School is a week away. I am excited for this, especially since I spent the last few days in my classroom cleaning, organizing, and reworking ideas left over from years past. In the process of hauling cardboard that I had been hoarding since the 2006, I declared this year to be "the year of purging."

As an Art teacher, I have acquired a profound ability to look at things with the eye of a scavenger. A cardboard tube is often saved because it could be used for an armature, or sculpture, or mobile, or something I hadn't thought of yet. My storage room is a mix of shiny new bottles of paint yet to be opened along side strange arrangements of random left shoes, straw hats, various cleaned out milk jugs, and skeins or yarn waiting to be made into something magnificent.

For years, I have been piling up things in my storage room, afraid that once I got rid of something I would need it for a project; that the year I finally decided to throw out the strange foamie things that came in a shipment once, I would have a huge cut to my budget and somehow it would be a saving grace.

This week something changed. Maybe it has been building, or maybe it was sudden; I just know that didn't feel that nagging to hang on to all of the junk that has been crowding my storage closets and suffocating the truly great and well-utilized supplies I have acquired and need. Instead of hanging onto things just because someone at some point gave it to me and I might be able to use it somehow, I have decided to purge my space of anything that has not been utilized within the last 4 years. If I haven't found a use for it within that much time, chances are someone else might. Instead of hanging onto all of it for the sake of having it, it is time to make decisions and edit accordingly.

So, here is to the year of the purge. Maybe it will start in my classroom and branch out to other areas? I recently read a post from Derek Sivers that challenges people to only do the things they are really passionate about doing - to only accept new things that excite you and say no to everything else. This idea is making me rethink how I approach new tasks and will probably influence how I tackle the process of purging as I continue to examine what I have, what I need, and what should go...

In a couple weeks I will start my 9th year in the classroom.

I knew I wanted to be a teacher since high school. When I started college, Art Ed was my major from day one and I never looked back. When I graduated, I got a job right away and was incredibly excited that I got to have a fabulous space to create and work with students. And although I made a ton of mistakes my first year, there are plenty of things that did go right and that I hope never to change.

I started thinking about this post from tweets about the #TMSydney Virtual TeachMeet scheduled for September 12th. The premise is to create a video or presentation that tells your first year teacher self something about what you have learned or what you would have done differently. It is kind of like the post here, where Josh Stumpenhorst writes a letter to his first year self.

This got me thinking, as a first year teacher, what would I want my future self to know? What are things that I should never lose and are critical to remember as the years of teaching accumulate? So here is a letter from my first year teacher self to my current and future self (if I have lost you, sorry, you can go read another post by someone a little more linear).

Dear Future Janine,

First, I want to start out by congratulating you. If you are reading this letter, that means you are still at it, teaching kids and making art and changing the world in the process. You might not still believe this to be true, but it is and don't ever forget it. Although I have not been at this as long as you have, I do have some other key points that you should never forget, no matter how long you plan to teach.

1. Get out from behind your desk. I realize you are not as young and spry as me, but please get up from your chair and move around. Remember to change things up and not be afraid of the bizarre looks from your students when you tell them to stand on their chairs while flailing around to learn the color wheel. Be amused in their groans of protest and realize that you need to get up and moving just as much as they need it. Please do not turn into one of those teachers that is constantly on auto-pilot, anchored to their desk and passive in their teaching. Teaching is active and messy, especially in the Art room - so keep buying clothes on clearance because you are bound to ruin plenty in the process.

2. You are not an island. Sure, you might be the only one in your building that teaches Art, but you do not have to go all Cast Away because of it (even though students do seem to like it when you talk to your staplers - keep doing that). Make sure you keep reaching out and making friends in the process. You have a lot you can learn from others and who knows, they might learn something from you, too. Remember that you are better when you reach out and connect with people. Please do not fall into the trap of closing your door - keep it open and do not be afraid of letting people inside. It has worked for me so far, and I have a feeling it will continue to do so.

3. You are lucky. I have been waiting and working for this opportunity for quite a while and although many people in college looked at me sideways when I told them I was not worried about getting a job, realize that you are incredibly lucky to have yours. I am in awe of the fact that you get to do something that is so fun and rewarding. Please do not turn into one of those teachers who find something to complain about all of the time. If you do, then turn in your keys and let someone like me take over for you, because I cannot imagine a sadder sight. You have always wanted to teach because you know what good teachers have done for you; remember you have the capacity to do that for others. Put whatever passing annoyances aside and make that your purpose for moving forward.

