I completed a year at Franklin. I knew it would be good, but I didn't know it would be this good, and interesting too. It's so cool to have little kids run up to me in the playground and say "Hi, Mr. Wagner!"

I have heard from parents about the impact the art classes are having on their kids. One parent told me a story about a state official having a meeting with the principal, the teacher and herself about the possibility of her child having dyslexia. The official was amazed to hear that the child was drawing with both hands in art class. The official said that this was a very good thing, and to have the child continue with this.

I especially want to thank: Shirley Clem, our principal, who has been nothing but total support for this entire project.

Principle Shirley Clem & Artist-in-Resident Mark Wagner

Thanks to Pam Andrews - 3rd grade teacher and all the teachers at Franklin Elementary School who encourage me. Kapppi Bowen - PTA president and Franklin mom, and all the Franklin parents who have financially and emotionally supported this residency. Rinnan and Dave - my helper dads, and all the art docent parents. Franklin PTA, all my friends, my men's team through the East Bay Nation of Men, and a special thanks to my wife and my two elementary school kids, who got me here in the first place, and to the creative spirit in us all.

David and Rinnan~ Helper Art Dads

All of this is new for me. I have taught in graduate school, state prison, college, but never a year with kids in kindergarten through fifth grade. Dealing with discipline has been an enlightening experience, and discovering that there are two separate worlds in an elementary school (K-2, 3-5) was a trip. I totally have a new respect for all teachers - it's not an easy job. I sense they are often overwhelmed, taxed by the state and federal constraints on their curriculum, and which forces them into places in education they don't even believe in going. I sense that they often have little to no time to put any of their own creative spirit and passion into their classes. It's not right where our government is going in regards to education and the future.

Figuring out what to do with the art that the kids have made in class with me has been something I had not even considered. I apologize to the young artists for not being able to include their names on most of the art represented on this web site. Dealing with 270 kids was pretty crazy, sometimes it was just me running a class of 32 older kids - whew! I had an interesting experience teaching the same basic class to the entire school, the same lesson twelve times, each time fine-tuning it, repeating the things that worked, letting go of the things that didn't, and staying open to new ideas.

The time I spend with the kids is very short. I am now only seeing each class once a month. Twice a month would be better. It's not much but I know it's good. I can tell it's good when the roughest class is quiet while I am showing art and talking about being creative. I can tell when an entire class is lying on the floor with their eyes closed, the lights are out, and the teacher and principal are there with us. I can tell when a little kindergartner runs over to me and hugs my leg and calls my name. I can tell when I hear a parent tell me something their kid told them about life and art, something they learned from my class. I can tell it's good after the feedback I get from the teachers, and by how I feel about all of this.

Teaching your kids feels big. I am aware that I am reaching some of these kids, touching their hearts, minds, and spirits in a way that helps to wake them up to this wonderful and amazing world we live in, full of mythological beasts, colors and shapes. It is my hope that they are learning new ways to see, to express and to interact with the world around them.

In the Creative Spirit,

Mark Wagner
June 2005

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