Back from the dead: Snow days and an updated semester

I'm sitting here in good Martin, TNI never thought it would be possible to get as many snow days in Tennessee as we have been getting these last two months. I've missed over 13 days of school due to snowy weather (the district only allows us 8 so we are going to have to make up the rest of them) and can I not say how much I LOVE snow???!!! :) I have a lot of fun pictures to share afterwards.

I've been doing my classroom completely differently this semester and so far it has been going wonderful! I'm planning on sharing with you all of the methods I do to make my life as a teacher a little easier. Who would have thought that me, someone who has only been teaching for several months, give advice to OTHER teachers on how to make their teaching more successful? I've reflected long and hard on last semester and what I realized what was wrong was a simple statement of fact.

There was no structure.

I wanted my classroom to be more like a college studio class, where we focus mostly on creating art ourselves than actually learning about other artists, movements, time periods, etc. I didn't want to be one of those teacher who assigned book work over the weekends and papers constantly. Let's face it, art is a little hard to lecture about and to give homework over. However...... I've learned that you have to do a little bit of everything. I don't assign homework over the weekends just yet, but I do assign writing assignments such as essays over comparing and contrasting art works. I also do drawing activities that only take up to 15 to 20 minutes every day for each student to do. We've finished our first project, which is a landscape done in the stippling technique. It absolutely blew my mind how WONDERFUL they were. I can't wait to post pictures soon. I hate to say it, no offense first semester classes but... I think my second semester landscape projects have you beat. All because of all the many many drawing activities they had to do during class to improve their skills. :)

I've decided to stay at Perry County for three years, at least till I get married. Let's face it. It's a perfect place to grow and learn as a future educator. No, there's nothing there to do in the small town out in the middle of nowhere. But I'm saving money because my rent is cheap, the apartment I live in I absolutely adore, and I'm content with my finances and my budget. Do you even KNOW how much it would cost to live in an apartment I do now in a bigger city like Nashville or even Jackson? Too much than I am wanting to spend right now. I'm pretty much liking this decision of mine though. I will get to see my sophomores, the class I am sponsoring, graduate which will be wonderful to see. I don't think I am just ready to say good-bye yet.

Enough with the teacher stuff. Enjoy my snow pictures with my boyfriend Matt and my good friend Barry :)


I was soooooooo HAPPY :)


Their apartment after the 8 inches.


Tackle!!!


YAY!