NAEA 2015! New Orleans!

Every year I am so blessed to attend the National Art Education Association(NAEA) Conference for art educators across the nation.  It's a conference which leaves me feeling energized, motivated, excited, and full of new tips tricks and strategies/methods to bring into my classroom. This year, the conference was in.... NEW ORLEANS!


During the conference I attend sessions which cover a wide variety of topics, some favorites from this year included exciting new ways to teach vocabulary, helping students use failure as fuel for creativity,  information on the new National Art Standards, ways to assess in arts education(no worries, no multiple choice testing here!) and also hearing from fellow art educators such as guest speaker Tim Gunn, and art educators from across the country.

What else happens at this conference?  THE EXHIBIT HALL!  All the companies who create art supplies come to model, inform, explain, and most important GIVE AWAY their products.  It's a giant room where art teachers get hands on experience with different supplies or new ways to use old supplies...There are also a million raffles and contests to enter to win big time prizes.  Now, winning one of these is about a 1 in over 3,000 chance, so imagine my surprise when I won a Akua Pin Press for my classroom(middle picture below)! It couldn't have come at a more convenient time since fifth grade is beginning to print their lino-cut blocks!!!!  Other awesome vendors included ELMERS who I got a T-Shirt and 30-pack of glue sticks from, and of course SAX Art Supply who I do 90% of my classroom purchasing through!

Left: Giveaway totals after Day #2   Middle: My Akua Pin Press from Speedball    Right:  My living room floor covered with total giveaways!!! Dublin (my brittany spaniel) was not quite sure how he felt about the art supply invasion! 

Now of course, in addition to attending the conference I had a chance to see the sights of New Orleans, I bought some art from local artists in the French Quarter, and venture around with my roommate who was...... MY MOM!  She is happily retired from teaching 35 years, and came along on the adventure with me! A favorite spot was Cafe Du Monde in the french quarter the beignets(french donuts) were DELICIOUS and the atmosphere was good as well! 

Left: Me and my Mom at Cafe Du Monde    Right: Plane ride goodbye to New Orleans!

Now, a SUPER HUGE BANCROFT ROAR and SHOUT OUT to the Parent Teacher Organization(PTO)!!!!  They help me in affording this trip each year by supporting me financially for my airfare and my half of the hotel.  Without such a supportive and inspiring group of parents, I don't know where I'd be!  This is a trip which truly rejuvenates me at a high burn out time of year, and brings me back feeling like it's the first day of school all over again!  THANK YOU PTO!!!

Another ROAR to my wonderful administration who provide the funding for my conference registration.  I'm very lucky to have the support from school administration to further develop myself as an educator!