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! 

 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 three here, part four here, and the final below:

I have a strange confession. I have only been a member of the National Art Education Association for about half of my teaching career. And even so, I may have even let my membership lapse a time or two along the way. When I started teaching right out of college in 2004, I did not understand why I also needed to be a member of my State and National Art organizations. I figured that I got a job and was competent in what I was doing, so I was set. 

I was wrong. 

Luckily, the friend I mentioned in my post about including first-timers, invited me to become a member when she also invited me to present at my first-ever conference. It was at that time and through the relationships I made as a result, that I found the community I did not even know I was missing and I am so glad I did. MAEA and NAEA offer such awesome support and resources to their membership and I am very proud to not only be a member, but contribute to the organization by actively presenting at conferences. 

You might be like how I was about five years ago. I thought I did not need NAEA or my state organization, either, to be successful in my job. And you might be right. But for me, everything clicked once I started getting involved at the State and National Level, not only presenting, but gobbling up the resources offered to members through PD, reading, and the amazing connections with such talented teachers. It helped give me the resources and confidence I needed to survive three pink slips, the crazy amount of self-doubt, and helped spark the tenacity to try and get my students work out there in competitions, exhibitions, and festivals. 

If I have learned anything from this year's conference or any other since I have been attending, it is that the more you give, the more you get. I know it is cliche, but it also happens to be true. I am so happy I was able to present again this year and hope I can continue to to contribute to this tradition of sharing and learning and bringing Art Education to a higher level for improving all programs. 

Here are some highlights from my time at the sessions this year: 

I love to present. 

It must the be 14 years of dance class in my background, but there is something very comfortable to me about being on stage and performing in some sense. I feel it when I am teaching students and when I get to share with other teachers about what I get to teach my students. It is even better when teachers share back what they have done with what they have learned at my presentations. I was especially taken with Cassie Stephens' shout out earlier this year after she adapted content from one of my most popular presentations "Dancing on Chairs (and other strategies for student success)." 

If you happen to use any of my whacky ideas in your classroom, please share. It makes me and my students happy to know we are not the only crazy ones out there. 

I am also so inspired by many of the ideas and teachers I saw present. I want to thank Peter Curran for introducing me to a new term "traditigital" and affirming what I am already doing with blended learning in my classroom. 

I was also inspired by the group participating in this year's curriculum slam. It was amazing to hear teachers share ideas about failure, exploration, and student centered learning through the promotion of choice and voice in the classroom. I especially enjoyed Steve Ciampaglia's explanation of students creating unwinnable videos, Olivia Gude's impassioned vision of student empowerment in the classroom, and Jake Myers take on video production. It was a great session and one I look forward to attending again next year (maybe I will even apply to be in it)! 

And finally, it would not be a complete conference without some great stuff to take home. Thanks again to Kimberly Cairy, September Buys, and the rest of the Middle Level group for organizing great give-aways like the one below. This combined with all of the loot given away from vendors in the exhibition hall was awesome and I am excited to share these goodies with my kiddos in the classroom as we finish the year out strong! 

If you were like me about five years ago and need an invitation to start getting involved, consider this it.  I ask for you to do so selfishly because the more teachers like you that get involved and share and present and post their ideas, the more I get to learn and become better, too! 

I hope my five-part series of #NAEA15 in NOLA was as fun to follow as it was to share. I hope you will all join me in #NAEA16 in Chicago for more dancing! 

Until then, see ya on the internets.

Hard to believe that by this time next week, #NAEA15 will be over and we will all be heading back to our classrooms after experiencing big fun in the Big Easy! I am extremely excited to attend again this year and learn, share, and dance with all of my art teacher friends! 

If you are interested in dancing along side me, check out when below: 

12:30 PM - 1:50 PM: Middle Level Division Awards: Celebrating and Connecting
Award Function / Convention Center / Meeting Room R05/Second Level
I am going to give a little presentation titled "Hedgehogs, BHAGs, and Purple Cows: Turning the Flywheel to Your Best Year Ever" as I get recognized as the NAEA Western Region Middle Level Educator of the Year. 