Well, all I have left to say is that I am excited. I know I am going to make mistakes (and believe it or not, you will continue to make them, too), but I really hope this feeling of excitement remains no matter how many years of teaching passes. Good luck as you start another year and remember to smile more than not.

Take Care -

First Year Teacher You :)

Last Spring, I had the opportunity to hear Steve Dembo speak at MACUL in GR. Ever since his presentation, one thing he said stuck with me more than anything from that entire conference.

"In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 people."

Of course, there is the infamous Andy Warhol quote "In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes" that this is playing from. So it may be that Steve's take on the quote stuck because of this (my last name is Campbell, after all, and one of the benefits is making cool Warhol-like signs for my room featuring Soup Cans). But I think it stood out because it is probably true.

Andy Warhol was before his time when he coined the concept "15 minutes of fame." With endless hours of Reality TV and Youtube and ridiculous meme's, it is quite possible for everyday people to become famous and usually that fame passes by as quickly as it came (and re-emerges over again because nothing ever goes away on the internet).

With social media tools like Twitter, Blogs, Nings, and more, Steve is definitely onto something when he says everyday ordinary people will be famous for others. I even thought about conversations I have had with Visual Arts teachers when I present or go to conferences. I will throw out a name I consider to be famous, but is not necessarily the case for others.

Then I wondered if those people even know that I view them as famous. Some of them I consider to be good friends due to the years of discourse exchanged online, others I admire from afar and enjoy their points of view and hope they continue to share and contribute to the group. 

So, here are 3 #artsed people who are famous for me (although there are many more out there). I have been able to get to know them through venues like Twitter, but have long admired their work in the field of education and use of technology in the art room - whether they know it or not, each has had a profound impact in my classroom by paving the way and being exemplar models in their own. Maybe they are famous for you, too. If not, you should check them out (or not, it is totally up to you).

3. Ian Sands - This teacher is constantly coming up with stuff that makes me mad. It makes me mad because I did not think of it first! He finds the right kind of balance between being serious about work and having fun in the process. His class blog/website is a go-to place for me and my students when we are looking to be inspired. He is a great teacher, author, and hockey player (well, I am just guessing on the last one) and he is not afraid to share what he does with others.

2. Craig Roland - Without his guy, there would not be www.arted20.ning.com - this site is responsible for all of the AMAZING connections I have made with Art teachers including numerous successful ATC swaps with schools from different states and countries. My students have been able to participate in great initiatives from The Student Creative (and David Gran and Matt Cauthron) which posts for participants via the Ning. I am thankful for his passion and vision in creating spaces where teachers can connect and their students benefit as a result.

1. Tricia Fuglestad - As someone I have never met in person, she has probably had the most impact on my classroom than anyone I have met face to face. She helped me propose a technology package that brought computers and programs into my classroom (and this was before we had even "met" online). Her work in her class inspired me to start a blog, build a webpage, and use student created videos as teaching tools in my classroom. She is the one who pushed me onto Twitter and the result has opened many doors for me to grow and help others in the process. I am in debt to this woman for all of the resources she has thrown my way and I hope to get to meet her in person for the first time this year.

So, here is the challenge - if someone has done something for you that you admire or like or love or has changed your life and made them a celebrity in your book, let them know. They probably have no idea the type of impact they have had and since life is a bunch of passing moments you can't get back, tell them before it is too late. If Steve is right, the chances are that you are probably famous for someone else, too...

So, it seems like I am always reading posts about what education can learn from something else or how it is like something else. I always admire people who write these kinds of posts, so I figured I would give it a go myself. Here is my attempt at connecting two things I love dearly -- teaching and Fraggle Rock.

Last year I brought up one of my favorite Jim Henson creations, Fraggle Rock, with my students and to my shock and dismay they had no clue what I was talking about. I really should not have been shocked, though. The show was only on for around 4 years and I was watching it mostly because my older sisters did (I was only 3 when it first came out, after all).

Due to the wonders of the internet, I am able to re-watch the episodes and have noticed some key reasons I think I fell in love with this show so many years ago. In fact, I think they are the same key components that will help me in my classroom when I start next month.

