This week was a whirlwind of emotions for everybody because it was the first week back from spring vacation. At first the students and the teachers were refreshed from vacation but it didn't take too long for the stress from the upcoming NYS exams to kick in. The students are really feeling the pressure for the upcoming exams which creates a lot of tension and stress for the teachers. I am looking forward to the week after all the testing because I believe there will be a tremendous shift in the mentality throughout the school. The art room has been a chaotic environment lately full of mixed emotions. The students seem eager to do art work but as soon as a challenge upraises they instantly give up. Persistence is lacking and I've noticed positive attitudes are as well... The teachers are doing their best to rise the students' spirits but it often feels as if the students resist any positive intentions. As Dori from Finding Nemo would say, we all just got to "keep on swimming, swimming swimming".
Ms. Molly and Mr. Mark are my superheros. Today, I introduced the new service learning project to the 6th grade. I was so excited to share the good news with the students that this year we are doing something different from all the past years. I made a fun questionnaire for the students to fill out that I thought they would like! Welp. The 6th graders flattened me right out. I introduced the new concept to the students that rather creating another mural to hang inside the school that we are going to create something that can be placed outside the school in the playground for all to see! (The school requested that Sam and I to base our service learning project around decorating the playground.) Boy, we're the students AGAINST that. At first, some of the students pondered about it but then were easily discouraged to not like it because of two outspoken students who expressed their extreme dislikes. The two students were very very resistant and continued to state that "we want to make a mural just like the other 6th graders did before us!" Knowing that the students are under a lot of stress due to NYS exams I remained positive and encouraged the students that this is an opportunity for them to do something different and that they would be the first group of 6th grade to start a new tradition. The two outspoken students were still against and continued to walk all over me and be extremely disrespectful. They continued on with their negative mindsets which others quickly caught onto. Before the two students could do any more damage Mr. Mark (their classroom teacher) immediately stepped in and informed the students that they would be doing the same thing but this time the project will be outside for all to see! Ms. Molly also stepped in and told the students that after they graduate they would be able to see the mural outside and so could their parents! Mr. Mark and Ms. Molly continued to explain to the students that this is an exciting opportunity and they should be thankful that they are the first students to do something new! Eventually, the students relaxed and started to become comfortable with the project after I encouraged them to imagine the project as a blank billboard! Some of the students who were against the idea at first started to feel more comfortable with it once they thought of it as a billboard. FINALLY, the students were thinking of creative ways that they could incorporate themselves and the school into this project.
Three hours later and I am still shocked how negatively the students reacted. I truly believed they would be excited to do something new. It's really frustrating for me because I would tell the students something and they would shrug me off. Ms. Molly and Mr. Mark would say similar statements and the students didn't resist them and were waaaaaaaaaaaaay more respectful to them. I believe that because I introduced this idea it created a lot of tension between the students and I. I believe that if Ms. Molly introduced the project the students would have been 100% all for it! I felt as if I had the majority of the 6th graders letting out all their frustrations and stress towards me because I am a new and unfamiliar person to them. I also believe that if the 6th graders were in two separate groups (rather than the one large group of all of them) they would have been less resistant. I really wish I video recorded this situation to prove how resistant the students were at first so I could show them after we finish the project that sometimes new and different ideas can led to amazing opportunities I am happy that the students warmed up to it and some of the students had some great ideas!----thhannnnnkkkk goodness! Molly and I spoke afterwards and she informed me many times that students are extremely stressed and they will be grumpy until the exams are over with. I know the students will love this project and will be extremely proud of their accomplishments -I also know the two students who were so against this project will be very happy they did it---and I can't wait to make my point of that :)
Ms. Molly and Mr. Mark are my superheros. Today, I introduced the new service learning project to the 6th grade. I was so excited to share the good news with the students that this year we are doing something different from all the past years. I made a fun questionnaire for the students to fill out that I thought they would like! Welp. The 6th graders flattened me right out. I introduced the new concept to the students that rather creating another mural to hang inside the school that we are going to create something that can be placed outside the school in the playground for all to see! (The school requested that Sam and I to base our service learning project around decorating the playground.) Boy, we're the students AGAINST that. At first, some of the students pondered about it but then were easily discouraged to not like it because of two outspoken students who expressed their extreme dislikes. The two students were very very resistant and continued to state that "we want to make a mural just like the other 6th graders did before us!" Knowing that the students are under a lot of stress due to NYS exams I remained positive and encouraged the students that this is an opportunity for them to do something different and that they would be the first group of 6th grade to start a new tradition. The two outspoken students were still against and continued to walk all over me and be extremely disrespectful. They continued on with their negative mindsets which others quickly caught onto. Before the two students could do any more damage Mr. Mark (their classroom teacher) immediately stepped in and informed the students that they would be doing the same thing but this time the project will be outside for all to see! Ms. Molly also stepped in and told the students that after they graduate they would be able to see the mural outside and so could their parents! Mr. Mark and Ms. Molly continued to explain to the students that this is an exciting opportunity and they should be thankful that they are the first students to do something new! Eventually, the students relaxed and started to become comfortable with the project after I encouraged them to imagine the project as a blank billboard! Some of the students who were against the idea at first started to feel more comfortable with it once they thought of it as a billboard. FINALLY, the students were thinking of creative ways that they could incorporate themselves and the school into this project.
Three hours later and I am still shocked how negatively the students reacted. I truly believed they would be excited to do something new. It's really frustrating for me because I would tell the students something and they would shrug me off. Ms. Molly and Mr. Mark would say similar statements and the students didn't resist them and were waaaaaaaaaaaaay more respectful to them. I believe that because I introduced this idea it created a lot of tension between the students and I. I believe that if Ms. Molly introduced the project the students would have been 100% all for it! I felt as if I had the majority of the 6th graders letting out all their frustrations and stress towards me because I am a new and unfamiliar person to them. I also believe that if the 6th graders were in two separate groups (rather than the one large group of all of them) they would have been less resistant. I really wish I video recorded this situation to prove how resistant the students were at first so I could show them after we finish the project that sometimes new and different ideas can led to amazing opportunities I am happy that the students warmed up to it and some of the students had some great ideas!----thhannnnnkkkk goodness! Molly and I spoke afterwards and she informed me many times that students are extremely stressed and they will be grumpy until the exams are over with. I know the students will love this project and will be extremely proud of their accomplishments -I also know the two students who were so against this project will be very happy they did it---and I can't wait to make my point of that :)
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