Hw 41- Color Me Stupid *Edited*

Now that we are actually looking at school on a 'closer' level we seem to be questioning everything that we hear or see. It looks like we all dread school, more often that not you'll walk down the halls and hear someone complaining that we don't have nap time anymore and that the math that we are learning is pointless. Recently it has become clear that it is easier to find reasons to dislike school rather than to embrace and enjoy.

When you ask people "Hey, why do we need school?" you can expect the cliche answer of "So that we can get into college and get good jobs" Why is that the one answer that everyone seems to know? Was this something that we have been taught? How come it's so easy to remember the lunch menu but no one can recite the quadratic equations? We say that we need school to get smarter and blah blah blah but it looks like we just dumb ourselves down.

I think its because we dread growing up. For so long we have had everything drilled into our heads, constitutions, chemical bonding, geography, geometry, biology...it has become this routine that we are generally fond with and the thought of actually having to get off your arse is a scary one. If you think about it there is an undertone of 'grow the f*** up' in school, its just that some of us have become too wound up in the lovely-ness of immaturity.

It seems that the older we get the more babied we have become, we are more and more dependant on our teachers to do and say basically everything for us so that we don't have to think. Where has our motivation gone?

"Tips on how to keep your child motivated." Mama's Health. 2009. Mama'sHealth, Web. 24 Feb 2010. .

Mama's health.com suggests that there are things that can be done so that your child continues to be motivated for school. Simple things like being interested in whatever is going on at school or simply helping your child to develop better studying habits.

Johnson, David. "Color Psychology." Infoplease. 2007. Infoplease, Web. 24 Feb 2010. .

Info Please. com explains how certain colors help to evoke certain moods. It makes me think of how drastically your mood can changes when in school just by walking into a different room when in school.

(most of the sources I used were pretty similar to those listed above)

How everything ties in: Our entire 13+ years in school have done nothing but help to baby us into thinking that everything gets handed to us, therefor this causes us to loose our motivation about school because everything has been made so easy and accessible that we go limp. Not to mention the large setting changes that affect us on a daily basis that constantly throws us into to mood swings.

This could all be connected to how our concentration is lost over time because we have been filtered to believe by our peers that playing our role in school and saving face is more important that actually paying attention in class. School has become a pathetic popularity contest which causes our list of priorities to become screwed up.

Addition:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2172364_maintain-immaturity-throughout-life.html

Who knew? tthis site provides pointers on how to mainteain and manage the immaturity that surrounds your life. The site puts a good spin on it basically saying that having a bit of immaturity in your life can actually be a good thing. It doesn't really connect it to school but it does give some kind of insight.

Hw 40- The People Make The Person

Talking about school doesn't seem to be interesting to alot of current teens because we don't really have anything to look back on. I believe that when talking about school with older people you strike them back to the 'ol glory days' and how they used to chase the pretty girls or how they had the times of their lives. But then you get the sour adults who tell you about how the starting quarterback gave them daily swirlys.

Which begs the question...What makes school fun? or not fun?

I got this idea by from watching movie to be honest. One movie in particular The Wood which is basically about a bunch of guys that are looking back the 'glory days' and how they may or may not have let the loves of their lives slip away.

My first interviewer...Lets call him Thomas.

Q: What was your favorite time of the school day?
A: The morning...No wait the late afternoon.
Q: Why?
A: (forced laugh) One being 16 had alot to do with it. I mean who likes to be cooped up for hours shuffling from room to room. I mean I also liked lunch too. But its embarrassing to say that I liked getting out of school so that I could see my girlfriend.
Q/R: Aw, that's sweet. So would you say that knowing that you would see her made school fun?
A: Not really, I had to wait until after school to see her so in that context school just seemed like something that had to be done in order to so what I really wanted to do.

My second interviewer...Lets call her Suzie.

