I'm tired, so I am going to try keeping this entry short with quick summarizes.

This morning started about 7am. I was planning to do at lesson one online lesson, but I really was not in the mood, so I procrastinated and wasted the time by reading a couple of "entertainment" website(gossip columns). One was actually a bit too mean spirited. When I finished, it was about 9:40am. I had to get offline and get ready for my class (Art Across the Curriculum). The class is from 12:00pm ~ 3:00 with a total of 10 class sessions (30 hours).I took the 10:30 Metro-North into NYC, then I changed to the #1 train. I arrived the school about 11:30am. My plan was to buy a school lunch ($4.00). I arrived, the security guard had no idea about school lunch, and luckily a kitchen aid was walking pass. According to her, that school does not serve lunches during the summer, then she changed it to there was no one there to take the money. There seemed to be more security guards than office staff, so I gave up. Annoyed, I walked to see if I could buy something cheap, but ended up only getting a pint of orange juice. Since to teacher of the class had not arrived, we were told to wait in the lobby until the teacher arrived. With only 3 chairs available (and the two outer seats were taken by other teachers waiting and having a conversation) I stood.

The teacher teaching the class arrived about 11:55. He came into the lobby spoke to the security guard, said nothing to the teachers waiting for him, and he left the lobby area. The security guard asked us to sign another attendance sheet, then told us where the class was. The building was a high school, but it felt more like a prison.

Walked into the classroom, and....WOW!!!! Iced freaking cold. Everyone who walked in commented about how cold that room was. So, the first hour of the class was for "paperwork". And add another 15 or 20 minutes of the teacher on his soapbox. No disrespect intended, but I think some people just like hearing the sound of their voices. He rambled on about how things used to be. He rambled on how his students thought he was gay because he didn't have photos of his wife in his wallet. He rambled on about misjudging his college professor who was fat, but later discovered he (the professor) could climb a church to take great pictures. He rambled on...I think you get the picture.

After going over the program procedures, he told us that he is very flexible about attendance. He also said that we would be leaving at 2:30, but "sometimes the Board of Ed sends observers to check-up, on those days we will stay until 3:00pm". He also collected our phone numbers. He said that it probably won't happen, but if he needs to cancel the class, he will call each of us. He also might be late tomorrow, from the phone call he had during the lesson, he had an appointment that probably will be finish in time for our class.

The "lesson" started with an introduction on the meaning of an artist. According to the teacher, we are all artists An artist is anyone who is creative, takes risks, see things clearly, recognize patterns, challenges assumptions, and makes creative connections.

After the introduction, we were finally given the assignment. We were going to make Stained Glass projects using tissue paper. The assignment would be too difficult or complicated for elementary school. The way it was presented, the project would have been ideal for connecting to a study of symmetry. The assignment was to fold a paper in half. Draw a design on one half. Tape a sheet of tracing paper in the middle (as if you were making a single page book). Lay the tracing paper over the design you drew, and trace. Then, turn the tracing paper(like a page in a book) over to the blank half of the paper. Trace the design from the back of the tracing paper onto the blank half of the page. Cut color tissue paper pieces for each part of the design that you made. Glue the pieced on the paper you drew the design.

Long story short...Yes I know...too late.

I did not like the presentation (the project was okay), but I told myself that I would make the best of the situation. Whatever the project, I would adapt it to my classroom.

Class finished at 2:30. I was the last to leave. Stupid me had to pack up my things, my jacket, folder etc...The teacher was at the door waiting for me. He had the lights off, and the door lock about the same time I was stepping over the threshold.

Since it was such a nice day, I decided to walk to 125th street. I wanted to go to Staples to get a desk organizer. After Staples, I went to my foster father's place to pick up my mail. I had dinner at a local soulfood restaurant. I arrived at the Metro-North station about 5:20. I took the express to Yonkers. I stopped off at the bank, then walked home. Since I had eaten, I thought I would be able to get right on my rowing machine, but after taking the time to get into my plastic sweatsuit, I only stayed on for about 20 minutes. I took a bath, but I did not rally feel like a bath, so I was only in for about 25 minutes.

Well, that's it. I was only planning to blog for 30 minutes, but I got carried away with my first day of class summary.

202.8lbs. / 29.9%BMI / 8.4CalB

Post Date - August 1, 2007 10:54pm