​And the list goes on... 

The last list dealt with sessions from the conference (the ones I attended and the ones I was presenting). In my sights post, I listed places learning happened outside of the conference center. 

This post, though, is probably the most important. 

More than the place or the learning, a great conference happens because of the people who are there and the connections that are made. This year continued the traditions of meeting up with online friends (some I have known for nearly a decade now), meeting up with long-time friends, and even throwing some family in the mix.

I remember the first NAEA conference I attended. 

I was so nervous and more awkward than usual as I anxiously met many of my #artsedheroes face to face. I will never forget that first conference and how different it was this year; instead of feeling awkward and a little bit alone, I knew a friendly face around each corner and often met them with a hug and a smile. I am really proud of the relationships that have grown as a result of the connections I have made with other teachers at the conference and through social media. 

It makes saying good-bye at the end of the conference not so bad, because I know I am going to see and hear from them soon.

I have met so many generous teachers throughout the years - many online. I am so thankful for the connections I have made on Twitter and Facebook and how those connections have really transformed my approach to teaching (which I spoke about here).

These connections have led to keynotes in three States, published work, and so many ideas that have helped me become a better teacher and my students produce more meaningful work.

When I go to a conference, we swap stories of student success (and epic teacher fails) and laugh a lot in the process. We catch up on families, hometown happenings, and future endeavors. I am not sure if I will be at #NAEA17, but one thing that would draw me there is my #artsedPLN.

Carrie Jeruzal and I became friends during our first trip to Chicago, one day after meeting each other.

We were both enrolled in the Master of Arts in Art Education program at Western Michigan University. As a part of our Alternative Photo Processing class, we took an overnight trip to Chicago and toured many of the museums listed in this post. During that short time, Carrie and I became fast friends (she talked me into join MAEA and presenting at my first conference).

We were also roomies. 

So when it comes to conferences, we try to room together (as we did this year) making our "roomie" pic ever so fitting. 

My older sister, Elaine, is also an Art teacher. 

When I tell anyone that, they automatically make the leap that she must be the reason why I also became an Art teacher. I used to really deny that as even a possibility, but who am I kidding? Of course my older sister (the person I grew up idolizing and annoying) had an impact on my choice to become a teacher. 

I am so glad she has gotten back into teaching and attending conferences with me. I am thankful for her friendship, understanding, and ability to let me be me. 

We may not always be on the same page, but we are part of the same book.

I am thankful she is my sister and that I have family with which to share this experience. Although, I am sure we were both ready to go to our respective homes after several days of continuous contact... 

Every year is the best one yet.

There are so many things that happened this year that I could not have predicted and I am very thankful for that. Even so, there are some things I have yet to accomplish that I am very hopeful for in the coming year.

I do not have a list of resolutions, just a focus on wanting to be better, more positive, and hopeful for the "what ifs" that are both exciting and unknown. I know 2016 is poising itself to be ever better, but before I finally say goodbye to 2015, here are a few of the things that made it one heck of time in my life:  

This was the year I got back to making art on a semi-regular basis. It is funny to think as an art teacher I would have trouble making art myself. This year I made a point to carve out time to learn new techniques, paint paintings I have had in my mind for years, and explore what I love most: drawing. Here's to even more making in 2016!

This year was filled with sharing various tips and tricks for building, maintaining, and growing a great program. As a way to give back to the #artsed community that has helped nurture me into the teacher I am today, I feel it is important to share what has worked, what has not, and what is possible when you reach out, try new things, and let your students lead their learning experiences. FromMACUL, NAEA, AOE Live, #k12artsedchat, and finally MAEA, it was a blast to learn and share with teachers wanting to improve their craft, too!

​I already have some exciting ways I plan to share even more in 2016 (even as soon as January for ECET2 in San Diego), but I am very thankful for having the opportunities in 2015 to work both face to face and online with the best community I know! 

The biggest jump for me as a teacher has been from stepping back. I moved to a Design Thinking Process with students that focuses on making original works through the examination ofThemes. By allowing my students to take the lead when it comes to their learning, I have been amazed with how much more energized and excited I have become in the process.

​Instead of always knowing how things are going to turn out with each lesson, I am surprised with outcomes like a flowered-crocheted ski mask, golden venture jewelry, and many other new uses for symbols and materials that I might not have ever discovered without my students taking charge. I am so thankful that I took this leap into the unknown and am excited about the new discoveries to come in 2016!

Whatever 2016 brings, I know it will be greeted with a smile and a heart filled with hope. I had such a fun 2015 and am excited for whatever happens next! 

Last weekend I was in downtown Grand Rapids for the annual MAEA Conference. In addition to presenting in four sessions, I also got to learn SOOO many amazing things from great artists and teachers alike!

