NAEA Convention 2010 Presentation Success!

Today was a long, eventful, and very positive energy day here in Baltimore. So far it has been so wonderful to reconnect with my peers and connect with some for the first time. I have been here since Tuesday and it has been such a fulfilling experience already- and I still have 2 more days left...

But today was very special to me. It was the very first time that I gave a presentation here at the national level. I was nervous at first but it is somewhat comfortable being in the front of the room and sharing ideas and experiences with others because that is what teachers do on a regular day to day basis. Being in front felt natural. I received many compliments on my performance if you will and ability to conduct discussion as well that followed. Needless to say I seemed to spark the fire about IEP's in the art room. The most heated debate was over the issue of whether or not I'm doing the job of the OT through the writing of my goals. I had one audience member that continued to challenge me and I was told I handled myself well.

I feel very accomplished to be a second/ third year teacher that has already presented both at the state and national levels of our professional organization. Now I'm sure as many of my peers have said, I will be hooked and I am already thinking of potential topics that I can present on for next year in Seattle!

(Peter has a question for me!)

A very special friend of mine did a very fabulous job presenting for the first time as well yesterday. Mary Silvestri from the Learning Center in Framingham MA a school for the deaf presenting on being a deaf teacher and teaching students who are deaf with multiple disabilities. WOW! Mary you ROCK!!!

Mary @ her Presentation                        Us @ Inner Harbor

Also I wanted to mention to that tonight I officially was appointed the membership chair for the Special Needs in Art Education Group (SNAE). I knew it was only a matter of time- especially when Peter Geisser had e-mailed me a couple weeks ago asking for me to take on some job for the group involving technology. Boy am I in trouble...

Finally to conclude today I want to congratulate the SNAE group for their fantastic super session and latest Publication on Autism and Art! Sue Losel and Beverly Gerber are truly my heros and do such a fabulous job. A special thanks to Sue for coming to my presentation today- it made my day and meant a lot to see everyone there that showed up!

Beverly, Sue, Julie, and Judith

Some of the finest of SNAE!

Stay tuned! More to come from Baltimore!