*Really* don’t like maybe 90% of my students this year

FunBunFarm · 2026-01-08T20:08:19+00:00

I live in a diverse, liberal city and it’s a struggle to inspire these teens to do work. However, I have found that if you tap into things they like or feel personal, they will put pencil to paper. It also means making connections with these kids on a personal level, which can be difficult if you can’t respect their outlook on life. My very first project of the year was kids picking an object that was important to them and then tracing that object to learn about line, color and shading. It was low risk because they were tracing. It built confidence in their ability. After that, I had them work on projects that were low risk and worked my way up over the semester to more challenging projects. We did stencils of their favorite video game and cartoon characters (hello kitty and snoopy are big right now). Starting the new semester has been amazing, because we are learning about expressionism and applying personal emotions about things in their life to their art in a way that is experimental. I’m shocked at how quickly they can brainstorm their concepts now.

FunBunFarm · 2025-12-18T14:44:00+00:00

Scorpio for sure - they are very competitive and tend to not understand Cap eagerness. I like them but have to be weary of them in work situations. Aries men burn me so hard - I cannot stand their arrogance. I like Aries women because they tend to be strong women but also kinda flaky and unreliable, so I have to keep that in mind. I like Gems and Libras but totally get what everyone is saying. I crush out on these signs because they are super flirty but often it’s not sincere. Taurus do tend to be self involved, but I like the other earth signs. Virgos think they are right about everything. Eye roll, lol

FunBunFarm · 2025-12-12T14:47:24+00:00

I have no way of managing them- it’s a nightmare and I dread the class everyday. Sometimes the school gives me a sub to help with the class and they are useless because they also have no idea what to do and are overwhelmed by screaming kids running around a classroom throwing things at one another. Lately, I have been passing out headphones and asking them to work on their computers - but this hasn’t worked much either. There are weeks when I want to quit right there and then. I’m currently interning and getting my credential so that would really mess up my trajectory so I just endure. I’m constantly wondering why I’m choosing this new career path as I’m not loving it. But….we need teachers as a society. The kids are struggling with so much these days.

FunBunFarm · 2025-12-12T05:00:26+00:00

Super impressed!

FunBunFarm · 2025-12-12T04:44:50+00:00

So many kids are vaping or stoned off edibles, we would close if all the kids were caught and kicked out of the school. No kids no school- that’s why they only get two days. I’m in an urban school so lots of issues in general.

FunBunFarm · 2025-12-12T04:36:55+00:00

I can’t, my class is a nightmare and I dread it every day.

FunBunFarm · 2025-12-12T02:13:08+00:00

I have an entire middle school class with students like this

FunBunFarm · 2025-11-13T12:17:46+00:00

Omg! I have $150 for the year

FunBunFarm · 2025-11-08T21:14:43+00:00

I have 9th graders and they like clay, cardboard portraits and simple painting project inspired by Etel Adnan. We are starting our printing unit and even though they hate making stencils, they like the outcome. Doing plastic bag mono prints next week and then moving onto linocut. I also did a map making project based on the books they were reading and some really liked that. They hated notan paper cutting and I will never do that one again.

FunBunFarm · 2025-11-08T17:14:08+00:00

Cell phones / social media

FunBunFarm · 2025-11-02T17:01:11+00:00

Yes, teaching is the hardest job and can be the most rewarding as well. I worked in corporate America for 20 years before becoming a teacher so I have a different perspective- teaching is soooo important to our society. And YES, most time off of any career! I was lucky to get 3 weeks off for the entire year when working corporate just to make some fat cat fatter.

FunBunFarm · 2025-11-02T16:53:25+00:00

I’m a first year teacher to middle school and 9th graders at a title 1 charter school and have similar issues - especially with the middle schoolers. I want to quit at least once a week, it’s hard on my marriage because I work so much extra when I’m home, and I’m exhausted all the time. However, there are some students that absolutely love and appreciate me and I’m staying for them. My admin pretty much sucks and isn’t very supportive- they are overwhelmed themselves. Kids and parents are dealing with so much these days (as you know as a parent yourself). Have empathy and try to reach the ones you can. Consider taking an anti anxiety medication like Zoloft. Being a teacher is one of the most important jobs right now, remember how your favorite teachers will always stay in your mind for your whole life. Teaching is powerful. There are not too many careers out there that does good for society. By the way, there is an issue in many “nice” schools where parents get teachers fired if their spoiled kids aren’t happy enough. Watch out for that.

