Continuation of day 26, year 16:
Beautiful, simply beautiful...

Day 26 of year 16:  
Things to be happy and thankful for:

1.  I got an air conditioning unit for the studio (it was 106 yesterday...) and installed it myself!
2.  I worked in the studio all morning and actually produced - sketches and painted and was in touch.
3.  There is an actual new teacher - he said yes and so did the district...
4.  Sempre e per sempre e per sempre - esperanza.

Day 23 of Year 16:  I received an email from my department chair saying the art teacher we interviewed last Thursday was offered the position as Art 1 and Sculpture teacher.  I will admit, when I interviewed him I was not feeling very positive - especially because I thought we had already found "the one" a weeek earlier.  Having been left by ALL the other teachers I think I had begun to feel like the program was all mine - that sharing was not even going to be an option any longer.  I had just finished substitute teaching biology (!) for three days with a student teacher at the helm and the thought of interviewing someone who had an extensive coaching background was not on my list of things to look forward to.

I was mistaken.  He is going to be a great addition and I spent almost two hours talking with him and sharing different philosophies we each held.  Today I went to school rather than the studio and started organizing - the first time I've actually done the process this early.  A good omen, I think.

And another view of the studio chair...

Day 18 of year 16:  Worked summer school - substitute for a biology teacher who had an intern actually teaching.  There's a mouthful...

Longing to be in the studio (that's a good thing) and thinking about the materials I want to use on the piece I actually did start (another good thing).

There's just something about an Adirondack chair and dusk.  This is what I see at my studio every night.  Nice...

Day 17 of Year 16:  I just heard on the news that teachers across the board will be getting a 3% raise this coming year.  After finding out a few months back that our district was 49th in the state of Texas in education (and pay, I believe), this is news comes with mixed feelings.  I should be happy - overjoyed, in fact - but the comments I heard pertaining to the raise made me more sad than ever.  The public seems to not understand that educators are not only leaving the district due to a lot of negative issues, mandated testing, over capacity in the classroom and more administrative tasks then ever, but we are leaving the field of education all together.  Education has come to a point where everyone is losing.  The students hate school once they get past the 2nd or 3rd grade, parents expect more than seems humanly possible to give sometimes, and the system is broken.  School is essential but not all students can handle the structure, the pace - either trying to catch up or trying to keep ahead - and there seems to be no end in sight for teaching to the test.  New test, old rules still apply.  I am going to the studio to paint.  To find peace.  To wish the public understood that 3% fixes nothing.  I would gladly forfeit the 3% if change in the system would really happen.

Off to paint.

And life is grand out here...

Day 15 0f Year 16: Two days past when I meant to post but thinking all the time. It's true - a teacher never rests...even on weekends in the summertime. Started a new blog - www.kuntzapstudioart.blogspot.com - because I am completely inspired to have my next group of AP students be as successful as I hope THEY want to be...and obviously me.

Scholastic in New York happened this month. Kids walking across the stage at Carnegie Hall. I was there not too long ago. I want to be there again.

Selfish? Maybe. I want it anyway.

I've been thinking of starting another side business of creating children's portraits. Hmmm. Can she do it?

My daughter at 16.

Day 14 of year 16:  Quote of the day.  Procrastination never ends well.  On another note, I received a call from the summer school people while strolling around Costco looking at things I couldn't afford and wanting them anyway, and at first I thought it was just a phone solicitation.  The secretary of summer school was asking if I was interested in subbing three days next week for IPC (?).  Hard to believe that I would even hesitate and have to think about this new found freedom I was enjoying (doubly as I was still looking at the cute outdoor LED lights that I think will look good in my yard for 0nly 39.99).  I did ask if I was the best choice for IPC.  They said yes.

Either they're desperate or I am.  I said yes.

I did get a school calendar for next year and have put in all the important days.  You know, staff development, TAKS testing...theings that really matter...

No caption necessary.

Day 13 of Year 16:

Day 12-1/2 (still cheating although this really IS day 12...) of Year 16:  Summer school is no longer.  With one student in the class the powers that be decided the class should be cancelled.  Now, not only do I feel dejected that I have no class and am in the "substitute pool" but I feel twice the dejection that art is so far down the ladder as to be a class that students don't consider taking even if offered in summer school.

I am passionate about what I do.  I am passionate about what I teach.  Art is important.

