field work

field work, originally uploaded by mhall209.

Our school has a lot of students who are children of farm workers. When you ask what their parents do for a living these students will usually be evasive. "Work" and "Stuff" are the usual answers. They really need to trust you before they will say "My dad works in the fields." I have never heard a kid say "My parents are farm workers."

Around this time of year they sometimes let it slip, especially the boys. The boys will be excited when their parents "let" them miss school to work in the cherry packing sheds. I understand that by farm worker standards the jobs in the cherry sheds are the top notch jobs. They pay very well, comparatively speaking, and you get to be in the shade all day. So I understand why the parents and kids want to miss school for this. It is not legal, and I don't agree with it, but I understand the situation.

This picture was taken a couple miles from our school. The school is at the edge of the city, the farms start literally down the street from school. The people in this shot could very well be parents of my students. Heck for that matter, they could be my students. This is another image I want to use in class this year. I am hoping the students can relate to the image. The topic? Composition, and leading lines. What do you think?