I have been wanting to post this since Sunday, but with The Fire Up! Student Teacher Conference on Monday and Parent-Teacher Conferences this week, as well as putting our first issue of the school newspaper to print, I have been SWAMPED. We all have our excuses, which are  not really a reason to ditch duties, but I finally feel like I have some time to sit, reflect, and share my favorite moments from #MAEA15.

Here are my top three highlights from the weekend:

I learned a ton this past weekend. I would say it was one of the most content-rich conferences I can remember! I think what made the learning so powerful was that I got to create while I was learning. From making jewelry with the pre-service teachers at Grand Valley State University, to drawing with ArtPrize winner Adonna Kare, to dying scarves (which I cannot wait to do with my students), it was a whirlwind of activity that allowed me to stretch my creative mind and learn along the way.

I had the pleasure of presenting 4 sessions at this conference. I got to share ideas about technology and collaborating with STEM, using thematic units and standards-based grading, as well as monoprinting with Gelli Arts printing plates. It is always fun to give back by presenting at these sessions, and I want to give a special shout-out to Gelli Arts, Schoology, TechSmith, andiPevo, who gave me goodies to pass on to teachers.

My favorite parts of any conference is connecting with teachers I do not get to see everyday. This included teachers I have connected with online and finally met face to face, people I nominated for awards (like Jim Meyers from Artsonia) and my sister, who teaches Art in Indiana and makes the trek north to come to MAEA. The people are the reason I go to these conferences. 

I had a great time attending MAEA in Grand Rapids, and I am super excited for next fall, when we will meet in Traverse City! Now, I need to go and rest. I have some fun presentations and interactions to prepare for in the coming weeks.

I hope to see you on Twitter this Thursday for this:

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!

I have lived a very fortunate life so far. I have a great husband to share adventures with, a great job to share my life's passion, and a great hometown with my favorite Art museum in all of Michigan. Some people might not think of Flint as a great place to view Art, but they are mistaken. I am proud to call that city the place where I came from and enjoy visiting knowing I can always escape into the wonderful collection of works housed at the Flint Institue of Arts. 

I grew up surrounded by masters I know I can count on to make me feel welcome each time I go back. Krasner, Cassatt, Sargent, Hanson, Rickey, and so many others who would greet me time and again, kept me company through my journey into adulthood and as I transformed from student to teacher. Many of my college Art classes were taught in studio spaces connected to the FIA, which allowed me to easily go back and forth between classes and whisper my hopes and dreams to each piece as a promise that I would always return and that they would always be there when I did. 

The FIA has had a major remodel since I graduated from college. It is now a slick building with clean lines and when I visit, I am greeted with a wonderful Chihuly hanging from the ceiling and a Dine in the middle of the lobby. The diverse collection includes works from around the world, both ancient and contemporary, and is put together in a way that is both warm and inviting and makes me feel 18 again. 

During my last visit, my husband and I were approached by the Executive Director, John B. Henry. He engaged us in a conversation about art (specifically the Butterfield piece in their sculpture gallery) and we spoke several times during our time there. I do not recall any other museum where that has happened in my lifetime (and I have been to plenty of museums). I am grateful that I can call this place, that has been so welcoming over the years, an essential player behind my appreciation for Art. 

If you ever get a chance to make your way to Flint, MI, you must stop by the FIA. Here are some images from my visit there this past week:

Now for the give-away: What museums inspire you most and why? Is it the collection, the location, or an intangible essence that keeps you going back for more? Post below for a chance to win something I purchased during my last trip to the FIA!

One of the best parts of my job are key moments during the year that give me opportunities to pause, reflect, and pace my actions to build and maintain momentum both personally and professionally. Spring Break is an important marker every year. Those ten days of time spent away from grading, lesson plans, and time with nature, art, and my family help me take a beat to breathe and visualize how I will finish the school year in a way that propels the upcoming school year even stronger than this one. 

This Spring Break, I had the opportunity to travel to a long-time favorite destination of The Smokies in Tennessee. In addition to hiking up to Charlie's Bunion with my husband, we made sure to spend time exploring the Art Museum and River Arts District in Asheville, North Carolina. It was nice to take this time and focus my energies on physical and mental fitness, both of which allowed me to reflect on my classroom and how I can bring in aspects of mindfulness and exploration into the fold of art-making, rather than sticking with the daily grind. 

This year has been an interesting one for me professionally. I have had a lot success with students and received professional recognition in the process. It is also the year I have given the most control to my students through the use of theme-based inquiry with choice in the classroom. It is a year that I have grappled with still having one foot in a more open studio, with another in the realm of teacher directed methods. 