4:30 – 5:50 PM: Conversations with Colleagues 
Convention Center/Meeting Room R05/Second Level
(Attendees attend 2 out of the 4 sessions within the time frame)
1 | Nikki Kalcevic: | TAB / Choice Based Art Overview 
2 | David Watt, 8th grade science and Sarah Goodall, Art: Integrative STEAM Design: A Four Year Journey
3 | Pamelia Valentine: SLICK & QUICK! Implementing the National Standards in a REAL Classroom
4 | Janine Campbell: Navigating the Digital/Traditional Continuum through Technology Integration

1:00 – 1:50 PM: TEAM Middle
Convention Center/ Meeting Room 205
Stacy Lord, Holly Bess Kincaid, Theresa McGee, and I will share how we work our magic in the middle level art room to provide quality instruction to students with great results! 
** I plan to share how I use technology to blend learning with Schoology and Artsonia, how I incorporate writing and assessment in classroom practice, and how my classroom has transformed into a space of working Artists through the incorporation of TAB methodologies.  

11:00 – 11:25 PM: Dancing on Chairs
Clay on the first day of school? Of Course! Dancing on chairs to learn vocabulary? Why not! Students evaluating teachers? Definitely! These are just a few strategies to help foster a caring and creative environment that allows for students to be silly and have a say in their learning. In this session, participants will walk away with resources and ideas to design enduring and engaging experiences. Lesson plans, examples, and dancing will be shared in this action-packed session designed for all! (This is a repeat of last year's packed presentation with some fun updates for all!)

I had quite an end to my week, as we wrapped up a major community project at my school and I rushed to Detroit to learn and share for the 2015 MACUL conference. 

I love March. Basketball is all the buzz, Youth Arts Month is being celebrated, and it is major conference season. One of the conferences I have made a habit of participating in is MACUL. I started going about six or seven years ago and it opened my eyes to the potential of technology integration in my classroom and in turn, opened many doors for my students and myself to learn, grow, and share. 

This year was no different. Although I was only able to be at MACUL for one day, I connected with a lot of great people, learned some great new things I hope to use in my classroom, and shared some ideas that I hope open some doors for others as they return to their districts and classrooms. 

In my first presentation, I shared how I use various tools like CheckThis, Schoology, LiveBinders, Camtasia, Artsonia, and PBS LearningMedia to Flip, Blend, and Remix my classroom. It was fun to get everyone up and dancing to start (thanks again for playing along, even at 8:30 in the morning) and then get down to how we can rethink our classrooms to engage students in content that allows them to work at their own pace and share their voice with others in authentic ways. If you were unable to make my presentation, please check it out below: 

I also was able to learn about some great tools and take away key ideas that I know will help me improve my classroom craft. 

One session I attended was about Sketchnotes, with Karen Bosch. I have had the pleasure to get to know Karen online for the past few years and I was really excited to hear her talk about her process of creating images like the one below of the MACUL closing keynote: 

Karen was so generous with explaining her process, sharing her resources, and inspiring so many to take a hold of that pen and doodle their way to understanding! I am so glad I finally got to hear her present! 

The other presentation that really got me thinking was given by a fellow Art teacher, D'Andra Clark and her colleague, Steve Weller, who co-created a course that delves into using the Design Thinking Process to explore computer technologies. 

They did a great job offering their take on Design Thinking using the DICE model (Design, Ideate, Create, Evaluate) and giving specific examples of both the success and failure they experienced as they ventured on this new journey together. They were genuine and sincere in their presentation and really have me excited to get to work with my STEM counterpart on how we can incorporate some of these ideas in our curriculum. 

I feel honored to be a part of the Lightning Talks this year and sharing how we use clay on the first day to get students going for the school year. It was fun to share what makes me passionate about my work and hear the other speakers share their passion for teaching, learning, and big ideas. 

Although I had a shortened time at MACUL this year, it was still as impactful and I am ready to implement new concepts in my classroom. I also enjoyed spending some time in Detroit at the Detroit Institute of Arts exploring the special exhibit of work by Diego Rivera and Frida Khalo and the stunning views from my room. 

