A Fresh Start

So here we are, several weeks now into the summer break, and I am beginning to prepare for NEXT year. Don't ever let anyone tell you teachers don't work in the summer. Next school year will bring with it a change in the classes I teach. The State of Texas in their infinite wisdom has just redone all of the TEKS, which are the standards or skills we need to teach, for all of the Career and Technology courses. With the redo also comes new NAMES for all of the classes. No course was spared.

Have you ever noticed that all educators speak in acronyms? I just told you what TEKS are, not to be confused with TAKS and the new EOC's (both tests). The Career and Technology(CTE) courses for high school in Texas are no exception. Last year I taught BCIS--that is Business Computer Information Systems, which everyone just called by the acronym. BCIS has now gone away replaced by either PIT or BIM, which stand for Principles of Information Technolgy and Business Information Management respectively. I know-this is highly thrilling information. Next year I have been assigned to teach Digital Interactive Media, you guessed it, DIM, and I think I will rename it "Digital Interactive Media With Integrated Technology" because I have always dreamed of teaching a class called DIMWIT. But I digress.

Turns out DIM is basically a year of Photoshop. Just one problem--I have never used Photoshop. So I am spending the summer taking classes in Photoshop so I can at least have a basic understanding of it before I get to teach it (and my district wonders why we have so many ineffective teachers). Luckily, I am open to change and I like to learn new software and evidently I am the lucky guinea pig.

So I have started my summer Photoshop class, which is online and self paced, which means I can look like an idiot and yell at my computer in the privacy of my own home. This class is not hard--it is Level 1 so basically we spent the whole first lesson opening and closing files and changing the Views. Zzzz. I learn about pixels and vector versus raster graphics and I vaguely recall having learned this to pass one of my certification tests. All the technical stuff--no problem. Then we get to the design stuff. Let me mention that I was the art student who was always put into the "slow" group and had to draw and redraw still lifes of branches. Let me also mention that I am the auction volunteer that sets up a table, and then has to have someone else come behind her to "style" the table. I have absolutely no sense of design or artistic talent. I begin to get very worried. I should also mention that this is a career preparation course I am teaching--meaning we get to talk about careers as a graphic designer, photographer, advertiser, and animator, evidently. Have I EVER mentioned my background is in BANKING???? I do spreadsheets. This is so far outside the box for me that it is in the next state. Sigh. I am afraid for Lesson 4. Colorwheels.

My only saving grace--the other teacher that teaches DIM is a graphic designer, is a master at what he does, and can teach this in his sleep. I have been given the advice "just let him take the lead and do whatever he tells you to do". Well-I am very good at following directions. Just not so good at being told what to do! So this coming year promises to be a challenge for me. Something new--a fresh start! I hope I am ready for the challenge.

The Year Is Over!

My first full year of teaching is over and I helped line up and march through our 640graduates on sunday afternoon. I could tell you it has been a fun and easy year but it hasn't. New superintendent, new principal, new everything this year it seems made for a very stressful year. But I made it! I've spent a lot of time griping about the bad things and talking about the problems. So I will dedicate THIS post to the successes!

My Junior Achievement group in 5th period--oh how I will miss you! You are the group I got to practice on, like my first baby. Boy, how it paid off. A trophy at Trade Fair and the big Company of the Year Award at the banquet a few weeks ago. Achiever of the year Award too! Watching you take you practical final, where you had to form a company, create a product, and produce an annual report all in an hour and a half was priceless. Sunday I watched Soroush, Fount, Mona, Jenny, Sandra and Kim get their diplomas. I cried because they are all MY children now.

A few BCIS students will always stick in my mind. Carolina--you may have been shy and never talked, but you always gave 110% and it paid off with a perfect 100 the second semester! Trevor--you always kept me honest and corrected me when I was wrong, at least once a class period. Mikel-you will make a great engineer. Thank you for your curiosity, and your daily updates about the top stories on CNN when you were supposed to be working on your classwork. "Zach and Cody"--nicknamed such because he strongly resembles those twins on "The Suite Life of Zach and Cody"--I inherited you because you were a problem in someone elses classroom. The real problem was you were smarter than the teacher! Thank you for ALWAYS keeping me on my toes! My sweet, sweet ESL class 6th period--I finally gave in and let you do your final presentations mostly in Spanish about your home countries. I will never forget Emma from Nigeria, in full Nigerian dress, explaining about the horrors she left in her home country and her immigration to the United States. I will never take my life for granted again. And Mel-oh Mel. I didn't think you were going to make it, Mel. A Katrina kid with so many hardships. Problems containing yourself in class all year. You stuck in out, you passed, and you gave me a big hug the last day and said "I love you Mrs. Clayton" and made me cry.

And to Damian, Damian the flirt who asked me to dance at Prom, Damian the cheerful pill in the classroom, Damian who discovered last Friday that he would not walk in graduation with his class due to a missing science credit. Damian who I sat with my arm around consoling while his class was rehearsing for graduation. Damian--I will be there in August when you DO make it like I promised you. Don't let me down.

My first children--you have grown up and flown the nest! I have learned from you and you have made me a better teacher! Have a great summer all!