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Y’All, We have been building a #ceramics pro am at my site for seven years, one donation at a time. Last week, we had to suddenly DL against, because of the smoke from another fire nearby, again, so the S’s first day on the #potterywheel was delayed a week. 1/
2/ tomorrow is their first day ... during my formal evaluation... in a pandemic... with two major fires in as many months... COVID cases on the rise... families traveling and keeping quarantine, or not... and tomorrow? Tomorrow we are going to nail it!
3/ I am not entirely delusional: S’s in a super suburban neighborhood are choosing a messy, hands-on class with a high rate of failure before success. They are at the whims of the weather & humidity (which has been so changeable lately) & the hybrid schedule; my S’s are f2f 1x wk
4/ we have had kiln explosions, and a kiln donated to us! We have repaired equip. As old as *I* am, and are applying for grants for new equip.. We have FUNDED @DonorsChoose projects that have completed and supported making #art integral to our school - all this year, in pandemic
5/ Tomorrow, for my formal eval in a pandemic, #because2020 , S’s are going to be the sweet, amazing young people they are AND THAT IS ENOUGH. I am satisfied that I’ve worked my bones to dust to make this opportunity for S’s (& T’s) to claim some peace and creativity, in pandemic
6/ we have made ceramic projects live on ZOOM from our bedrooms!!! 85% of S’s picked up supplies in 105F heat, when school-wide we’re lucky to get 50% turnout. These S’s are masked all the time, definitely scared, quiet, and bummed, ... and they are just NON-STOP, hands-on makers
7/ and I LOVE them for it. They keep me going & have no idea how much it matters to me. I can completely bomb tomorrow’s #eval & I will take the sting with a smile: it doesn’t matter this year. WE (S’s, P’s, Donors, & my supportive H and family) made this. I *know* what we made.
8/ so, keep the arts, FUND #artseducation and hire artist educators to work with S’s. If now, mid-pandemic, you understand what #arteducation does for S’s and families, don’t forget about it when this is done. Wish me luck & energy for eval tomorrow. It doesn’t matter but still.