From an early age, I have been taught to categorize things. I learned to sort colors, shapes, notice similarities and differences, identify qualities and characteristics - it is something I still do on a daily basis and helps me perform my job, which is highly reliant on this ability. It also helps me make sense of the world in which I live. 

Although this skill is essential, it is one that can sometimes limit me. Especially when I start to think about what I do. 

I wrote about this back on this post a while back about the labels that we might associate with teachers based on the content they teach using The Breakfast Club as a reference. I was inspired by Andy Losik's opening keynote at the Jackson County ISD Unconference (which is happening again this year on April 18th). As I reflect on it now, I think the same goes not just for the content teachers teach, but also how they teach it. 

As I scroll through various Social Media sites, I come across teachers who will say - "My classroom is blended" or "My classroom is flipped" or "My classroom is PBL" or "My classroom is TAB" or "My classroom is Choice Based" or "My classroom is Student Centered" or "My classroom is Modified Choice" or "My classroom is DBAE" or... there are so many variations, that the list can go on and on. 

I have claimed several of these labels for myself over the years as well as different variations of them. After several conversations with other teachers and a real review over my work this semester and the work of my students, I have decided that I am not only one of those labels listed above. 

Just like the end of The Breakfast Club, I am finding that it is not as simple as a singular label. I can find things I identify within my classroom as a little bit of each of the classroom models. Sometimes I feel comfortable enough to put my students in complete control, other times they follow directed instruction, and then there are the times when I have lost my voice and I let the video I posted to Schoology take my place. This ability to be flexible is something I rely on and if I placed myself in the container of just one way of doing things I would trap myself and limit what is possible.

It is hard sometimes to let go of labels because they help sort and organize life and what I do within it, but it is also too confining to prescribe just one of those methodologies to my classroom and expect it to work each time. 

I know what works for me. If I could give my classroom a label, I really am not sure what I would call it. Maybe Flexible Learning (FL)? Do you have any good ideas on how you might label your classroom?

I know it seems crazy, since I professed my love for Moodle back on this post, but I have abandoned the platform for Schoology (which may be replaced down the road, as it seems technology does a reboot every three years). I often feel like Dawson or Joey from Dawson's Creek, falling in and out of love with technologies as new things come along or are changed due to directives. Moodle is the latest casualty in this ever changing landscape and I am now onto Schoology, which seems to be everything I have been looking for (at least for now). 

I have been using Schoology for the past few months. I am not going to lie and tell you that is has everything I need or that it has been an easy transition. Both are an adjustment; like any new relationship, I am figuring out what works, what doesn't, and how to compromise along the way. 

Some things that I have really loved with the change is the ability to give daily updates to students and embed images, links, and reminders within it, the ability to create and store assignments (with standards-based rubrics) and important links, and the ability students have to help each other and foster a positive classroom environment. I have enjoyed using resources like Scholastic Art Magazine and have students research and share their findings on Artists and ideas through the discussion boards. I have also enjoyed how perfectly Artsonia Classroom Mode works within the platform.

As I continue to learn and use the site, I am sure I will discover new things to help me and my students reach our goals in the classroom. 

This weekend was the Michigan Art Education Association Conference. I presented twice (and got to share my love of Gelli Arts, Artsonia, Schoology, PBS LearningMedia and TechSmith) while there and went to a variety of sessions that made me think deeper about my practice and learn new methods for improving my teaching in the classroom. I finally got to meet Nancy Walkup face to face, which was a definite highlight. I was also very honored that she included me in her presentations by highlighting this blog and my work on my classroom blog, too. It was a great time overall, to learn, share, and even spend time with my sister who teaches Art in Indiana.

I learned some new techniques, like how to make Paper Puppets and that you can use Newspaper as a carbon transfer paper. I was inspired to encourage more creative practices in both my teaching and student engagement. I had an awesome time between sessions meeting new people and talking about what we do for kids. It is just what I needed before we hit the middle of the school year, full throttle. 

