Thanks for Everything!

Thanks is a powerful word that can influence each and every situation in life. If we can come from a place of appreciation, then we can feel better about our lives in each moment. How many times do we find ourselves in the company of someone who is grumbling? It is so easy to chime right in and say something about your life that adds to the drama. It is challenging instead to say something to shift the conversation to something more optimistic. "Let's intend a positive outcome." When someone is complaining, we can walk away while saying to ourselves," I choose to be happy right now!"
Louise Hayes wrote Gratitude as a Way of Life, in it she tells a story of a grandmother known for saying," Thank you God, one hundred times a day. She would chant, "Thank you God " for the sunshine pouring in her kitchen window, for the food she was about to eat and for the pot boiling over. Her grandchild ask why she said Thank you for the bad things. Her reply was that the challenges in our life make us stronger and provide contrast in order to better appreciate the good in our lives. How refreshing, to develop an attitude where we appreciate whatever happens in our life.
I have started chanting this same phrase and sometimes shorten it to "Thank you G." It makes me smile while doing it. It takes me to a place of appreciation and I realize just how blessed I am as I continue to think of other things for which I can be grateful.
I tell my husband how much I love our life and him. I appreciate the world we live in and all the opportunities that have been granted to each of us. Thanks to the world of technology we can connect from all corners of the world. We have many reasons to express appreciation. I keep a Gratitude Journal and write down what I appreciate in my life and the list keeps growing. Try this and see how many big and small things you can name in your rampages of appreciation.
Julia Cameron says," The key to practicing blessings is the willingness to accept the full value of each moment." Thank you!

Saturday Session of NLP, Success & Goal Setting

Some days are better than others as a result of someone's willingness to share their expertise. This past Saturday was one of those days as 18 people gathered at the Enhancement Institute, St.James Place in Houston. My dear friend Marian Lasalle invited me along with others in my spiritual group. It was nice to share the day with Marian, Catherine and Becky. The host Victor Escalante spoke on the history and benefits of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP). He has been a practioner for over three decades and shared some processes that had us experience a deep and relaxing meditative trance. I have always had an interest in processes that enable us to tap into more effective use of our brain. Victor knows his stuff and we appreciated his generosity in telling us all about it.

Taz was next to tell us the stories of his life from hard luck to success. He shared lots of inspirational quotes and was passionate about his delivery.

Ray Flores concluded our day with how he works with individuals to have us remember who we really are. He says life has a way of clouding over our reality. 

Three individuals sharing their life story to make our lives better. 

Pay-Out Watercolor Party

Celebrating life's accomplishments is important to feel gratitude for all that has come your way. Last evening,we gathered with good food among good friends to share successes and to acknowledge the joy in each of our lives. We had lots of delicious food and shared recipes of  Michael's tamale pie, Debra's avacado and corn salad, Cec's  Chicken with Coconut &  Peanut Sauce and Cheesecake by Catherine's brother. Everything was delicious. Watercolor was introduced to the group allowing everyone to tap into their own creative muse. We concluded the evening in a prayer of gratitude and sharing of successes that the Universe has paid out in subtle rewards and moments that have made our lives much richer in our awareness of them. Louis L. Hay has a new book on gratitude that I am looking forward to reading. 

Sometimes in life things are happening so fast. We solve this challenge and two more show up. We feel really great in the morning and get so caught up in life we sometimes forget that morning excitement. The simple concept of gratitude can pull you back to a place of peacefulness. We can say thank you for the challenges that make us stronger. Thank you for the way that things have turned out. Although you may not like everything, say thank you anyway.

Melodie Beatty says."Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life." She says,"It turns what we have into enough,  it turns denial into acceptance,it turns chaos to order, and confusion to clarity. It can turn a house into a home. a meal into a feast,a stranger into a friend. Practice grateful thinking and see how all things gain this fullness of life and feel like MORE. 

Let gratitude create it's magic. Look at your life and count the ways that you can be thankful. Life pays out dividends for those who appreciate what they have, WARNING because you will get rewarded with MORE. Thank you!

Spring Art Teachers Trust Process of Growth!

Presenting to a room full of art teachers is an invigorating experience. Twenty Spring ISD art teachers gathered at Spring High School to explore possibilities for each of their classrooms in the upcoming 2008-2009 school year. Discussions were facilitated by myself, Joan Maresh Hansen, a newly retired art and technology instructor. 

