When I think about why going to NAEA and GAEA is important- my statement from my last post wraps up how I feel perfectly: "Professional development is important in the growth of educators. As the world grows and changes around us- so must we in order to be the best teachers our students can have. If we want our students to be constant learners and we need to model that behavior. I have been to many professional development sessions in the past that did pertain to me (something I am pretty sure is similar with all fine arts teachers). Finding meaningful, thought provoking, content specific professional development for art education is rare. When found- it needs to be taken advantage of." I am lucky to be part of a county that supports the arts (and the teachers) and allows for meaningful professional development. This year I was able to fly to Boston to attend my 3rd National Art Education Association conference- and it was AMAZING. When I landed in Boston I headed over to the hotel to unpack and get ready for the conference. I checked in early and decided to check out the Museum of Fine Arts-Boston before sessions started. Going to different museums and creative spaces is important because I am able to gather information on new artists and styles for my students. I loved seeing the open art conservation spaces and the mix of ancient and contemporary art. Also- I was lucky enough to be there during the Frida Kahlo exhibit. The speakers this year were fantastic and inspiring. I heard Amy Sherald, Howard Gardner, and Nathalie Miebach talk on topics like storytelling, creativity, and data in art. I missed out on the Peter Reynolds session- which is one of my regrets from the trip. One of the things I did differently this year was make sure to schedule time in the vendors hall. In the past I was rushing from session to session and left little time for the awesome hands on activities and freebies that the vendors give. I spent an entire afternoon trying new products, studying new resources, talking to vendors, and learning about contest opportunities. I even won $150 worth of supplies at the Crayola booth! One thing I did differently was to make time to "unpack" all I learned each night in my sketchbook. I am on a sketchnoting kick... and this helped me think about how I can incorporate all I learned into my classroom. Being able to collaborate with my peers is a huge benefit to attending NAEA. Not only am I able to meetup to art teachers from all over the world, but I am also able to put a face to the names of teachers I follow on social media. Building relationships with other teachers allows us to feel like we are not an island alone in a sea of creative chaos. One night I attended a small get together with other teachers at an bookstore and just sketched for a few hours. A different night I met up with the #k12artchat group. I can’t wait to incorporate all I learned into my classroom- and I am already excited for the next conference!
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AuthorArtist living and teaching in Georgia. Archives
March 2019
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