Skype and Coffee by the Sea of Marmara

Sometimes life takes unexpected journeys.  In 1979 I headed to Kansas State University as a creative young girl who was determined to be a fashion designer. I followed that journey through a successful college career.  Even won a design competition beating students from FIT in New York City.  Boy, was that fun! Then I headed to Paris, France and attended Boston University's summer program at The Paris Fashion Institute.  That led me to Dallas and a job with a better women's wear company.  I worked as a designer for awhile...but soon found myself married, had three beautiful children, and my life's focus changed-I was a mom. I walked into a school one day where my son had just started school and I had one of those moment we just don't forget. I heard a voice inside of my head.  I heard "this is what I want to do. This is where I need to be." That began another one of those journeys.  And 23 years later that journey is still happening! Over the years . . .
 I have taught elementary, middle, and high school.  I have been a short and long term sub. I've taught art from a cart, art from a closet, art for free, long term subbed for art, and taught a middle school rotations wheel which meant teaching art/home economics/journalism from a home economics room, and I've taught private and public school. Now I teach art in a beautifully designed art room. It's the most peaceful place I have ever spent my days...even when full of 22 excited kindergartners! I've taught journalism and yearbook...and how could I forget home economics from the geography classroom. Yes, that was interesting. The "electric skillet cooking show" was quite a hoot and "Parking Lot Pancakes" was fun before school! And, then there was my short stint as a 7th grade physics teacher and long term subbing as a 4A Junior AP English teacher. And, finally, 7 years as a theatre teacher and director.  While it may sound like I have taught many random subjects (Goodness! I have!), mostly I have just been an art teacher and theatre teacher who sometimes had one or two other various courses to teach.  I'm pretty versatile and often a principal will ask you to teach other things...and so I have found myself with some interesting assignments from time to time during the 23 years I have been teaching.  Then, I got my Master's in Art Education Degree which had been a life long dream. In recent years, however, I have been able to settle into the fine arts...which is where my own education as a young girl began anyway.

The fine arts were a huge part of my life growing up.  Piano and dance lessons for years, flute lessons-band-contest solos-quartets-drum major, choir-small ensembles-NO solos, and LOTS of art classes.  I had a very competitive spirit and would practice everything until I had it perfect. The arts have blessed my life! Being an art teacher is a part of my DNA. It's something that comes out of my painter's soul.  Partly because I love being creative, always have.  But also because I know as an educator the VALUE of arts education.  I know that when a student uses their left and right brain, when they exercise both sides of their brain, their own journey in life will have more depth.

I was sitting in a hotel room in Florida...getting ready for bed...when I checked my email...and saw the news that Fund for Teachers had selected my grant proposal to go to Istanbul.  I heard a voice in my head again...I'm a FELLOW! And you see....I know that I'm closer to the end of my career than the beginning of my career.  I'm a 52 year old Fellow!!! I know I am at an age when many teachers are beginning to think of retirement or at least making their retirement plans....and in many ways...I feel like I am just getting started.  So, I hope you'll come on this journey with me. I've always had a traveling spirit...since I was a farm girl from a town of 52 people in rural Kansas and went to Ireland with an Irish wife of a local guy to visit her family. It was my first time to be on an airplane. That trip might just be when the journeying began.

Istanbul, where the east and the west meet, where the Bosphorus Strait and Bosporus Strait (they are actually the same Strait-just spelled two different ways) meander through the city, near the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea...and where this eARThshaking art teacher is going to be immersed in mosaic making. Mostly, though, I think I'll just be immersed in life. I'll take lots of photos and video clips while I am there. I'll talk to people I pass on the street. I'll have some Turkish coffee on the rooftop patio of the hotel as I look at the Sea of Marma in the morning sun. I'll write art education curriculum that will be strengthened with social studies and tradigital learning.  But....mostly.....I'll just be even more excited to share this with my students. They love to hear about the world.  But better yet, they love to Skype with students around the world. I'm thinking about a contest for a midnight slumber party Skype...every night....but it will be 8:00am in the morning for me and I'll be sitting on this hotel rooftop patio where they have Wifi, having my coffee by the Sea of Marmara and showing it to my students. Just wow! WOW! Thanks Fund for Teachers for placing your trust in me. I cannot wait to make you happy with your decision!