During my time exploring art in Asheville, I could not help but feel a responsibility to continue on my journey towards leading students to view themselves as artists and push them to explore ideas using methods and means that invent along the way. This became searingly obvious through the work I viewed in the Art Museum and during my time in the River Arts District. 

The Asheville Art Museum is a pleasure to attend. If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend it. It is an intimate space that has a wonderful collection of work that includes some of my favorites like Chuck Close, Jim Dine, and Louise Nevelson. It also features an "Art Play(ce)" where children (or people like me) are invited to play with manipulatives to explore ideas with design and space. 

In addition, they had an installation in the museum by Sharon Louden called Community, encouraging participants to interact with the shimmering display by photographing themselves within the space and using social media to share their experience. This ability to easily interact was something I enjoyed about this Museum. Even the bathroom was a testament to the accessibility of art through a street-style mural that included broad mark making, wheat paste overlays, and sharpie designs. If you are in the area, I strongly suggest you check it out (and then have lunch at The Chestnut, because it is delicious).

The River Arts District was also a great stop to make. I enjoyed being able to enter smaller gallery spaces and working studios where artists were busy at work and focusing on the creative process. It is always inspiring to see what work is being made using a diverse set of materials for a variety of purposes. I particularly enjoyed the artists who took the time to talk with me and offer me insight to their process as well as leads on how to get free supplies. If you are ever in the area, I would recommend stopping by Stephen Lange's studio to see his works created with reflective tape as well as the stampbord work by Stephanie Grimes. It was a reminder to push my students to find their voice as an artist by opening options in the classroom. 

I am still not fully recovered from all of the learning, laughing, and dancing while conferencing it up in The Big Easy this past weekend. It was an amazing time and I had so much fun with the more than 4,000 other Art Teachers who headed down South for the 2015 National Art Education Association Conference. 

I have a lot take-aways from the conference I plan to share, but if I do it all at once, this post will be forever long. 

So, I am breaking it down into five parts, part one can be found here, part two here, part threehere, and here is part four:

This is the first year I gave myself permission to skip some of the sessions and venture into the city for small adventures. This included finding a Banksy, cementing my reputation as the ultimate speed walker, admiring artists with their art in Jackson square, exploring the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, and being inspired by the sights, sounds, and smells along the way. 

Even though I was not in a room listening to a speaker, I learned so many things during these times away from the conference and look forward to introducing my students to the new artists, ideas, and concepts conceived as I wound my way through the city in search of sights and sounds I can't find anywhere other than NOLA. 

Luckily my #artsedpln was just as interested in finding a Banksy as I was. We walked together (maybe a little too much and a little too fast) during a two hour gap in our day. It was interesting to finally get to the piece to see it was tagged. We tried to find another one what had been located close by, but it tuns out it was already painted over. That is the breaks when you are dealing with street art. If you want to go on your own Banksy adventure while in NOLA, check out this Google Map to help locate pieces. I want to thank Chris, Donna, Holly, Stacy, and Tim for venturing out to see this with me! 

One of my goals at this conference was to visit a museum. Luckily, I was not the only one. My sister and I went to the Ogden Museum of Southern Art after I heard Craig Roland recommend it at the #artsedpln meet-up. I am so glad I was able to check out the unique collection and I am so inspired to take these artists' works back to my students. 

I was particularly taken with Jim Roche's variety of works and Benny Andrews mixed media paintings. I am not sure I would have been exposed to these artists had I not left the convention center. Now, I am thinking on how I can use the symmetry seen in Roche's work when we create things like this or how we might incorporate fabric and clothing in painting or mixed media like Andrews. 

You can see more of the museum below: 

One of my favorite parts of the conference was when I crossed paths with two other art teachers (Matt and Craig) on the way back to the airport at 4 a.m., well after the conference officially concluded. When checking out of the hotel, we realized we were all headed in the same direction, so we split a cab. As we talked about our schools, students, and sessions, we also realized we shared the same flight. 

Our conversations about curriculum continued all the way up until we boarded our flight, proving that PD can happen anywhere. They shared their conference presentation and I shared mine. I learned about a free digital painting tool called Alchemy. I was so impressed with the work their students, I made sure to grab their information so I could share it with my students, too! If you are interested in seeing more student work like the image in my above tweet, check out Matt and Craig's website. They are both dynamic teachers whose students are lucky to have them in the classroom! 

I am still not fully recovered from all of the learning, laughing, and dancing while conferencing it up in The Big Easy this past weekend. It was an amazing time and I had so much fun with the more than 4,000 other Art Teachers who headed down South for the 2015 National Art Education Association Conference. 

I have a lot take-aways from the conference I plan to share, but if I do it all at once, this post will be forever long. 