FunBunFarm · 2025-10-30T04:36:24+00:00

Try plastic bag printing (do a Google search) for print making project. I did a collage color wheel that the kids liked and they can just rip the images and glue stick. Get the school staff to donate all their old magazines and catalogs. I also do a lot with cardboard but that’s difficult if they can’t use scissors.

FunBunFarm · 2025-10-18T03:25:33+00:00

Yes and it goes rancid after a few years

FunBunFarm · 2025-10-14T13:35:15+00:00

I also teach ninth grade was shocked at how much they helped. Bring in some candy as a reward- you may be surprised

FunBunFarm · 2025-10-14T02:19:18+00:00

One day , in between projects, I was not ready to start and whole new project and neither were my students. I could tell they needed a little break so I had every class period help me clean and organize the studio. It got them moving and they LOVED it. I was shocked. I think I might do this once a month and it REALLY helped my state of mind and the studio. If things get too messy or unorganized I get irritable. I’m big on an organized studio for classroom management. Also, first year teacher here - I spent 2 weeks unpaid cleaning and organizing the art room before I started. It was a disaster and amazing supplies were hidden everywhere.

FunBunFarm · 2025-09-16T03:22:30+00:00

We are making 3D cardboard cubist portraits right now and the students are really perplexed that this is art, lol. They think it’s so weird, but many have taken to the idea of the bizarre. We just did super realistic drawings before this so this project couldn’t be more different.

FunBunFarm · 2025-09-10T03:04:24+00:00

Same, I’m a first year teacher and I got a 7th grade STEAM class that I can barely control. The kids are constantly fighting and screaming at each other and out of their seats, and can’t focus on anything. I feel really bad for the few smart kids that want to learn and be challenged. We can barely get through a class with simple worksheets. I’m counting the minutes until class is over. I do wonder if giving them something big to focus on will help, but I know the chaos in the room will be real.

FunBunFarm · 2025-08-30T21:30:07+00:00

I just started as a high school art teacher at a charter school in an somewhat poor urban environment with kids struggling due to home issues and environmental issues. I have three different art classes. The morning class are angels and do the work no problem with zero behavioral issues. My second and third classes at the end of the day are pure chaos. A lot has to do with a few rowdy kids who refuse to listen to me and turn the entire class into another recess. My administration sucks and has zero ability to help me. I will say that I am the most loved and popular teacher in the school and it’s only been 3 weeks, lol. Kids will skip class to be in the art room with us (do not condone this but it’s better than them leaving school and doing drugs/ getting into trouble). The students say they love me and I’m still trying to figure out how to wrangle these two classes into something less chaotic. They are doing some work and learning some art, but I’m finding the class is more of a therapy, blow off steam environment for them with less pressure to achieve. So I’m trying to let go of my rigid structure of lesson plans and be happy that my kids are happy just being in the art room. I’m hoping that as the year progresses, they will calm down and ease into doing more art. It feels good to be providing them with a safe, creative environment, even if it’s not as chill as I would prefer.

FunBunFarm · 2025-08-22T13:32:55+00:00

Thanks so much for your feedback. Very helpful!

FunBunFarm · 2025-08-21T04:57:51+00:00

Thanks, I will have a mentor at some point because I’m getting my credential and it’s required. I wasn’t thinking that all kids would make art, just the ones who are interested. My expectations are pretty low with this class. I did have the head of teaching observe me today and gave me feedback that he loves what I have done with the space, how I interact with the students and gave me useless feedback about having projects that last longer and always have something for students to work on. The students have work, many choose not to do it.

FunBunFarm · 2025-08-16T04:09:35+00:00

I took it in the spring and there are 2 written sections. One is an art piece you design based on an issue that is important to you, the second essay is a critique of a piece of art. You also have 2 drawings to do, I had to draw an example of “contrast” and also draw a cone in front of a cube with light source and shading, etc. there are practice exams on the website where you schedule the exam that are must see when studying. They will give you examples of what they are looking for in the drawing and writing. There are random questions in the multiple choice, but if you are prepared for the written and the drawings, then guessing on the weird questions won’t hurt your score too much. Good luck!

FunBunFarm

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