Q: What's the most important thing that you remember about school?
A: I don't know. (laughs) It was so long ago girl!
Q: Well would you say it was classes or friends or relationships...?
A: Work I guess, I was very studious. I liked to get my assignments in on time. I liked making sure that everything was done when it had to be done. I remember having one close friend but she moved away in my junior year.
Q: If you had to use one word to describe school what would it be?
A: Necessary.

My third interviewer...Lets call him Ben.

Q: If you had to describe school using one word what would it be?
A: Uh...hard?
Q: Why would you use that word?
A: Well its my first year of college and I think I went into it in a stereotypical mindset that once I reached this step in my life that I would be free to do what I wanted and that somehow it would be easier I guess.
Q: Huh, if you could eliminate school as a component in your life would you?
A: No...Yeah...(laughes) parts of it.
Q: Which parts?
A: The parts where I was failing or taking tests or fighting with my friends or single.

My fourth interviewer...Me.

Q: If I had to describe school in one word what would it be?
A: Weird.
Q: Why?
A: Because we all follow rules but we can't really place the origin of them, we wasted the youngest years of our lives in school to then waste more years of it paying for it and in some cases are not even promised a job. Mostly we are defined by numbers and our ability to remember.
Q: Would you say that school is fun?
A: Sometimes. I feel like school is made up of the people. Sometimes its fun to be around people and sometimes its not...

Part B

When I was interviewing Thomas and Suzie it got me to thinking about youth. I think that in someways when reminiscing about school we come down to one question: was it fun? I would say that we enjoy our time better when we are having fun and enjoying ourselves. Since we spend a good chunk of our lives in school being talked at, we tend to judge school as fun or not fun. Making a connection it seems like we remember school as fun relating to our popular status. As shallow as it sounds it seems to be true.

But why?

Is something only fun when you have people doing whatever you say and staring at you on a daily or hourly basis? Hmm... I think the things that make school fun is mostly the people and possibly the grades. I mean if you want to get somewhere in life (depending on the society that you are living in and what you have been taught to believe)

I think the people part of school is the most interesting part of school because no matter where you go in life you are going to meet all different kinds of people and alot of us can learn and pick up some people skills. We might not need trigonometry or chemistry as much as we need to know how to get to know people because you'll never know who you might meet or who might change your life. It seems to me that we all have this view of 'BOO School!!!' but somehow we all show up at 8:30 (sometimes later) to be talked at for hours without knowing why. And we have never thought to question it.

Hw - 39 Re-do

Interesting Questions
1. Why is there a power structure in school?
2. Why are we defined by our numbers?
3. Why do we all have the same 'school dreams'?

Fascinating Questions
1. Why do teachers wear the badge of 'I've done this already, I don't need this'?
2. Why is there so little time in between classes?
3. Why is it bad to cut class?

Powerful Questions
1. Why is there so much homework?
2. Why do teachers like to be nosy?
3. Why can't we call our teachers by by their first names?

Ideas...
1. School is like a 'legal prison'
2. This idea of school has been passed down for so long we no longer question it
3 The only reason people like school is to show-off
4. School is just another way to meet people and prove yourself
5. School is like a stage, where the teachers are our directors

Part B. Why do teachers have all of the power?/ Why do teachers wear the badge of "I've already done this, I don't need this"?

To begin with us 'kids' have been brought us to believe that adults need to be respected by all those uh...below them. I find that this statement can be true sometimes but not when you want to be equal. Like those teachers who say 'don't call me by my first name' Why not..? We all have first names, why are we being reduced to calling you by your last name? Are you ashamed of your first name? I think that this gives teachers the rush of being in charge, of being the authority figure. But they don't want to admit this. They say its a term of respect. Why can't we share the power? I'd like to see some of the students prepare a lesson plan or two. Instead of teachers wasting their time teaching us how to count the amount of atoms in Au.

As well as the very unfair chain of power, teachers feel as though when students feel the need to have a tiny bit of free time the teachers often gets uptight and yells something like 'one mic' or 'we are wasting your time' or '...I don't need this' or 'the homework is going to be on this material' right... No matter what happens in the 55 minutes the teacher doesn't lose any pennies from their paycheck.