So, I am breaking it down into five parts and here is the first: 

My world of PD and connecting with other educators opened up when I joined various social media sites over the past decade. We share ideas, take away resources, and learn along side each other on Facebook and Twitter every day. It is so awesome to have some time at the conference to be with these people in person and actually talk about our passions for art, education, technology, and what we do to help our students be successful. If you would like to join in the fun, just jump online and seek us out - the more the merrier! 

I want to thank Craig Roland and Davis Publications for helping foster a meet-up at this year's conference so we could have time to connect, share, and put faces to Twitter handles! 

We also got a chance to hang out at dinner, where we shared stories from our classrooms and new ideas from the conference. Thanks again, Holly, for organizing this evening out! 

Some of the #artsedpln joined in on the fun from miles and miles away... If you want to hear some great advice about decompressing after a conference, check out Ted's blog. 

I had a great time last week facilitating an MAEA Summer PD workshop on Technology in the Art Classroom. We were very fortunate to have the wonderful facilities of Byron Center High School to demonstrate what is possible when you effectively employ technology in the classroom and allow your students to interact and document their learning through various tools. As you can see from the pictures above, there was plenty of hands-on messiness for this workshop and proof that more technology does not lead to less hands-on learning! I have to give a HUGE thank you to Schoology and TechSmith Education for helping me put together such a great workshop. I got a ton of positive feedback and their help was crucial in making that happen! 

This was my second year as a workshop facilitator for MAEA Summer PD - I hope to do it again next year! 

I had an awesome time at WGVU Studios last Wednesday for the PBS LearningMedia Summit. As a 2014 PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovator, I had the opportunity to share my experiences with using this resource in my classroom and some insight on why it is SO valuable. If you have not checked it out, you really should. Like now. Stop reading this and go sign up for a free account. You will be wondering why you hadn't sooner, I promise! 

In addition to sharing resources, it was great to meet other teachers and the members of WGVU Studios. Their passion for helping teachers and bringing opportunities to students is something that left me extremely pumped for the upcoming school year. 

I feel that these learning opportunities have helped me feel more prepared to enter my classroom after a long summer of hiking, travel, and making art. 

What has helped you feel more prepared about entering your classroom this Fall? Any tips, websites, or new ideas you can't wait to share? Feel free to comment below. 

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of being a featured presenter/speaker for the Connected Educator Un/Conference in Jackson, MI. It was really fun to share ideas on technology in the classroom and learn from others on how they implement strategies to engage all students and push them beyond any limits set. There was also dancing, which is a bonus anywhere I go.

When reflecting on the people I met and things I learned, I keep thinking back to how the day started. Andy Losik gave a fun opening to the conference with his keynote on "making your teaching an excellent adventure and not a bogus journey." Even though I think I am more a child of the 90s, having two sisters 7 and 10 years older than me fostered an appreciation and understanding of all things 80s. I easily understood the references made throughout his talk. I am also a huge movie junkie, so that helped, too. 

One of the movies referenced in his keynote that I always make sure to stop on when flipping through the channels is The Breakfast Club. During Andy's presentation, he talked about the choices and actions we make and take as educators. He went through his own teaching journey and the moment he realized that we can totally create and nurture an environment that reaches students where they are, instead of forcing them to be versions of ourselves.

The following image was used in his keynote to discuss students, but as I have been reflecting over the past few days, I think it has a broader use.  

One of the pitfalls of living in a world full of labels is that we can fall into the trap of categorizing things and not seeing the overlap that occurs. This can happen with students; it also happens with teachers and subject areas.  

My subject area is a casualty of this all of the time. I get strange questions from teachers in other content areas wondering if we have Standards. Yes, the Arts do and they are being rewritten with a role out this summer. Wha??? I know! 

One emphasis in Arts education is showing the overlap of other content through creating. performing, presenting, and responding in the Arts. Life doesn't happen in isolation and I think the Arts make it a point to highlight that. When I am making Art, I am not just thinking about the object being sculpted or image being drawn so I can make it "pretty." I am thinking about how it is going to make sense in the world and what purpose it serves myself or others. I might be creating for a personal outlet or to send a larger message, but I am using all of the skills and ideas learned from all areas of my life to do so. I try to do the same overlap when I am designing lessons or selecting works or artists to present to my students. I want them to understand that creating and working through ideas can be messy. It is not as easy as just sticking a label on it and calling it done. 

I wonder what other subject areas are struggling through misconceptions of what they teach. Are they a victim to a label on a schedule and preconceived notions of what others think? If your subject area was a character from The Breakfast Club, which would it be based on how others view it? What can we do as teachers to demonstrate that it is more complex than that?