids who do unexpected and annoying things but adorable and fun things too. It is tough being a SAHM... only for another 3 months. Then, I get to be a sodo mommy to 300+ kids all day every day in small doses. Hmmm... I have to believe life has reasons for all change.
I was literally on the fence between picking dentistry in London or art teaching in Dublin for my university course, and that helped me make up my mind. I'm going to be an art teacher :) it'll be less pay but it's what I want to do. Thank you..
How did your transition to Elementary go? Do you still feel the same way? I am a middle school art teacher, and I am thinking about going to elementary!