Opportunities like this are so appreciated and are truly rich among a room full of master teachers.

Discussions in the short amount of time included the significance of class room management strategies. We all know we can have the best lesson in the world and if nobody can hear you, what's the point? You must encourage students to be respectful listeners in order for learning to take place. Whether it is late arrival to class, reading aloud, bringing in guest speakers, distributing materials, or collecting them at the end of class. What I call "systems" should be put in place with each varied activity. These guidelines or expectations communicated clearly to the students are called,"ground rules."Taking time at the beginning of the year, focusing on this until it is clearly in place teaches students to be good citizens among the community of learners in your class room. Ask any veteran teacher, moving away from this important topic too quickly can have dire circumstances and may need to be revisited.

Samples of student work lined a wall which sparked lively discussions for trying old things in new and innovative ways. Sequencial steps were evidenced in concepts which through repetition were gradually improved upon. Time was spent in small groups to discuss ideas that could be implemented in their class rooms. Others took time to get their hands on some materials to try these new ideas. Extended opportunities beyond the class room were offered in sketchbook/journal and altered book assignments. These ideas and many more were left in the hands of the participants in 56 page The Art Work Book Bootcamp Training Manual.

Heartfelt stories were shared of the teachings of Corina Kent in the book about her teaching life,"Learning By Heart,"where she talks about her teacher, videographer, Charles Eames. She says his teaching still lives in me and we must remember we are each others SOURCE. Good teaching impacts lives for years to come. Good teaching is learned and takes time in years of reflective practice. John Holt says, "We learn to do something by doing it. There is no other way." 

Murphy's Law showed up in technological challenges, and because of the wisdom from the crowd, we rearranged the group and "fishbowled" around my laptop to watch presentations of student work including AP portfolios with student dialogue. Brad's concentration statement, "It is as though my soul is dancing on the surface of my work, made more vibrant with each stroke."

Learning is like that dance,three hours passed quickly. The "popcorn shares" indicated that this very enthusiastic group of educators are eager to take what they gained back to their class rooms to make magic happen. Being among teachers is something that I love and although a shorter time than most, it is clear that Spring ISD art students are fortunate to have these educators committed to their lives. Our next encounter will be even more promising.

Special thanks to Kim Abshere and Cathy Lovett who informed District Coordinator, Rick Ghinelli of The Staff Development with an Art-itude opportunity. Thanks Kathleen Wicker for your assistance. Thanks to our hostess, Myrtie Porter for opening up her Spring High School art room, Shea Ngyyen for taking videos, and Gene for his technical savvy in getting things working. Opening school and keeping it running smoothly every day is a truly challenging and sometimes daunting task. We must remember to allow ourselves time to grow and relax into the learning. "It takes time for nature to change things into what they're becoming, it takes time for things to develop. Be patient with yourself and your life.Trust the Process of Growth."

A reminder to visit my other virtual art rooms for additional resources of student work, lesson plans and more and if you like what you see, tell others and if you need something else, tell me.

 Visit: Art Work on the Web, My Virtual Art Room,  Art Work Book Series at: Flickr,Carver Crew at: Flickr, YouTube, over 800 pieces of student work at Artsonia, and stay tuned for more to come. Please comment on this BLOG! It would be great hearing from each of you. Thanks!

 

 

In Teaching YOU Can Start Over Again and Again!

Working with teachers has always been a passion of mine. At first addressing a group of educators may to some be a bit intimidating. However when the interactions begin, you realize that although you may teach different subjects or different levels of students—we share the same considerations and concerns.

Last week, FBISD, a local school district, my alma mater hired me to facilitate training with MENTOR teachers who are going to be working with beginning teachers, those totally new to the teaching  profession. I am excited to also be working with a group of new teachers. 

• During our two days together we reviewed many statistics that are somewhat alarming.
•   More teachers are leaving the profession than are coming into the field of teaching. 
• In the next ten years 700,000 teachers are expected to retire. 
• Too many teachers are leaving the profession in the first five years.(The Teacher Shortage:A Case of Wrong Diagnosis and Wrong Prescription by Richard Ingersoll NASSP Bulletin ( June 2002) 16-31.)
• All of this is because we as John Murrows puts it, "we train teachers poorly, and then treat them badly— and so they leave in droves."
  

