Teach Your Children Well............

Seems like they have eliminated just about all the extra (fun) programs in the local schools. So, may I announce my new, unpaid position of the Arts Attack instructor for Mrs. Garcia's kindergarten / 1st grade combo class!! (applause, applause, applause....) I was appointed to this prestigious position after back to school night where apparently I was the only parent (schmo) who showed any interest in volunteering to help. When I wrote down that I would help, I put a huge asterisk ...... I would do it contingent upon finding babysitting for the boys. I found out about my appointment to the thrown via a handout Rose brought home from school. Congrats to me! So, I have a big old notebook I'm supposed to read then teach the art lesson to the class. I'm supposed to teach them technique, composition, all about texture, space, shape and form, pattern....all sorts of things. This thick manual helps you to do all this, but apparently you need to READ the manual. I did my first lesson a few weeks back. The teacher told me the project she wanted me to do with the kids... have them paint a reproduction of Picasso's Hands with Flowers..... it's all in the manual. I was given the book just a few days before I was to teach this lesson, so I wasn't super prepared. I figured I would just go do it and then have a better idea of what I really should be doing for the rest of the school year. I also assumed that it would really be more like assisting Mrs. Garcia as it's her class. When I got to class to set up for the lesson, Mrs. Garcia informed me that I would be doing all the talking as well as instruction and that I should give a little background on Picasso. Um, excuse me? What did you just say? Fortunately there was a page in the notebook that had his history. Perhaps I should have read through the lesson plan a little more thoroughly before I went to class? This was apparently is a new program for Mrs. Garcia too as we both seemed to be winging it as we went along. In the end, it turned out pretty good and the kids all had fun. Rose was excited for me to be in the class. Kindergarten is a little different for her, I was a regular fixture at preschool. Not at all this year. She is already asking when the next art lesson will be. I might just read a little more before the next lesson. Who am I kidding, I will probably pull it out 5 minutes before I'm supposed to leave to go teach it!