NCAEA Conference in Winston Salem

The annual Art Education Assn. conference has been all weekend in Winston Salem. Teachers and college folks from all over the state have been participating in displays, swapping lesson plans, doing workshops and learning from each other. It's been really good!

The workshop I took yesterday was called In Quest of the 3D Dragon. We made dragons from construction paper triangles, and they are COOL! I will definitely try this one with my 4/5s.

Today's workshop was about simple quilting ideas for the classroom. I was largely unimpressed - the presenter spent almost a half hour talking about herself and her work, and she didn't have a specific plan in mind - no handouts that I could see, either. I definitely wasn't feeling that one, so I went to another one next door.

I went to the free workshop given by Davidson County art teachers on plans that combine art + literacy. Man, some really good presenters in that group, and awesome ideas too. Can't WAIT to try some of these lesson plans out.

Overall it's been a really good conference; I just wish I felt better! Thank goodness Monday is a workday....

Out, damn flu!

AAAAAggggh, I've had the flu, followed by a sinus infection - I'm tired of being sick. Last Thursday I was minding my own business, watching Gray's Anatomy and Private Practice - my usual Thursday evening pursuits - when all of a sudden I was about to freakin' freeze to death. I had a temperature of 101.

The flu is running rampant through our school - 114 of about 350 kids were absent last Monday; 104 the next day - so I guess I'm just lucky not to have had a worse case, but man I could not TELL you when I've had a fever that high. Certainly not w/in the last 15 years. Unbelievable. So, I'm out of school the next day, and went to the doctor. She says, out of work 5 days OR until no fever for 24 hours. Luckily for me, this was Friday, so 2 of the 5 days were weekend and I didn't need to blow sick days. Unluckily for me, I went back on Wednesday and got ragged out again and went home early. Thus I missed Thursday, and then had to be in Winston for the Art Ed. conference all weekend. Joy. :)

Now the flu part is all over, but I've still got this nagging cough and sinus thing, and it's driving me nuts. The doc wouldn't give me anything for it without I came in again to see him, so I have to wait til Monday afternoon for an appointment. :( Wah!!!

Journal making workshop

Took a workshop at the Sawtooth Center this weekend and learned a new way to make books. I LOVE making books; learned three or four new types of book. Here's my workshop masterpiece!