These little Wednesday munchkins have won my heart.  They each have VERY colorful personalities.... I still don't know how the regular teachers handle 20+ kids in one classroom.

Our class dedicated October to all things Halloween.  We wrapped the month up by making witches out of soup cans.  They're really "secret candy holders", but don't tell anyone.  The second project (I have to have multiple projects lined up because they fly through them) was a noise maker made out of paper plates, dried beans, and dowel rods.  They were made specifically to scare off the goblins while trick-or-treating.  Needless to say, they were a hit.  Needless to say, I'm sure they weren't with the parents.

 I'd be remiss not to share this beautiful tree with you.  It resides down the street, but I get to enjoy it on my daily walks.  God inspires me daily.

Back to School

My favorite classes where always art when I was a kid. So when my teacher-friends suggested I teach at an after school program I was excited about the possibility and began researching. I came up with lesson plans & even observed classroom management. All the students were well behaved and involved in activities. I felt well prepared for the first day.... everyone had a "creative crown" they were to put on when they entered, they each had their own station equipped with an apron, and I even had a little back-up activity if they finished early.

Long story short.... they came in, blew through my activities, bounced off the walls, and then were gone as quickly as they came. I was standing in an enormously messy room & I wasn't sure what exactly had just happened. It took a day or two for the haze to lift, but when it did I began working on my new tactics.
Last week we made "Oatmeal Play Clay" (mix 1 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup flour, and 1/2 water to make a dough). We then made sculptures & painted them with diluted food coloring. I had intentions of taking pictures during the class, but that was the last thing on my mind once the fun began. I would suggest doing this activity with ONE kid.
This week we're making canister creatures. I'm equipped with tons of things to cut, paste, and color. I'm going to start with books to get them motivated (and take up time), we'll move into the activity, and then I'm going to have them draw themselves on a big sheet of paper (just for kicks). If this doesn't fill our time we're moving into "Musical Art Chairs". Wish me luck!