Parents

Hey Mom and Dad!!! Glad to see ya stop by and find out about this class! It’s pretty amazing… Like nothing you and I ever saw in school, that’s for sure!

So if you’d like to know about the program expectations for your student, you can check out the students page by clicking this link. Here’s what you probably really want to know:

Grading

Grading is not done in my class like a normal class. I’m looking for work habits and innovation, not rote memorization. There are never tests, never homework, and never a pop-quiz. Everything is hands on. The software we use is expensive, so there’s really no way to expect homework to be possible. That’s the good news. The bad news is that SINCE there is no homework, I want ALL OF THE TIME that your child is in class. Focus on being creative in your own way for the whole class period. If they choose to do their own thing in my class period, they’ll owe me that time back. This generally means time after school. If they can’t serve it, that’s OK… but it will come off of their grade. If they have the software at home, if you’re willing to write a note telling me that they made up 30 minutes doing a tutorial or something for you at home in one of our applications, I’ll accept that as well.

Also, I don’t often update in Edline. This is not a standard class, so it’s hard to conform to standard rules. The bottom line is that everyone gets a “C” or better if they are constantly working during class- even if they have a hard time with the concepts and don’t completely “get it.” If they keep a journal daily, they’ll have an “A” or a “B”. (I’ve never had a student get just a “C” if they were working every day, by the way.)

Want to know exactly what they are doing in class, see all their work, the grades they receive, the feedback from other students and myself on their projects??? Just log into the Online Lab and look at their grade book. Your child can help you log in, but if they “forget” the login they use every day in class, just read the instructions on the login page… you will be able to figure out their login and password if they did it correctly. Still can’t get in? Email me.

When they say they don’t “get it…”

If your child is not passing, he/she has made the choice not to engage in the class, it has nothing to do with not “getting it.” I’ve had lots of students with no technical or artistic ability succeed easily in my program (and believe me, I mean absolutely NO artistic/technical skill). All they have to do is show effort and participate in class, and they are guaranteed a “C” in the class. That’s with a complete failure of all technical and artistic skills. If they have less than a “C,” they are simply being irresponsible with their time and not participating in class at all.

Should I get the software you use in class at home?

Well, that depends on the student. The software can be expensive. One thing I totally recommend is to go to www.academicsuperstore.com , www.journeyed.com, or www.diskovery.com and make sure you purchase it from an educational vendor. You’ll save literally about a thousand dollars!!! Also, buy the DESIGN PREMIUM package. It’s the best bang for the buck.  You get everything we really use in class (except the video and audio apps) for less than the price of one of  the programs retail.

I’d say only make the purchase if your child is REALLY into it, and staying after school to do extra work. If they show that kind of dedication… they’ve earned it and will most likely stick with it. They should also contract with you to continue to take the class for the rest of their high school career. If they don’t want to do that, it’s probably a phase and might be a waste of money.

A second affordable option is to buy the “photoshop elements” package. It’s much less expensive, and if they’re not serious, it’s a good app for just managing photos and creating graphics. It’s not a substitute for the real thing for a student that is really working in this program.

Want to know more about my classroom strategies and philosophies?

Just jump over to the teacher’s page… I have a lot of articles there on how I teach and why I teach the way I do. The bottom line is that I teach problem solving and responsibility through art and technology.

What does the work look like that comes out of the program?

Well, you can check out the galleries to see examples of excellent student work (there’s a play button in the top right). Keep in mind, these students got the exact same instruction that your child did- the video based training guarantees that! So your child can get there, too!!! It only takes effort!