1. "Play the day away" - The purpose of Fraggles is to play, explore, dance, sing and have fun. I want my classroom to be that kind of environment where students happen to learn a lot of substance while having fun. Fraggles learn their lessons through discovery during play and of a slew of musical numbers. My favorite days teaching are the ones where students groan and moan in protest to cleaning up because we are having "too much fun." When we start up in September, here's hoping we have more days like that than not.

2. "Architecture is meant to be enjoyed" - My favorite group in the show are the Doozers. They work and work, day after day, creating elaborate structures only to have them eaten by the Fraggles. That is their purpose. They create so others can enjoy what they have made. In Art class, I hope to teach my students to create Art for themselves to satisfy their need to say something with visuals. I also hope to teach them that is important to share Art with the world and that it takes guts to put what you make out there for others to enjoy. Some of it will be good, some maybe not so much, but the point it that it is meant to be enjoyed. If you don't ever put yourself out there, then you will never know. I hope through our displays online and in person, students will find much enjoyment in sharing their work with others.

3. "Get friends - friends help" - Even if the advice comes from an unlikely source, like a giant trash heap, it is something that no one should ever be scared of doing. It is okay to say you need help with something, especially if you are not sure how to tackle an issue. I think this is something I have become better at as a result of working with my online PLN. I hope to create a secure enough environment in my classroom for students to turn to each other in times they don't understand and ask for help (as well as me, too).

Without going on too much more about how Fraggle Rock emulates a classroom, I will point out one more thing. Sometimes you have to be a Doozer and sometimes a Fraggle. Doozers are all about working and getting things done and doing them because that is what is supposed to happen. They are structured and thrive off of work and purpose. Fraggles on the other hand play and sing, dance and explore - they discover their world through adventures both in and outside of Fraggle Rock. In both cases, things are better when they work with others and collaborate to create. Sometimes we have to plow through the tests and assessments and skills delegated by the State and National standards and sometimes we get to the real joy of discovery and exploration that learning can bring. Just like anything else in life, I guess it is all about balance.

In case you are like my students and have no clue what Fraggle Rock is, I included their first episode below. It is a treat and I hope you enjoy it!

So, if you would have asked me a year ago if I incorporate technology in my classroom, I would have smiled (probably smugly) and said "Duh!" I thought that because my students created projects using computers, I was incorporating technology in my classroom in a way that was clever and innovative. After spending a good chunk of time learning from others in my online PLN, I have a bit of a different view.

Well, about a week before school started last year I decided to do my pre and post testing for student growth using Moodle. It was a program our school used and I knew of another department who put their classes on there, so I thought I would check it out (mostly because it would grade the tests for me). I had given it a go a while before that, but was totally turned off due to the fact that it was kind of clumsy and really quite ugly.

When I was finally ready and started to really work with it, I was hooked.

I decided that if I could put my tests on Moodle, then maybe I should also consider having students turn their work in on Moodle, too. I had gotten multiple digital cameras from various grants and it was always a bear for me to have to take pics of student work for Artsonia. What if I had students take pictures of their work, upload it to Moodle? Not only did this work, but it also happens that Moodle will rename the files you download from your classes to be in alphabetical order matching up to the Artsonia roster perfectly! I also use this for students to write Artist Statements for their work and can use pair them along with test scores as evidence of growth in skill and understanding. And did I mention there are no more "no name" papers?

Then I started to think, if students are turning work in on Moodle, why not have students get their assignments from there, too? I like to think I am a pretty entertaining teacher - my knowledge and passion for art is something I am proud of, but I also realize that every now and again students will miss my class on a day when I am presenting, or that they may need another go at the information after the initial demo or presentation; some students might even finish way early and be ready to move on to the next thing. Using Camtasia and Screencast-o-matic, I started making videos of my presentations and demos for students to access over and over again if needed. Sometimes I even used them to intro to the class on my overhead and save my voice for more personalized instruction as I go from student to student around my classroom.

Now I understand that being innovative with technology is more than just having students create something with computers or consume something with it. It is about using it in a way that makes me more productive to be with students instead of in front of them all of the time. It is about merging my classroom into an environment of learning that allows me to make better use of my time and student's time so that we can be more productive.

I am definitely not totally there yet or have my Moodle class pages quite as pretty as I would like them, but I am still working on it. Here is a presentation given at MACUL 2012 by Cresta Wright that really helped me think of how to better organize my pages this year.

Do you use Moodle or another online class tool? How has it changed your classroom and what are some tips for making it work the best for both teachers and students?