The opportunity of an induction program to support new beginning teachers will allow us to become better practitioners of teaching, better listeners and will allow us to reflect on what we are doing and why we are doing it. We can offer suggestions for classroom management, lesson planning , organization and time management and more. Most teachers agree that taking a first year teacher under their wing renewed their enthusiasm for the profession. I agree as I 've supervised many student teachers, and have in the last couple of years worked with beginning teachers. Veteran  teachers like myself tend to forget how much we know that can be beneficial to these new teachers. 

So much is needed in the first few days of school. It can be very overwhelming. Harry Wong in his book:The First Days of School:How to be an Effective Teacher, addresses seven things students want to know the first day. Teachers can ease the worries of their students by 

addressing  each of these concerns.

1. Am I in the right room?
   
2. Where am I supposed to sit?
   
3. What are the rules in this classroom?
   
4. What will I be doing this year?
   
5. How will I be graded?
   
6. Who is the teacher as a person?
   
7. Will the teacher treat me as a human being?

Think back to when you did anything for the first time. Think about any time you took a class in school. Did you have questions like the seven listed above? 

The good news is this, programs are now being put in place to offer the kind of assistance beginning teachers need. The other bit of good news is that the teaching profession is one of the few that allows you to start over again  and again till you get it right. I  know, I spent 34 incredible years in the teaching profession with the best art and technology students on the planet. It wasn't a job it was an adventure.

In Learning By Heart by Corita Kent & Jan Stewart, a source is described as the first or ultimate cause. A story is told of how artist Charles Eames inspired teacher Corita Kent in his use of films and how he connected art with life. Corita says," of his teachings, I can hardly distinguish between what he actually said and did from what he taught me to say and do myself. His teaching is still living in me and I am still learning from that life in me, as well as from students and friends and every single contact with people and things. He taught me that too."

How true that is that we are impacted by who we meet. Teachers have a unique and wonderful responsibility which begins as students enter their class for that first time.We think of teachers as college graduates and finished products. Instead new teachers should be thought of as having learner's permits. Herbert Kohl said it well." Nobody starts out as a completely effective and creative teacher. The desire to teach and the ability to teach are not the same thing. With the rarest exception, one has to learn to be a good teacher. "

Photos above were taken in Ector County ISD August Art Work Book Bootcamp, Odessa, Tx.

Summer Time!

So much is possible when time is available to you. I so enjoy the numerous opportunities which present themselves. I love to make changes while enjoying time spent in my home and garden. I love to rearrange my home and get more organized and add new plants to learn about in the garden. Sometimes this prompts purging the old to make room for the new. Boxes get packed for a future garage or tag sale. Other options of attending classes and training, reading books, writing, and getting more organized. I enjoy attending classes each week at the APPLE store to learn more about the many new applications. My classes cover Adobe's InDesign, Keynote, and IMovie and Garageband to name a few. Learning how to use these to offer more things in my virtual art room online will be exciting. It is nice being the student after having been the teacher for over three decades. Training to become a trainer of teachers who are becoming mentors to new first year teachers and training to be a mentor in my hometown district was a great way of being around other educators for four days.
My web site has changed and been updated to get products ready and available to my subscribers. Who would expect 14 days of setting up a merchant account and another week to add SSL security on the server. Having a vision of what you want and then finding others aligned in their thinking so that they can assist in creating it takes more patience than I can sometimes muster. The monthly bonuses each month have yet to be available as we determine the best way to make that happen. The opportunity to send e-cards is on hold as we are still looking for the Mac software.
The ArtWorkBook Series is finally in the art catalogue and available in ebooks which can be downloaded at any hour of the day or night. The books are also available in print on demand,( when someone orders, they are printed and shipped) this one company is a little costly and won't print one book at a time. So I am looking into other companies.My other blog was customized and when we changed the theme, it lost all that customization. It is now being updated. About to attend a family reunion at Lake Texoma and look forward to time in nature.
Also scheduled to meet up with internet marketers: Pat O'Bryan, Dr. Joe Vitale, Craig Perine, Bill Hibbler and others in San Antonio at Unseminar 5 in July. The assistance in providing clarity on what's next in the development of my site will be welcome and appreciated. Two of my mastermind group are attending and it will be nice to see them in person as we meet on the phone each week from all parts of the world.Well, time is of the essence although there seems to be more of it on these long summer days, I think I will walk in my garden before getting into my next daunting task. This afternoon a nice dip in the pool will be refreshing. How are you spending your summer days? I would love to hear.