Does that mean that teachers really care about their jobs?

or

They have to be in control the entire period, so when the attention isn't on them...that becomes a problem.

What's also weird is how teachers take forever to grade things, but they are constantly giving out more and more work to students; which results in a longer period of ungraded work. But God 'fahbid' we ask what our grade is... all hell breaks loose. 'True Story'.

Why do teachers think that we need this?

I'm sure that if you ask a teacher "Why do you do what you do?" or "Why is it important for us to learn what you're teaching us?" or "When are we going to use this math?" We will most likely get some generic answers about how this material is a part of the core curriculum and that we must learn this to graduate in order to get in to a good college blah blah blah. Or something like "I'll address that after school, for now get back to work please"

I don't think that we will ever get the answers that we want to any of the questions that we have about school. We all have the image of getting a 'good job' and going to a good college and for so long that image, that idea was all that we needed for the motivation for school. I mean for some reason we think that its such a bad thing to cut class or school. We fear and dread being late or absent and having to catch up on days of homework. We can't evade that call home. We drag ourselves here every morning but we don't really know why. We just know that we have to or else. School has become a place where a large question mark hovers over and we have lost the energy to wonder why we come here and why we invite ourselves to the sold out show we call our lives.

Hw - 39- We Go To School To Get Smarter And Work Harder...Right?

Questions about 'Skewl'...

1. Why are we defined by our numbers?
2. Why do teachers have the power?
3. Why are teachers exempt from being late?
4. Why do teachers get to hover over students but students can't hover over teachers?
5. Why do teachers wear the badge of 'I've done this already, I don't need this'?
6. Why does school start at 8:30am?
7. Why is lunch so short?
8. Why can teachers have phones out but students cannot?
9. Why do students have to ask to go to the bathroom in some classes but don't in others?
10. Why is there so much homework?
11. Why do students like to be nosy?
12. Why do teachers like to be nosy?
13. Why do we have double periods?
14. Why is it bad to cut class?
15. Why do teachers play roles?
16. Why is there a food chain in school?
17. Why are we forced to work in groups?
18. Why do we have assigned seats?
19. Why are we tested?
20. Why can't we text in class?
21. Why can't we call our teachers by by their first names?
22. Why do we need permission to leave early?
23. Why do we need late passes?
24. Why is there so little time in between classes?
25. Why don't teachers do their own homework?
26. Why can't everyone get a 100%

Part B. Why do teachers have all of the power?/ Why do teachers wear the badge of "I've already done this, I don't need this"?

To begin with us 'kids' have been brought us to believe that adults need to be respected by all those uh...below them. I find that this statement can be true sometimes but not when you want to be equal. Like those teachers who say 'don't call me by my first name' Why not..? We all have first names, why are we being reduced to calling you by your last name? Are you ashamed of your first name? I think that this gives teachers the rush of being in charge, of being the authority figure. But they don't want to admit this. They say its a term of respect. Why can't we share the power? I'd like to see some of the students prepare a lesson plan or two. Instead of teachers wasting their time teaching us how to count the amount of atoms in Au.

As well as the very unfair chain of power, teachers feel as though when students feel the need to have a tiny bit of free time the teachers often gets uptight and yells something like 'one mic' or 'we are wasting your time' or '...I don't need this' or 'the homework is going to be on this material' right... No matter what happens in the 55 minutes the teacher doesn't lose any pennies from their paycheck.

Does that mean that teachers really care about their jobs?

or

They have to be in control the entire period, so when the attention isn't on them...that becomes a problem.

What's also weird is how teachers take forever to grade things, but they are constantly giving out more and more work to students; which results in a longer period of ungraded work. But God 'fahbid' we ask what our grade is... all hell breaks loose. 'True Story'.

Why do teachers think that we need this?

