Bmeandering

Bmeandering

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Corner View:Impression


Impressions are important.
Often that first one is your only chance to connect--
to end up in someone's life or in their company (as in job).
Unfair? Perhaps, but that is the way a lot of 'society' is.

No one was decorating this display window.
Therefore, when anyone walked in our school,
especially freshmen students embarking on a new and scary journey
and parents wary of what these next four years would hold for their child,
they saw a blank pegboard with bits of paper hanging here and there
and ugly staples bearing witness that at one point someone cared,
but no longer.

I shuddered every time I saw this.
So when I volunteered and got the positon of advisor to Student Council
and saw that I had a group of artistically talented teen-agers
with pride in their school,
I went to the principal and asked for permission for the SC to take over
the display window.

Next I talked with the group of seniors from SC who all had 7th period study hall.
From these talks emerged the following display.
Anyone walking in immediately sees
we have organizations
and we have artists.
(Also that the district signed a contract with CocaCola to carry only their drinks for our pop, but the vending machines don't work until 3:00PM.  Milk is sold in the cafeteria.)

All of the drawings were done free-hand and then cut out.
K. loves to come up with ideas and figure out a way to make them work.

The lettering, except for the  "Welcome Back! Get Involved. . ."
is also done free-hand which is especially difficult when you have to half-climb
in the window and contort your body to write the words.
M. is remarkable in her ability to do so.

Color is extremely important to this group---they are vibrant, life-loving students
and their world is not made up of muted or dull colors.


Art and sports (the trophies) are important here.
This was at the end of the year last May
when many kids had already taken their work home.

The door is metal and cold.
You would never know that behind it is a world of imagination
with murals on the walls
and paintings on the ceiling.
Ms. C is a talented artist and truly works at getting her students
to reach deep inside to find the artist living there.

Agriculture is important at our school
and we have many Future Farmers of America.
Our seniors are honored each year with a display of photos.

We are a rural school district.

For more corner views,
please check out Francesca's Fuoriborgo.

10 comments:

  1. i'm not of fan of that first impression thing either.

    I love it when students get involved like that and are full of pride for their school. It's great.

    your students did an awesome job!!

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  2. A first impression entering a school is very important.
    Very sad to hear about Coke! You need a Jamie Oliver intervention.

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  3. as wonderful as what is offered inside the school, i personally find the surrounding countryside to be the most wonderful sight.

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  4. Much more welcoming! And I love the setting. If I taught there, I'd hold as many outdoor lectures as possible!

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  5. You are so great to have taken this initiative. I am the same as you, that would have really bothered me. My grandfather used to always say, do what you can to make what you have look best.

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  6. so glad you're encouraging budding young artists...

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  7. My second born is starting high school next monday - here's to hoping HIS impression of school is good! :)

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  8. too right on first impressions and we certainly can't help it. also very lovely when one first {less positive} impression turns out to be misleading, and therefore grows into a much more profound one.
    you've found your way around those important first impressions, but then, you are one good teacher too! a one who thinks ahead and acts.
    lovely!
    n♥

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  9. First impressions are so important. Facilitating the displays and encouraging artistic talent has produced a welcoming entrance that also informs visitors and students. The pleasant, rural location must be an added bonus and it's good to know about the agricultural studies and that some students go on to become farmers.

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  10. You made a beautiful suggestion, request, and decision. I'm sure it touched many who needed encouragement and enjoyment in their skills.

    Proud of you, Sister.

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