MAEA annual Conference 2012


The Group before our Presentation

If you did not know already, I am part of the NAEA student chapter at my university. This past weekend we attended the Michigan Art Education Association annual conference at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Acme, Michigan. our student chapter presented a workshop we instructed last year with children in at risk situations. This was an awesome experience that provided many lesson plan ideas, new concepts, new materials etc. I met quite a few teachers in the field, as well as board members, retired presidents of MAEA and NAEA, and students like myself. It was very rewarding to see such a large group of people chasing after the same passion and advocating for art in schools and communities. I am definitely considering going back, and presenting again. I would highly recommend taking the chance to participate in an event of this nature. It is a powerful thing to be an individual in a large group and realize how this united bond can REACT, AFFECT, EDUCATE and CHANGE.

Here is the group at our GVSU Vendors Table that gave information about our program.

This is a photo of Mitch Moore and I practicing the Presentation before the audience arrived.

Reflection:

Going into this conference with no knowledge of how it worked or what would happen, I was at first nervous. It didn’t take long to figure out how silly I was to feel this way. The overall experience turned out to be quite informative, enjoyable, and memorable. Being a first time attendee AND presenter was a little intimidating, but I soon realized everyone was there with the same passion for education through the arts. I too have this yearning to educate and enlighten all generations with the knowledge and skills that the arts can bring.  The annual MAEA Conference was a very rewarding experience in that I saw many people in the actual field as art educators. Not only did I meet many new individuals, but I also asked questions and was reassured about my future as a current student in the art education program at Grand Valley. The conference offered and introduced many new ideas, lesson plans and concepts. This was helpful to apply to my education in terms of my present classes and my future student teaching semesters.

Presenting at the conference was a challenging but helpful experience I hope to build off of in the classroom next year. I really enjoyed sharing our story as a Grand Valley student chapter, as well as presenting our unique lesson plan involving children in at risk situations. Communication and sharing ideas is what education is all about, and this conference was a prime example of advocacy and connecting as a whole.

This conference opened my eyes to see the opportunities to get involved and speak out within a group. Sharing ideas through a united event positively affects each individual. Learning from others can greatly affect the whole as a united group as well. I hope to maximize my experience by continuing to attend these conferences and presenting ideas and workshops to others. I am also working to advocate for the arts through NAEA student chapter at Grand Valley. I also hope to recruit more members to build a stronger bond not only within our group, but to connect to other student chapters, colleges, and programs statewide and nationwide. This will help create a strong and widespread force that can communicate with each other, and stand up for the arts in schools and communities.