As of this writing,
I have 964 followers on my blog; I want to reach 1000! If you told me, when I started this blog about three years ago, that I'd have this many people interested in reading my blog, I'd have said
"yeah, that will happen when pigs fly!" But, of course, an art room is a place where pigs DO fly!!
When I do reach that magic 1000 followers, I plan some sort of giveaway to celebrate, so if you aren't yet a Google follower of this little old blog, please join yourself up! Even though Google Reader isn't around any more, you can still see the blogs you follow and jump directly to them through the dashboard when you want.
Meanwhile, while I'm here writing, I'm wondering who is going to be at the NAEA convention in San Diego in March. I'm not one that usually acts on a whim, but I'm considering making the trip. Can you convince me it will be worth the cost for a retired teacher to fly clear across the country? Zip! Just like that!!
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| dragon, grade 3 |
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| cat on flying carpet, grade K |
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| grade 2 homage to Lichtenstein |
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| Chuck Close at NAEA conference in NYC, 2012 |
While we are here talking about conventions, what about the upcoming online conference I've seen so many of you posting about? I wasn't planning to attend, since so much of it is geared toward the teacher working in a school, dealing with the issues and challenges that presents. My teaching nowadays is a struggling-to-get-off-the-ground after school art enrichment program, with small classes and no concerns about assessments, evaluations, data collections, Common Core, and so on. Our focus is simply on making art and enjoying the process of creativity. Anyhow, are you attending? Are you teaching a session? If so, how did that come about? Tell me more!
After all these years, Phyl, it would be lovely to meet you in person. I'm going to the conference in San Diego. You should go…the weather will be magnificent!
ReplyDeleteAlso, glad to hear that you are continuing teaching. Is it better? Working after-school with none of the academic/administrative concerns?
Yes, Patty, meeting you would be fabulous! If it weren't for you, I probably never would have even known what a blog was, let alone start my own. You and DeepSpace Sparkle were absolutely my primary inspiration!
DeleteYes, working after school definitely has it's advantages, especially now with all the new regulations for schools. So much testing, assessing, data collecting, worrying. All so stressful, and I do not need to do any of it. My challenges now are different - getting the word out/finding clientele is a biggie, and working with an inferior space, without things like a big sink area or large paper cutter. But nevertheless, I'm very thankful for the free space I currently teach in, and my students seem happy.
Hope I get to meet you! Maybe this is the inspiration to start that diet...
I think you should go! There's always so much to do there. There is a retired educators group too. I can't ask my school for any more professional development money for awhile. They paid for me to do the online conference in June and they don't fund PD for the same teachers over and over again. I need to wait my turn. I would pay myself but medical bills are piling up from this pregnancy. Surprise! That's not covered by insurance either! I would have guessed you'd been blogging longer than 3 years since you started before me. It feels like I've been blogging longer.
ReplyDeleteMarcia, I just checked - my first post was May 5, 2010, which makes it coming up on 4 years, that's all! The crazy thing is, when I go to blogger stats, the all-time stats begin in 2007. Huh? Can anyone explain this?
DeleteAnd your pregnancy isn't covered by your medical insurance?!?!? What kind of awful insurance is this?
I'm now officially following you! Should have done that when I actually started looking at your blog about two years ago, oops! The online conference, (if it's the one you're talking about?) is called The Art of Education & it's the winter 2014 conference. The conference "opens" on the 25th of this month, but then you get access to everything for a year! Here's the link if you want to look into it! The other elementary art teacher in the district heard about it & I like the idea! http://www.theartofed.com/aoeconferencewinter2014/
ReplyDeleteYes, that's the conference I meant, and I've read all the literature. I think it's wonderful sounding, but the topics, for a large part, just don't apply to me at where I'm at currently. I've looked them over, believe me, because am any blogger-friends are teaching them, but it doesn't make sense for me to attend if it isn't a good fit. Maybe some day I'll be asked to PRESENT and I'll do a fabulous papier-mâché presentation or something. But I haven't been asked; maybe I'm not a good fit?
DeleteBut seriously, if I was a younger teacher, working in a school, I would jump at the opportunity. It's obviously very well-planned and I know the first one was a successful enterprise.
And by the way, thanks for following! I'm up to 965!
DeleteUpdate - I'm up to 967 followers, and I'm definitely going to be at the NAEA convention in San Diego! Yeeha! See you there!
ReplyDeleteRooting for you and the 1000 mark. I'll email my artsy friends and ask them to start to follow you. Milestones are so important...good luck!!!
ReplyDeleteKim
Thank you so much! My bloggy friends are the best!!! And as of now, I'm up to 968!
DeleteWahoo have a blast!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Erica, I'm sure I will! Though it won't be quite the same without you!
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