We had about 8 people a the first meeting. One girl drove all the way from Oxford!
Staci introduced Casey
Williamson and Lindsay Mouyal as the new representatives for BAEA. She
told us that the AAEA needs a person to be in charge of YAM. Basically,
that person would be in charge of collecting
all of the pictures and write ups that other art teachers in the state
collect documenting their work as art educators celebrating YAM (Youth
Art Month) and make a scrap book to turn in to the National YAM
scrapbook competition. There is also a flag competition
art project for students that is done in conjunction with YAM and that
deadline is January 15th (very close). If you or any other art teacher
you know is interested as serving as the YAM person, let us know!
We voted to charge $10 as yearly dues.
We discussed our ideas and
goals as an organization. We want to do several workshops throughout
the year (the first of which will be a glass-fusing workshop sometime in
late January or February, most likely February...we
will let everybody know when this is set in stone). If your annual
dues are up to date for both the AAEA and BAEA you wouldn't have to pay
to attend any of the workshops, if not, there will be a fee for each
one. The next workshop hasn't been decided (we
are waiting to compile wants/needs/ideas from surveys). It will
probably be in March or April. Then, we will be into summer, so
workshops will pick back up next school year.
We also want to do some sort
of silent auction fundraiser during the first semester of next school
year. If you or any other artists you know want to donate a piece of
artwork, that would be wonderful! Also, if
you know of any restraunt or business owners that might want to donate
gift certificates for the silent auction, that would awesome as well!
Our meetings/workshops are
tentatively set to coincide with the first Thursdays at the museum.
That will continue, unless we find that many people want that change
when we look at the surveys. During the meetings
where we don't have workshops planned, we want to do lesson swaps,
fellowships/socials, and general sharing ideas and keeping up to date on
what is going on within the arts community.
Also, one goal we would like
to accomplish (eventually, will take a while because this will cost
money$$), is to set up a program to pay for 1/2 day subs for art
teachers to take a 1/2 PD day and go observe other
art teahcers at work. I think we get so isolated within our content in
our schools. Regular classroom teachers collaborate all of the time,
observe each other and participate in walk-throughs, but we seldom get
to do that. So, my idea is to raise money
and have some sort of scholarship fund to send so many teachers each
semester. This is so important to best practices!
Sharon Christman, a retired
art teacher and my National Boards mentor, suggested also contacting
retired art teachers in the area to go visit art classrooms to give
demonstrations, share ideas, help out in the art
room, etc.
Also, if you have any
amazing talent you want to share with the group let us know! Also, if
you are interested in helping teach a workshop to the group in the
future, let us know. I have contacted many vendors,
and both NASCO and DickBlick have agreed to sponsor a workshop for us
(provide all materials). NASCO's only stipulation is that is has to be
one of their lessons...
Lindsay Mouyal
