What do I do before finally getting into my studio?!

When people ask me what I do, I immediately respond with I'm a Teacher. Then another question, What do you teach? I smile big because I know when I say what I teach the response will be OH I loved that class in school! Can you guess what I teach? It's Art Education. Visual Arts. Art. I'm waiting for the next question, What age do you teach? Now I kind of look away, kind of shrug, start making excuses, and finally blurt out Middle School......sighhhhhh! Oh? Yes, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. Apathetic facial expression. Ultimately everyone I tell that I teach Middle School Art I get the same response, OUCH! Not to that I teach art per say, but to the age group. They are amazed that I am teaching that age group. They are the TOUGHEST crowd I have every taught. There is nothing like a middle schooler and I'm so glad I'm not THAT age ever again.

Why do I stay? Teaching art to middle school students that is. Well in the beginning I constantly asked myself that. I am somewhat a new middle school teacher, just about to end my fifth year. Many I know that teach middle school have been doing it for over ten years, and LOVE it. While I can't say I LOVE it, I can say that I have adjusted and come to mildly like it. I've almost come to appreciate the unmistakable quirkyness of a middle schooler. Their spontaneity and spirit are invigorating! There are days when it can be overwhelming I admit but those are far and few between. At the end of the day I am happily exhausted!

Even though I am exhausted I will make my way down to the studio, after taking the dog for a walk and getting dinner ready, eaten, and cleaned up. By this time it's around 6:30 pm and I've been up since 5:30 am. Soon I am in the zone, whether working with my glass projects or rolling out clay for plates. As I decide what colors to work with or which hump/slump mold to drape clay over I decompress from the days events. Mulling over what worked, what didn't, and how can tomorrow be a better, more productive, awesome day. I spy a look at the clock and oh my it's now 8:00 pm. I begin cleaning up, straightening out tools and supplies, wash my hands and head up to bed.....another days work done! Thanks for reading: Karen