I also was honored as Middle Level Educator of the Year. I thought I was fine with it, until I went on stage and started crying like a little baby. I am so embarrassed, but there is nothing I can do about it now (it was when I started talking about my husband and my sister, that really threw me over the edge). If I had it to do over again (in addition to thanking my family, friends, and MAEA), I would also include the following sentiments:

When I first decided to go into education, whenever I would tell anyone that I was planning to be an Art teacher, they would ask, "Aren't you worried you will not be able to find a job?" For some reason, I never was. I have such a deep passion and commitment to the power of quality Arts education, that it has never been in the realm of possibility that I would not be able to teach it or find a job doing so. I found a job a month after graduating and discovered that even when I did find a job, I would hear the same question, only slightly altered, "Aren't you worried you will lose your job?" And for some reason, I am not. I should be, as I have been pink slipped several times. But I have a faith in what I do because I love it and know its' power to transform lives. I am willing to do whatever it takes to foster that power and expose any willing listener to the importance of Arts education. I use the evidence in the work my peers share with me through our global PLN and the team I get to work with in my district. Their support, ideas, and skill to take teaching to another level and embolden my unwavering belief that what I and so many other Art teachers do on a daily basis is essential for living a quality life and having a deeper understanding of the human condition. It is great to be honored like this by my colleagues and I appreciate it so much. However, I would be doing what I am doing whether I was awarded this or not. I do what I do because it is what I am supposed to do and it brings me an immense amount of joy to share in the struggle and success with my students along the way. See you all on the internets...

In between working on course materials for next Fall and other household duties that went underserved while working this past school year, I have been able to reclaim my inner artist and work on my own craft. It started out as gifts for former students (I always tell students that if they invite me to their graduation open house, I will make something for them as a gift) and has turned into a fun way to work on my drawing skills as I explore my own imagination. 

Thanks to inspiration from my former student Shelby, who received the top image on this page, I started drawing again and using watercolor as well. I think I might be on this kick for a while. It is especially fun to post progress images on social media and receive feedback from family and friends. I have even had a purchase request, which is also flattering.

I am often asked about what I am working on during the school year, like I have ALL of this other time to create my own art in the midst of prepping lessons, grading papers, writing assessments, and preparing work for shows, competitions, and other exhibitions. I have the "I don't have time for that" excuse, but I do not have a lot of time during the school year to really think about what I want to make because my obligation and duty is to my students and helping them figure out what it is they would like to make and say in their work. 

I love my job and really cannot imagine being better at anything else than teaching students how to create images in interesting ways, but I also am very thankful for Summer and being able to take advantage of this time to create on my own. 

I will keep posting work on Twitter and Facebook. If you have any ideas you would like to see me combine, please feel free to share in a comment. I cannot promise I will do it, but it is fun to read what is on others' minds. 

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?

The 2014 National Art Education Conference was a blast! I learned a lot, shared a lot, and laughed even more. The conference really blew me away and filled my head (and suitcase) with new resources, ideas, and theories to start implementing in my classroom. The sunshine of San Diego was an added benefit to the weekend. Here is a reflection on the 4 reasons I thought #naea14 would rock, and why I was right: 

4. Escape from the Polar Vortex: The weather in San Diego did not disappoint. I am so thankful for the little time I was able to spend outdoors, walking to and from sessions. It was a beautiful weekend and a nice escape from the snow-covered lawn I returned to in MI. 

3. Access to Resources: I was in awe of the amount of resources available to teachers at this year's conference. From samples, to lesson plans, to the new standards, there was a lot to stuff in my suitcase and bring back to my classroom. 

2. Learning New Things: From the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Emerging Themes session to talking with colleagues, I learned a lot of really cool things at the conference this year that will inform my teaching and get me thinking about other opportunities for my students. 

1. Connecting with Others: It was amazing to meet up with the #artsed #pln at #naea14. It was great to share stories, ideas, and of course, dance. 

To learn more about what happened at the conference, check out the Storify below: