Art and the Community

Creating art in our community is a two-edged sword. The community needs art whether they know it or not. But many in the community might feel it is a waste of resources depending on the community. I also believe that the community can be unified and divided at the same time. It is difficult to please everyone so that can promote division. However, those that are involved will feel like a closer community as most community efforts do. Developing an appreciation for art takes time....that effort is, however, rewarded by an understanding of of symbolism and critically thinking about the world around us. Visual art is a language and any language takes time to learn.

Disabilities

At first I wasn't sure how much I had been around kids with disabilities but after awhile quite a few came to mind. At first recollection I was thinking of my friends and thought there were none but then slowly they came back to me. First it was, "oh yeah, he had a prosthetic foot" but we still had races, rode bikes and played football... I guess he had a disability but I never thought of him like that. Another had epilepsy, another was in special ed classes for reading, another guy's left arm was "disabled" but he still could play catch one-handed even with a mit. He could slip it on and off very fast for catching then throwing. One after another came back to me but I never really thought of any of them as disabled. We would play pretty much all the same games. I guess I had quite a few friends that technically had disabilities while I was growing-up but I wouldn't have called them disabled.

I think maybe that is the lesson that will help me the most. People with disabilities are no more "different" then we all are. Some of us are better at some things then others but we all have our strengths and weaknesses. We help each other overcome our weaknesses and find our strengths. I understand some disabilities are very restrictive but I think we need to look for ways to help students use their strengths. If we focus on our strengths then our weaknesses won't seem so bad.

Bizarro Alter Ego (Anti-me)

Nit-pick, "nit" and "pick" nit-pick. I love that word. I nit-pick over details. I love to find a single word that someone says and twist it around and make them feel foolish. I don't care what you intend to say I care about how you say it. Give me a quick, open and honest revelation and watch the fun begin... I can take your very own words and deliberately find the darkest interpretation and berate you with them. Students will despair when they get into my class. I intend to have weak repetitive lessons that require no thought, no inspiration and no fun. My own family can't even stand me but I can't help it if I intimidate them with my perfection. I care for myself. No one else is worth a first thought let alone a second. Honestly, I'm in teaching for the money, the fame and the glory. Students really are a bother. I hate to work. If you take the students out of my classroom it would be a perfect job.