I just returned from a wonderfully energizing conference experience with thousands of art educators from around the country meeting for 4 days in Fort Worth, Texas. I loved the time I had with my Personal Learning Network (PLN) face to face. These are the people I learn from all year-round online through our social networks. All SIX  of my presentations were with people I connect with online, three of which I had never met in person before! We decided ahead of time to buy this shirt from Inkpixie using our Twitter Handle and wear them as we gathered on Saturday for coffee. We posed together for this picture. (Our hands look funny because we are trying to imitate this picture that Stacy Lord made when she was being silly on a snow day.) 

Six Presentations:

Picture
Technology Tools in Elementary Art
Theresa McGee, an elementary art teacher in Hinsdale, IL, and I traveled together to Texas. We rushed over to the conference as soon as we arrived 15 minutes before our first presentation where we took turns with two other art teachers including Jessica Balsley demonstrating how we use technology. I quickly demonstrated this iPad art lesson called, It's Not Christina's World Anymore, based on the painting, Christina's World. See the finished student art here.

Picture
Connected Art Educators: PLNs
Dr. Craig Roland, Prof. of Art Ed at Uof Fl, Dr. Elizabeth Delacruz (my former professor from U of I), Ian Sands, H.S. art teacher from Apex, NC, and I each took turns sharing how our online personal learning network has made a difference for our professional growth and has benefitted our students. I talked about three stories: Careers in Art, Doink Alien Animations, and IPEVO. It's too much to explain here, but trust me, they're great stories!

Picture
Western Region/Southeastern Region Elementary Art Teacher Showcase
This presentation was part of winning the Western Region Elementary Art Teacher of the Year Award. I tried to sum up everything we do in 20 minutes. I used this video to preface the presentation and followed with a focus on how we use technology in our art room. I explain it better in this online presentation. The other presenter was Jennifer Johnson Keith of Louisiana who shared about her wonderful program in 20 minutes as well. It is hard to condense a career full of stories into 20 mins.

Picture
Artsonia-Online Digital Art Gallery
This is the 5th year I've been able to present on using Artsonia as a tool to create a digital portfolio with my students. Our presentation has grown and evolved over the years as the company has improved and changed to make their service better and better for art teachers and their students. The CEO and President of the company joined Susan, Theresa, and I to help answer questions from the attendees and hear their concerns and questions about the process of getting started. Learn more here.

Picture
iPads in Art (Part Two)
This session was a continuation of the session that Suzanne Tiedemann and I (Theresa Gillespie was with us in spirit) did last year to a standing room only group. We thought that since the room was so small we should offer it again so those who really wanted to learn about creating art on iPads can get a chance. Luckily they gave us a larger room where all 150 or so attendees could each find a seat. This year Theresa Gillespie joined me (Suzanne was with us in spirit) as we presented about the top three projects we successfully accomplished with our students. You can learn more from my page, Theresa's page, and this page made jointly by Suzanne and me.

Picture
Lights, Camera, Learning! 
with Fugleflicks and Campbellartsoup

I was so excited to share about making movies to teach art concepts with Janine Campbell. We had been learning from each other for years online and finally met as we shared our different approaches to student created art related movie making. Learn more about Janine's program here. View our Fugleflicks index here.

Receiving my Award

Picture
On March 7th I received the Western Region Elementary Art Teacher of the Year 2013 Award from the National Art Education Association. My nominator was Samantha Melvin of Texas who was the National Elementary Art Teacher of the Year in 2012. It is such an honor to be recognized at this level for  doing the job that I love. Thank you PLN for making me a better teacher!

Picture
Read the Chicago Tribune article written about my award at this link.


Picture
Read this story about the THREE Illinois Art Educators recognized at the National Art Education Conference.

Picture
MY take on this trip
When I saw this photo taken by Jennifer at the showcase presentation that we shared, I had a WOW moment as I looked at a relaxed and confident person happily talking to a large crowd of people at a national conference. You may not know my journey, but here is a hint: I was so painfully shy growing up and into my adult years that I had to come home from college after two weeks because I was too afraid to go into the cafeteria for my meals.
Thank you to all the people over the years who gently held my hand and helped me grow.

