I get a ton of inspiration from my classroom by looking to other teachers. I am proud to call many of my #artsedheroes friends and look forward to our time when we connect at conferences. One of the great things about them is how I came to know them. I discovered them all online first before meeting face to face. The internet can be an amazing tool; it is a place where I gather ideas and sort out which ones will help me achieve my goals in my classroom and beyond. 

In addition to finding inspiration from teachers, I have recently been looking to other places on the internets. Here are a few places I regularly venture to for ideas and reminders.

Lauren's Lyst is a lifestyle blog by Lauren G Ireland. I am not really big on lifestyle blogs; I do not consider myself a fashionista, trendsetter, or even remotely stylish. What keeps drawing me back to this blog, though, is Lauren's hope-filled posts that reflect on enjoying life, both the one you have and the one you are building. From highlighting great sights, sweet treats, fun sips, and of course, great fashion, Lauren wraps up each post in personal stories which help remind me that making it personal matters (full disclosure: Lauren's grandmother is my great aunt). I appreciate the aspirational message Lauren offers and it acts as reminder of what I want to try to offer my students when they experience my classroom. 

He Fed, She Fed is a food blog by a couple who lovingly refer to themselves as Romeo and Juliet throughout their posts. I came across this site just a short time ago when trying to figure out where to get dinner in the Grand Rapids area and am sad to say that they concluded their run back in February. Even though their posts are no longer new, I have been enjoying reading back through their reviews and comparing it to my own opinion. Their honest take on food is a great reminder to trust myself and my taste about what is good and what is not. Sometimes I get caught up in hearing how great some restaurant is, and even if I try it a dozen times, I just can't seem to see what others do in it. This blog reminds me it is okay to call things as they I see them and not worry about what others think. 

Twitter is one of my favorite places to connect with teachers and seeing what new ideas and methods are being used to propel learning forward. It is also where I get to follow some of my favorite entertainers, which happen to include the two ladies pictured above, Lennon Parham and Jessica St. Clair. I first started following them after falling for their short-lived show BFF on NBC. I was really sad to see it go and was worried that would be the last chance I would see their shenanigans on air. I was incredibly happy to see them reappear on the USA comedy, Playing House. The show is filled with references and punch lines that makes me wonder if they are ease-dropping on my conversations. Their persistence is admirable and the way they connect with their fans is both fun and sincere. Their work towards living their dream reminds me to never give up on my own. 

One thing I will try to remember as I move into the school year is to keep searching out there for new places that inspire me. If you have a favorite place to find new ideas, please share below. 

Until next time, I will see you on the internets. 

I want to start out this post by giving a huge THANK YOU  to all of the teachers out there who tuned in, downloaded, or went back and viewed the #AOELIVE show last week (in case you missed it, I embedded the video below). It was exciting to see connections being made and great comments left on last week's post. 

Congratulations to Becky, who is the winner of the fun give-away from last week! The goodies will soon be on their way to you.

I was first approached by Andrew McCormick and Tim Bogatz at the NAEA Convention to potentially come on as a guest. I was very hesitant at first. Springtime is probably the most hectic time of year and saying yes to anything else usually ends in a massive headache and regret. So, I didn't really say no, but more of a not right now. Thankfully they came back to me this summer and asked again. 

Saying no is hard. At least it is hard for me. When I do it, I feel like somehow I am admitting failure or lack of ability. I also worry about missing opportunities and wondering if those chances will come around again. I am working on it, though, because I know that could not be further from the truth. I mentioned a book, "Good to Great" by Jim Collins in the #AOELIVE show. One of the reasons I like it is because it explains why saying no is key to growth (both in business and I would argue personally, too). 

If I say yes to every opportunity, something has to give eventually. Either my personal relationships or professional duties will be out of whack and the pressure that comes with saying yes and putting high expectations on what should be done for each commitment can be overwhelming. By trying to focus on being great at everything, I really lose focus of what matters most and it ends with half-way results; the frustration of trying to juggle too many things makes it so I can never really master what interests me most. I have taken on opportunities before because I was worried I might never have the chance again. I should have questioned that feeling, though. If it didn't ever happen because I said no at one time, then I probably don't want to be a part of it at any time. 