I'm sure that if you ask a teacher "Why do you do what you do?" or "Why is it important for us to learn what you're teaching us?" or "When are we going to use this math?" We will most likely get some generic answers about how this material is a part of the core curriculum and that we must learn this to graduate in order to get in to a good college blah blah blah. Or something like "I'll address that after school, for now get back to work please"

I don't think that we will ever get the answers that we want to any of the questions that we have about school. We all have the image of getting a 'good job' and going to a good college and for so long that image, that idea was all that we needed for the motivation for school. I mean for some reason we think that its such a bad thing to cut class or school. We fear and dread being late or absent and having to catch up on days of homework. We can't evade that call home. We drag ourselves here every morning but we don't really know why. We just know that we have to or else. School has become a place where a large question mark hovers over and we have lost the energy to wonder why we come here and why we invite ourselves to the sold out show we call our lives.

Hw - 38 - To Be or Not To Be?

Well since the holiday of love is coming up, lets focus cool around that. We all know from last year that Americans find someway to milk money out of anyone who has a job, a wallet or parents with a job and wallet. What we don't realize is that Valentines Day forgets about those...other people. You know? The ones not in a couple...

Third Wheel Skit

Characters:

Bob- The star uh... Rugby player. You know he's all 'buff' and not to mention 'brolic' good looking...blah blah blah

Jamie- Bob's girlfriend for a shocking 6 months! Smart and on her way to the honor roll...not there yet

Jennifer- Jamie's best friend since 7th grade, they have gone through everything together...just about everything.

Setting: The rugby field, after practice. Jamie runs to Bob who is smiling waiting for her embrace.

Bob: hey honey, you didn't have to wait for practice to finish

Jamie: Eh, why not? We will end up spending the day together anyway.

Bob: [now hugging her] True, just let me get changed. Can you meet me at the car in about 10 minutes?

Jamie: [kisses him on the cheek] sure thing.

-Meanwhile, Jamie rests on the hood of the car. She greets her friend Jenifer as she walks up to her-

Jamie: Hey, hun what's up?

Jennifer: Hey. I was just in the computer lab finishing my history paper.

Jamie: Sounds like fun. Have any plans tonight?

Jennifer: [shrugs] No,not really.

Jamie: Aw, but it's Friday.

Jennifer: I think I know my days of the week. What are you doing tonight?

Jamie: I think Bob and I are gonna go catch a movie, early v-day treat.

Jennifer: Oh...

Jamie: [readjusts her book bag] Do you wanna come?

Jenifer: Uh, I don't know.

Jamie: Oh, come on it'll be fun! All of us watching a great movie. It's been a while.

Jennifer: I know its been a while, but I don't think you guys want some awkward third wheel hanging around when you guys want some personal time.




1. What insights about cool does the art integrate? What do you hope people will realize or question from their encounter with your art?

This brings me back to the idea of 'contradicting cool'. Because in a way it was nice of Jamie to invite her friend since she didn't really have plans. But it was also cool for Jenifer to decline the offer to give her and her friend's boyfriend some time alone.

I think I want people to realize that cool can be looked at in several different views and that everyone who thinks that there is this supreme cool might just be wasting their time. I want people to question why there are so many different ideas on how and what cool is and why they all are not 'cool'.

2. Describe the process of making the project - how'd you do each step? If it was a group project, what did you contribute?

I knew that I wasn't going to do a video project from the start. I wanted to write something that people could easily relate to or could at least make a connection on. Since V-day is coming up I thought it would be best to do something that had to do with couples...

3. Does making art seem cool to you? Why or why not?

Sure. I like the idea of art, I just don't think that my 'art' is what other people would see as art. The 'universal idea' of art is painting and drawing etc. I would say that making art is cool, because it gives you a chance to express yourself at a different angle with words or pictures or drawings. Artists are cool and hot. But like the contradicting ideas that we all have of cool, they can be applied to any and everything that we have different views on.