Concord Community HS Visit

Today I went to visit my old high school since I went home for fall break. I really hope to land a job somewhere that I can feel as at home and part of a community as I do here. I guess that's what I love about Concord. Two of my family members taught here, I participated in an extracurricular activity that gained so much support from the community, and they value the arts and have an incredible music, theatre, dance, and visual arts programs. My mom just recently gave up her responsibilities as the color guard for next year and I am a little disappointed. I knew she wanted to eventually give up those duties but I was hoping it would be at a time when I could apply for the opening and hopefully take over the program. I have so much invested into it that I feel a little lost as to what my plans are after I graduate. But it needed to be done for her own health, so I can't be too upset.

I visited the computer graphic design class taught by Mr. Koch first. He was and still is a fantastic teacher. One of the things I really appreciate about his teaching style is that he brings so much enthusiasm to the classroom and is genuinely excited about the projects his students are working on as well as his own personal work. He always finds one thing about every student's artwork that he flips out over even if the work isn't that technically proficient. He'll be walking around checking on everyone's progress and then just freeze in front of one kid's computer and yell "OHMYGOD. That's sick! I love the way you..." and then tell other kids to check it out and it seriously just brightens the whole classroom. I also appreciate that he is constantly finding new projects for his students to try. Like some of the other classrooms I visited today were doing the same projects I did five years ago while Mr. Koch has completely new projects and lesson plans. I just think in doing that he remains enthusiastic about his job and his kids want to take his classes over and over because it's always changing.

Next I visited Mr. Bieber the ceramics teacher. He is also the head of the art department. I caught the tail end of his last class for the day and he seemed stressed. He kept them after the bell rang because he had asked them several times to wait at their seats and they didn't listen. When they left, I asked him if this class was a bit of a handful. He said that the school allows Freshman Academy kids to select 4th and 5th hour electives and so those periods always end up saturated with students who feel it is a play time. Freshman Academy is a more structured and disciplinary alternative for failing students or just rough kids. He said he's struggling because he doesn't know if he should just clump the main troublemakers together and let them do them, or to spread them out thus tainting and ruining the class for the students who do want something out of it. He also feels that the administration is not regulating class sizes so he is working with 30 kids in a studio that is really only fit to support 20 tops. Not to mention the fact that it's a lot of students to handle by himself. He talked a little bit more about the changes in the school now that they hired an outside principle. This principle is digging right in and making some major structural changes that is rubbing some teachers the wrong way, but Mr. Bieber appreciates it. Everyone has their own opinions.

Unfortunately Mr. Kurtz was gone, he just had a baby! So I was unable to visit his classroom, but he teaches the drawing, painting, and AP art classes. He's much more reserved but he was a great teacher too. There is such a variety of personalities within the department, it's amazing that they work together well!

Anyways, I'm glad I was able to catch up with even just two of my teachers, and I'm glad we still have a good relationship. It's great hearing about all the inside stuff I never realized they had to deal with when I was a student. I got an email back from Greenwood and I will hopefully be visiting their art department next Friday!