Sometimes a book is needed to give permission to say no. If you are looking for that permission, consider this it. I give you permission to say no and be okay with it, knowing if you are supposed to do it you will do it when the time is right. 

I hope everyone is enjoying their time back to school - mine will start eventually (September is only a couple of weeks away). 

Until then, I will see you on the internets!

There is a month left of freedom until I spend my days dictated by alarm clocks, hourly bells, and brief bathroom breaks. As I continue to plan for the upcoming year, I am spending quite a bit of time figuring out the activities for the most important day: the first one.

Since you can only make a first impression once, it is important that students get a clear understanding of what the class is going to be like and who I am. How I behave and what activities I plan sets the tone for every day that comes after. Instead of falling back on safe measures that bore students into complacency, I put forward a vision and challenge to my students to "Elevate to Excellence" as we dive into the school year. 

I have been lucky to have given presentations on this at the NAEA Convention andMACUL Conference and shared many of the ideas and reasons behind why I do what I do and how I manage it all. In case you missed it, here is a quick breakdown envisioning the best first day ever: 

Be Brave: 
Being a teacher is an act of bravery in itself. Anyone willing to put themselves in front of children every day and engage them in a way that helps learning stick despite all obstacles, is brave. The bravery that I am discussing for the first day of school should be a piece of cake compared to that. A few years ago, I threw caution to the wind and took a chance on my students and myself to do something on day one. Instead of doing the safe rules and expectations speech, I decided to engage students with the materials I know they long most to use each year: clay and paint. In order for this to work, I had to have faith in myself and move beyond the initial worries about messes and misbehavior. Instead of focusing on what could go wrong, I lead by living my vision of Art education with my students. We still went over rules and expectations; I just did it as students worked through activities like making collaborative paintings for our school and clay bowls for our annual Empty Bowls night. It has been five years since that first act of bravery, and I cannot imagine going back. 

Be Bold:
A student once told me that I was the second weirdest teacher in the building. I am not sure if it was the dancing, the rapid arm movements as I fast-talk, or what that got me that place, but I would like to think that my bold vision for my classroom and my students helped. As the Art teacher, I have the distinct opportunity to show learning everyday. Because I work with visuals, my students learning is evidenced through drawing, painting, photography and more and shared almost instantly with others; because I post and share online, it is archived, distributed, and can take on new forms and interactions that are both unplanned and offer deeper connections for my students. My students are shown this from the start, even before they enter my classroom. Using Artsionia (which automatically updates grades from the other building to my gallery - so AMAZING), I send out newsletters to parents and even invite students to participate in a summer upload. It has been awesome to see art coming in and for students and parents to get a glimpse of what the Art class is going to be like before they enter the classroom. When they do arrive on that first day, I share our activities and even get responses by artists we are already inspired by in class. By sharing my vision for my classroom in this way, students enter with a sense of purpose and are ready to be a part of the bold vision I have planned.

Be the Bearer of Possible:
It can be easy to be a Debbie Downer. The world is a tough place with a lot of scary things going on every day. I am not advocating forgetting that in place of a know-nothing mentality, but I think it is important to act as a light of opportunity for students so they can see what is possible. Art is the act of making the unseen seen. It is my job to help students reach within themselves and figure out what they want others to see so their voice is heard. I start the year with the motto "Elevate to Excellence," setting the tone for what is expected when they become a part of the program. Each year, the k-12 program does a presentation for our Board of Education, highlighting the accomplishments from the year. I use that video to finish off the first day, right after we have cleaned up our paint or clay. I am proud to say that many of my former students who have taken that challenge have been awarded various recognitions at the local, state, and national level. I want my students to leave my class on the first day of school with messy hands and their heads full of ideas for what they are going to do next because they were inspired by those that came before them.

If you are interested in hearing more, I am excited to talk about this and more on Tuesday with the guys from AOE Live:  

Now, the Give-Away: 
I have some back-to-school goodies to send your way if you leave a comment below about your favorite take-away from Tuesday's AOE Live, featuring even more ways to make this school year your best one yet. 

Congrats to Katherine, from the last give-away - check your email and I will send your FIA goodies post haste. 

Thanks for reading and I will see you on the internets!