I need help!

Teaching art can be quite different than other subject areas.  Rather than spending the majority of time in lecture, worksheets, or activities, the students spend the majority of their time working on art pieces.  As such, facilitating an art classroom calls the teacher to different duties.  Often, the "real teaching" happens when I walk around, viewing student pieces, and offer one-on-one critiques and pointers.

One of my classes was not particularly thrilled about my attention to them.  Much of the class had been called away for a meeting to review test scores.  Those remaining deplored my presence.  One asking when their regular teacher would be back.  I gave a prompt, "Never, she just had a baby." Another student chimed in saying that she (their regular teacher) never bugged them but only those who worked slowly.  I reminded them that their teacher had been pregnant and not as able to wander around as usual, and I declared that I tried to give every student individual attention.  She returned, "I'm not your student."  I let it drop and the rest of the class went on with much apathy on the part of the students.

The following day, students began their routine in the class--retrieving drawing implements and their various papers.  Many put in their headphones and selected their own music.  I decided not to turn on the radio and enjoyed the silence.  I wandered a little bit, but was contented that students were on task and I minimized my individualized directives.  I returned to my desk, reviewing things from another class, when a student burst out with, "I need help!"  His tone was not overly emotional, but a matter-of-fact, loud declaration.  I could have rebuffed at his lack of manners, but instead I was amused and somewhat thankful that at least one of my students realized that I was a resource to them.