Honoring the Arts

Last night in Trenton, I received The Governor’s Award for Excellence in Art Education along with three other Visual Art Education colleagues from other counties in the state. There we are in a special photo shoot. (L-R: Me, Marge Mayers, Kim Defibaugh, Carrie Russoniello)

I was honored to be included in such esteemed company. There were also thirteen other educators of different disciplines and over eighty students who received awards last night.

It was a pleasant event that praised the education of the visual arts as well as music, theater, dance, poetry and spoken word. There were remarkable performances by students from all around the state who were being recognized for excellence....and excellent they were! As a teacher, I am frequently blown away by what my students create and was in awe of these young artists and performers. They gave me goose bumps.

The Human Touch

With spring in the air and the earth in my hands, I’m reminded of the power of the human touch. We discard debris and remove the refuse, allowing the green growth to surface. Bringing with it, new levels of appreciation for our senses. Here's a photo of our garden.

This change of season in the garden state is my favorite time of year. Even with itchy eyes and all of the demands of art shows and deadlines, I’m invigorated by the exchange of energy and the growth of everything around (and inside) me.

As educators, we witness growth in our students everyday, as they learn new skills and develop the courage to push through the layers of their own perceived obstacles. With the human touch, they are able to grow in all directions, and so are we. The very best part of our job is that it’s like spring all year long!

Quality education will always be stronger than the dirt (or the piles of manure) that get in the way.

The Unlikely Blogger

I can't believe I have a blog. People who know me, won't believe I have a blog. Is it still a blog if no one reads it? Readers or no readers, at this early stage, what's happening here is barely a blog, but maybe something will grow out of it.

Kiickstart came about in a similar way. In name only, it existed over a year and a half ago. Now it's a new line of art educational resources. The video endeavor began in November 09 when my husband and I created a temporary TV set in our living room and started filming away. With many teachers working in isolation, the need for teaching resources and inspiration is very real.

I will most likely be one of those teachers working in isolation next year. I've had the ideal teaching life for the past seven years working with my colleague, Ellen. Together we taught at the high school and middle school. Our collaborations, conversations and friendship made our teaching, program and our students flourish. Budget cuts have prompted my district to make some extremely difficult choices. The most likely scenario will be the reduction of our district's four art teachers, to three. Resulting in building reassignments and a shifting of teaching responsibilities.

Our high school electives will be slashed from nine class offerings to three. The program and projects that the early kiickstart resources are created from will not exist as they did, and something new will rise up in it's place. Whatever that something is, it looks like I'll be teaching the only three high school art classes and the only middle school art classes offered to the sixth through twelfth grade students in my district. One art teacher for over 1,100 students. Yea, I'd call that isolation.

I'll do whatever I can to make a banquet style program from crumbs. Providing quality education is not just the responsibility of the teachers, but also those who govern. I'd like to give them a kick...

Perfect Together

I grew up in Pennsylvania and moved to New Jersey after taking a new teaching job, just in time for my 29th birthday. That was thirteen years ago. If you know anything about Pennsylvanians, you know...they tend not to like New Jersey. As a born and raised Pennsylvania girl, I couldn't have predicted that there would be things that I would fall in love with and whole heartedly embrace about New Jersey. A few are: my school, my students, meeting my husband eleven years ago and nurturing the creative life we live and make together. The truth is, my transplant into the Garden State has allowed me to blossom into the teacher and woman I hoped to be.

I've been teaching at Haddon Township High School in Camden County since 1996 and enjoy going to school every day. I have wonderful students who are enthusiastic about their work which helps me be enthusiastic about mine. We work together in a studio environment fostered by mutual respect and a genuine interest in learning and growing. Thirteen years into my life in New Jersey, I actually can't imagine it outside of the garden state. How did Governor Kean know we'd be "perfect together"?

For my first post, I need to say that Kiickstart exists because of my students (and my husband Michael). Thank you for your limitless inspiration and encouragement. I'm looking forward to sharing the art, activities and happenings that make life and art in the garden state worth blogging about!