Tag: Educator

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Art Art Class Education Existence Most Popular

Mother to Teacher

While being off of work we are getting into a totally new schedule. This whole time has been about transitioning and adapting… changing old ways of doing things so they are effective for the now. Or sometimes letting go of things completely to make room for something totally new, like with the online learning!

Not only is a new chapter beginning in my teaching career, but also in my role as mother.  Previously, as mother I would come home and spend time playing and doing fun things with the kids. Also making them do their chores and holding them accountable for completing the work their teachers gave them.

My previous role description no longer suits the current situation. Now more than ever I am fulfilling my role as a leader and a teacher. I feel right now we are all being called to step up, knowing ourselves deeper and sharing our gifts as they serve us in this moment in time.

Having a career as a teacher gives me a slight advantage over this home e-learning business, however it is also proving to be challenging. There is a HUGE difference between teaching students in school every other day, and teaching your own children in your home, while being with them all day every day, 24/7.  I am feeling for those parents who are not natural educators. If you are charting the new territory of teaching, here are few tips:

  1. Breathe, what’s important is not necessarily what you are teaching, but that you are getting your kids to think!
  2. Learning can happen in all ways, not just in a school type setting where kids sit still at a desk and do their work. Think of different ways to incorporate learning into the things you are already doing.
  3. Create a schedule or structure that you and your kids can agree upon. My kids aren’t waking up by an alarm, we have let them wake up on their own, but once they are up they get themselves ready for the day and then begin their school work for the day.
  4. Be flexible and adapt!
  5. Don’t take things personally.
  6. Let most things go!
  7. Remember to smile <3
  8. Give lots of hugs!
  9. Take a break.
  10. Remember to breathe

<3 Be well

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Art Art Class Divine I Am Earth Education Existence Most Popular

COVID-19 FRI-13

The fog was really heavy as I drove in to work today.

With the message from the governor last night, everything seems a little more surreal.

While driving into work, my mind bounced around between many different thoughts: what was today going to be like? Will there be a lot of students out? Can we even get anything done? Should we even worry about school work? How can I make today a less stressful day for myself and my students.

Coming into work, the halls are less crowded… the teachers are all in shock… so surreal.

What do we even do?  Just keep moving forward… steady.

I found out this morning that I will have to upload and share teaching resources with my students while we are on this 2 week break.  I am not sure what the looks like exactly… will I have to teach all day? Will I just have to grade work? Will I have to be available if they need me for something? Are students simply going to complete the work at their own pace?

So many questions, not much answers at the moment. It seems that things are slowly dripping down to us.

The students cleaned their lockers out this morning. Our morning art meeting was canceled due to an emergency leadership team meeting. The visual arts office of BCPS uploaded files to our resource page labeled COVID 19 remote learning, at home resources. I am not sure yet what I am supposed to do with them.

With class about to start… I am sitting here deciding… do I have the student continue to work on their projects as normal? Or do I do something “special” for these special times?

I think we will explore our emotions through a group project I did once, where students received cards with emotions on them and they had to work in groups to create a piece of art that represented that emotion.  Groups would guess one another’s emotions based off the artwork!

I’ll let you know later how it goes today!

<3

 

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Art Art Class Divine I Am Education Existence

Budget Cuts

There is an updated federal budget and it shows something that immediately triggered the CEEQER in me… a cut in funding to all the art and education programs.

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This is a MAJOR shift and as an Art educator in the public school system, I will be affected by this change. So when I read this, I had to turn on my ceeqer senses.

Question the situation: What DOES this mean? How could this affect my reality? Brainstorm the possible outcomes from this situation, and all the possible meanings and reasons.  Not just reason from my mind, as those are but expectations, but also my intuition… from the divine.

Everything in reality relates to our energetic being… everything happens as it should on multiple planes in what we call existence. Its our perception of what is happening that makes us feel as though it should or shouldn’t be, or is or isn’t good.

So I asked myself… What was the world like before the arts were federally funded? What was education like before the arts? What would the world have been like without ever having art federally funded?

I know that Art Integration is the most holistic manner of learning… it is through experience and expression that we can relate to our reality and integrate new knowledge into our being.

Then I asked myself what would the world look like after the funds are taken away from these programs?  What exactly do these programs do? How do they assist in lifting up the divine being within us all?

As I reflect on these questions I realize this is the time for the divine light to shine bright in the darkness. When there is darkness, the light pierces through with such power and beauty that it is almost blinding.  Now is the time for all of us who are called to teach and serve to stand up and take a hold of our power and lead the way.

We are divine light… we are all unique and have beautiful gifts to share, to help each other grow and to make the most of this existence. When we know ourselves… when we are centered in our own light, we can shine bright for those around us to see themselves more clearly.

We are all creators… we do not need federal funding to see that.

This is that time.
The budget cuts are like a dimming of the city lights
which allows us to see the the moon brighter
Everything happens as it should,
it is time to take back our power and lead.

<3 Migwetch
Gizaagi’in
Raine Dawn

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Art Class Most Popular Revealing Treasures in your Own Backyard

Artist Educator Workshop, HHI.

Introducing the first ever Artist Educator Workshop at Hampton Historic National Site.  I am so fortunate to be able to work with such an amazing group of individuals, from fellow board members to artist educators.

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Historic Hampton Inc. has had a vision for bringing together art, education, and the Hampton Historic National Site. Recently this vision has begun to bloom. The first workshop for artist educators was held on December 5th, 2015.

10 teachers from all over Maryland attended to hear more about how they can incorporate the wonderful historic site into their curriculum.  The workshop began with light breakfast provided by Danielas in Hamden, and a short talk from Park Ranger Vince Vance. Then I presented the adaptable lesson plan that was created to use in tandem with a field trip to Hampton and the virtual photo gallery.

This lesson is based off of the narrative that is a requirement for the Baltimore County Public School Art program. It can be altered to work with any grade k-12, and has arts-integration options as well.

After discussing the lesson plan, we took a tour of the grounds and the mansion…which was amazing because they let us in the front door (which is very rare!)

When we returned to the orangery, our first ever artist in residence Paul Moscatt presented a little gallery talk of his artwork and shared what he did as an artist and an educator. Paul was born in Brooklyn, New York and went to Yale University Art School from 1959-63.  He also attended The Cooper Union Art School, NYC from 1956 to 59. As an educator, Paul worked at Maryland Institute, College of Art (1967 to 2000), currently a Professor Emeritus.

The teachers had such an amazing time, and learned so much! We are currently in the process of scheduling a Painting Day with Paul for those who attended, as well as a second Artist Educator Workshop in the beginning of 2016.

If interested please contact me by commenting below with your email address and I will send you more information!