" You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it true. You may have to work for it however." Richard Bach

Spring Comes!

How perfect that on the day of the SPRING Equinox that many great ideas were planted like seeds in fertile soil. My day was spent with incredibly generous people sharing both their time and talents. Two graphic designers shared with me ways to get my books and products online as offerings to art educators and their students. We discussed POD ( print-on- demand) so that art teachers could order a hard copy of my books, the company would print and ship the books to those who order and numerous other options. We discussed my Flash Card deck, calendars, paper portfolio packs, and more.
Another meeting with my mastermind group had us talking about the many details that each of us are involved in to get our web sites launched with the unique offerings for which we each feel a great amount of passion. The learning curve is phenomenal. Last of all, research at the book store with another friend had us learning about how others ( successful women) went about marketing their sites so that people could find them.
Think about it,the internet with the millions of sites makes finding your site kind of like searching for a needle in a haystack. I feel confident with such dedicated people surrounding me that we will work together to succeed. I expect positive outcomes!
I am so grateful for all of these people in my life. A very talented copywriter just re-wrote the copy for both of my sites. Next my web designer will be back to work on launching a new look to the art work on the web site.
I absolutely believe that when a lot of energy is spent on something that will be good for the world. The rewards will follow. It is back to the analogy of having planted a seed,in fact many seeds, and with the right soil, light and nutrients, the seed must as they say," Bloom where it is planted!"
I very much look forward to the day when all of these tasks are done and the communication will be frequent between art educators and art students.The sites will have taken on a life of their own. I will rejoice with a heart filled with gratitude for a dream realized, somewhere quiet, smiling face upturned to the warm sun.
"Sitting Silently,Doing nothing,Spring comes,and the grass grows by itself." Osho

A New Day Dawns! Reach Out and Touch Someone...

It is getting to be more comfortable leaving these random messages in different places online. I really look forward to comments and interaction with others as I seem to NOW be talking to myself. For now that is just fine as I can practice my "free flow" writing and get more familiar with posts and edits and all sorts of skills that can be improved upon as you spontaneously spurt out life's new insights.
I am excited to say that on two of my sites a professional copywriter is assisting me and another web designer supported me in changing the theme of the blog on one of my sites to look a little more artful. The magazine, " Artful Blogging" inspired the changes and the impulse to hire help and get things up and running a bit sooner than later.
As I move forward in completing my goals of connecting with more and more people online and most particularly provide services and products for art education, metaphysics and more, it will be interesting to see the transformation in myself in terms of web 2.0 skills and mastery. For now I can simply rest assured that a new day is dawning and to that I look forward.Sarah Ban Breathnach, says" the details of our days so make a difference in our lives." I agree and concur that as you reach out and touch someone across the planet with your words, or your offerings toward their lives being made better, each time you do, the world becomes a happier place.

Art Teachers Are Talking!

It has been so much fun and a lot of challenges getting my sites up and running. The really good news is that art educators are emailing me and we are talking about different issues in the classroom. It is great to finally arrive at this place where connections are being made. 

Clearly, it is important to put all the bells and whistles on your site, and you might be waiting a long time if you are stubborn and muleheaded like me and want to learn how to do this stuff yourself. The fact remains that I had assistance along the way with several groups of people whom I meet with on a weekly basis. Without their assistance, I may still be reading books about building web sites. Thanks to all of my helpers and my support network!

Now I am happy to say that two sites are launched and although still under construction, they are out there just waiting to assist others in their classroom challenges. Visit them and tell me what you think. http://www.artworkontheweb.com and my second site: http://web.mac.com/jmh5/_My_Virtual_Art_Room/Welcome.html

 The painter, Robert Blair said that " The element of risk is part of the challenge of watercolor." The element of risk is a significant part of the challenge of living life on the edge. I know that many times I stopped before I took the leap into the unknown, and when I finally just acted, and leaped— it was some of the most exhilarating times of my life. So this action is like none other, as it forces me to live bigger than I originally thought that I was capable of.  Now I say, bring it on,bring it all on! I am ready and willing to grow and learn and stretch myself to greater awareness and new levels of  knowledge.