Just sayin'

Art is as important as core subjects.

There.  I said it.

Art teaches creativity, free thinking, individuality.  Art is more of what the future needs; what kids should be learning.

Day 12 (almost - I'm cheating because it's still day 11 but I'm about to go to bed...) Year 16:  One student?  I have one student enrolled for summer school?  Seriously?  And to make things worse I asked about turning in my schedule and approval for working on art curriculum - I was originally told I could work up to 20 hours and get paid - and was told that only the "core" classes (translate to "important" classes) were being authorized.

Creativity.  Art.  Visual stimulation.  Learning how to see, not just look.

Except when I think about pie.

I feel sad today.

Day 11 of Year 16:  Started summer school yesterday.  Well, started the first day of what may be the last day of summer school.  I believe I only have two students enrolled as of the last count and the district is capping the class at 20.  Hmmm.  I don't believe the kids who failed Art 1 and now realize they need it to graduate suddenly woke up this morning and are preparing to rush to school and register.  I may have more time on my hands to actually do art - a threat I've been using for a while now...that portrait I could be finishing, Insanity I could be doing (I really am completely out of shape), dogs I could be walking, horses I could be riding.  I do have to say, being in the classroom again, especially without anyone around, still gives me a thrill.

...that and my students.

That, indeed, is what keeps me going.

DAY 9, YEAR 16

Day 8 of year 16:  Looking longingly at my studio and the portrait I began a while ago.  To teach art or to do art...not much of a question but I always seem to ask it.

So THIS is what I'm supposed to
look like after 60 days...

Day 7 of year 16 :  My big plans to post every day have already gone astray...I have so many ideas in my head and then my mom's phone stopped functioning - that was a three hour fix across town that I had not anticipated.  I am not an organizer.  I, after all these years of making lists and posting calendars, printing cool looking projects and bookmarking sites I will "definitely" use, am back to being surrounded by all those things I want to do and then deciding it's time to start "Insanity" again.  (I know, I know, you don't know what that is and always ask, "Oh, that's like P90,  right?" - yes, it is.).  I think I was crying during the middle of it, by the way...

I did accomplish one thing, though.  I have the torturous deadline schedule for my AP Studio kids for next year.  I have set exact dates for EACH of their pieces - NO EXCEPTIONS.  Ha.  The best intentions.

I'm hoping by blogging long enough I can avoid Insanity...good teacher or great-looking teacher...that is the question.

Just look at thst face...

Day 5 of Year 16:  Getting ready for summer school...trying to compact a semester's worth of learning and projects into 14 days - seriously?!  14 days, 4 hours a day making art.  This should be interesting.  I think I need to make examples ahead of time in anticipation of all the questions ("What did you say to do next, Mrs. Kuntz?"  "How much paint do we need?"  "Oh, I thought you said TO cut it there...oops...").  All of this going through my brain that really wishes I would have decided to have the summer off and play with the horses and dogs instead.

Day 4 of the 16th year:  I spend more time on creating PowerPoints than ever.  I am addicted...actually called the PowerPoint Queen because I create so many of them.  I feel centered when I'm focused on a direction and can simply research and get the "essence" out of an idea or subject and then translate to students.  So this is how I spend my summers - fitting in the PowerPoint around everything else.  Interesting.  Who says teachers get summers off?

I love art history.  Me and my friend the Seated Scribe in Paris 2011.

 I still get excited looking for those projects and ideas that will make a student turn her head...like a cute boy walking by...

Day 3 of 16:  Appropriation on top of appropriation.  Seems fitting.

Day two of year 16.  Interviewing for the positions that have been vacated by EVERYONE in the art department.  I did this five years ago and remember the spark I saw in the person I KNEW I wanted to hire - I went into the AP's office after spending 45 minutes talking to Amber and literally threw myself across his desk and told him to hire her before someone else did.

The second person I saw today made me feel a bit like that so perhaps there really is someone out there who will make the program grow the way I want it to.

Interviewing is like trying to find a husband in 45 minutes.

I spent the rest of the day cleaning the studio and finally, finally threw out a lot of old student work...like watching your children go off to school...

Art 1 student "Masterpiece" painting.  Pretty impressive...

Summer school is starting next week.  I've heard my supplies are in and they consist of index cards and masking tape.  Hmmm...