First World Mural Problems

It has been a long while since I've been anything close to what I would call "an artist."  Student scheduling being what it was, I was a band geek in Junior and Senior High (Clarinet and Tuba FTW!) and had limited room for other options given the Science-heavy course load I felt that I had to pursue.  Though I did manage to fit in a few art classes for a few years, I mostly preferred to doodle and draw characters and maps from comics and video games.  There was one area, though, where I was absolutely terrible: I couldn't paint to save my life.  It didn't matter whether it was oil on canvas or watercolours... I just didn't like the lack of precision that a paint brush offered and couldn't take what I saw in my head and transfer it to whatever I was working on.  No harm done.  I have a deep appreciation for the immense talents that some people have and feel no shame in saying that I just can't do that.

So where am I going with this?  Well.  There is a particular mural in our building that, though it was inspired by nothing less than the best intentions of several well-meaning students, could perhaps use a bit of a face lift.

Allow me to demonstrate.

This is President Obama... or rather, President Obama apparently feeling a little under the weather.  The greenish sheen really highlights the internal struggle of being the leader of the free world.  There's just something... a little off.

I don't even know who this person is supposed to be.  I've taken to calling her Lady Sloth in large part due to her striking similarities to everyone's favourite Goonie.  Apparently all that pirate treasure worked out pretty well for him. #LadySloth

This is another mystery for our middle school department.  Not only are we unable to recognize the individual, but we have even less of an idea about what the object with him.  Is it some sort of chair?  Is it a baguette?  No one really knows.  Unfortunately, some students have come up with their own conclusions and they aren't exactly pleasant. 

And so it goes for at least a dozen other portraits on the wall.  

Now.  To be clear.  I certainly mean no disrespect to those who so many years ago planned and created this work.  I could not do what they did.  In fact, I am certain that my attempts would fare no better than what's already there, or even this case.  

There is a tendency to fixate on the negative connotation of what it means to criticize, which is to point out the faults of something in a disapproving way.  To criticize, though, also means to form a sophisticated judgement on the merits of an artistic work.  Too often when I am marking essays or offering feedback on how to improve a student's comprehension of sources, what they want to hear is the answer and not how to get there.  I have too many students who will think that I'm being mean when I say that they aren't doing something as well as they need to.  They just want to hear that they're doing a good job and that everything's going to be great: the reward of praise.  To borrow a phrase from Ocean's Thirteen, they don't want the labour pains, they just want the baby.  The focus in society, for better or for worse, is on the result and that means that too many are afraid to be critical on themselves or towards others because we don't want to hurt feelings.  

There are more than a few in the immediate vicinity of the mural who are eager to see a change in the decor.  In that spirit, this could become a real opportunity to showcase a new generation of talent here at our school.  Fingers crossed...


A Look at Syria

I decided when I first started this particular blog that I didn't want it to be too political and that I wanted to focus more on things of general interest and to shed some light on my perspective as a teacher.  However, this, and other videos like it, have captured my attention.

This ongoing civil war has claimed the lives of at least 250,000 people and displaced many millions more.  It's the eerie quiet of the city (not the lack of sound in the video) that really hits home.  I am reminded of how grateful I am to live in the country that I do where I have been spared from experiencing this kind of devastation.  At the same time, I am overpowered by a sense of helplessness.  When I am asked as Social Studies teacher why we need to learn about what's happened in our past and what continues to go on around us, I think of stories like these and hope that I adequately communicate the big picture to my students.

Zoe Keating: Into the Trees

Surprising no one, especially my wife, I caved and quickly bought this wonderful album.  I find myself listening to it when I need to have some quiet, reflective time, or when trying to solve more puzzles on 'The Witness.'  Here's another track that my wife and I have particularly enjoyed called "Seven League Boots."

On one more separate 'Witness' related note, it turns out that some people have been more inspired by the game than perhaps was anticipated.  Quite clever.

~Mr.T