Of course, right after I commit to start posting more regularly, my kids get sick. Then my wife gets sick. Now, I’m sick. LOL!

Oh well. School has been interesting. I was asked to help out with a poster project to “celebrate” Safe Schools Week. Well, I thought it was a good idea but it has proven so much of a hassle. First off I wanted something more than the detritus the kids normally do for their posters (i.e., print stuff out on the Internet and slap it down on poster board with no thought). I decided to give a lesson on poster design that touched upon propaganda. I found websites featuring some WWII propaganda posters and the Armenian Genocide. Using these as a foundation, I also found information about poster design and we read an article detailing the key components of effective posters.

I felt confident that I gave my students a solid foundation. Unfortunately, what I hadn’t counted on was a) their laziness, b) their lack of experience thinking through problems such as this (despite being exposed to marketing messages everyday via magazines and TV), c) their inexperience doing relevant searches for photo resources, and d) their lack of experience working with projectors, cut paper, colored pencils and X-Acto knives.

In the end, I should have thought through the project more and just realized it was too early in the school year for me to introduce a project that pulled together so many advanced skills. At least it was advanced for my particular group of urban high schoolers. I know that many are getting something out of doing this project, but it has been draining because a two-week project has become a month-long project.

I guess the real lesson was for me!