 
 
Picture
Congratulations to Klaudia (4th grade) for winning the program cover design contest. (See all entries) Her artwork (shown to the left) will represent Dryden on the cover of the program handed out the night of the Cultural Arts Festival on Friday, March 8th at Thomas Middle School beginning at 6pm (free admission).
Dryden will also show two banners full of student art (certificates will be sent home with the selected student artists on Feb.22nd. See the banners below show the art chosen for display). That night will also be the big screen debut of the new Fugleflick, Different is Good
and a chance to see our all school Common Core Crazy video which debuted at the District Variety Show once again.

Picture
Banner of art for display at CAF
Picture
Banner of art for display at CAF
P. S. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend the cultural arts festival event on March 8th. Mrs. Beihoffer has volunteered to stand in my place. Thank you! I will be at the National Art Education Conference in Texas to accept my award for Western Region Elementary Art Teacher of the Year. This is the first year I'm missing the event, so please stop by and pose for your photo with Mrs. Beihoffer so I can have some great pictures of what I missed and celebrate with you:)
 
 
If I didn't have the best students, working in a an awesome school, within a district that values our art program, I wouldn't have this news to share...
Picture
I am receiving a regional National Art Education Award. The map to the left shows the western region in dark blue. There are winners in all divisions (Elementary, Middle, Secondary, etc) in each region. I won for Elementary Art within the Western Region.  

Thank you Students, Dryden Staff, District 25, and my Personal Learning Network for giving me the tools, support, training, inspiration, motivation and freedom to make this an award-winning art program! ~Mrs. Fuglestad

 
 
I'm so excited about the upcoming NAEA conference for art teachers in NYC.
Over 6000 art educators will converge on the city for this annual professional development conference. I'm looking forward most to see face to face the art teachers that I've been communicating with throughout the year in my personal learning networks on Twitter and Facebook. It's amazing how much we can share virtually and how it energizes the classroom.

This year I will be presenting with some amazing art teachers from across the country:

(Thursday) 3/1/2012
 12:00-12:50 Artsonia as Advocacy- Beyond the Basics
Petit Trianon, Hilton 3rd floor
Tricia Fuglestad, (Art Teacher of the Year, IL) Susan Bivona, (Art Teacher of the Year, NJ) Jim Meyers (CEO of Artsonia)
Presentation on Slideshare

(Friday) 3/2/2012
11:00-11:50 am Artsonia-Getting Started
Gramercy Suite A Hilton 2nd floor
Tricia Fuglestad, (Art Teacher of the Year, IL) Susan Bivona, (Art Teacher of the Year, NJ) Jim Meyers (CEO of Artsonia)
Link to Artsonia

(Friday) 3/2/2012
2:00-2:50 Dynamic Collaborations III
Hilton Clinton Suite 2nd floor
Samantha Melvin (NAEA Elementary Art Teacher of the Year), Theresa McGee (PBS Teachers Innovation Award Winner), Tricia Fuglestad, (Art Teacher of the Year, IL) 
Presentation online

(Friday) 3/2/2012
 4:00-5:30 Awards ceremony (western region)
 Hilton, regent Parlor 2nd floor
(Saturday) 3/3/2012

My Saturday presentation called, "Don't Jump Ship~Strive for Craftsmanship"
had a scheduling conflict and had to be cancelled. Look for my article in the conference issue of School Arts Magazine to find the content of what I would have shared.

(Saturday) 3/3/2012
 5:00-5:50  There's an App for That, iPads in the Art Room
 Hilton Concourse D lower level
 Suzanne Tiedemann, NJ (Best Teacher Blog Edublog Award Winner) & Tricia Fuglestad, IL
Presentation Website: iPads in Art 
Guest Blog Post on the Teaching Palette
***DOOR PRIZES: App Code Giveaways from the Developers of our Favorite Apps!
 

UA-12621152-1