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.)
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.