Thursday, May 31, 2012

Random Thoughts Thursday- Changes

I didn't keep up with my blogging routine last week for a few reasons.
1)  I was packing up my classroom
2)  My classes were transitioning from ending one assignment and immediately jumping into another.
3)  I was trying to get the 2 murals and native plant garden that we have been working on since January closer   to completion
and
4)  I was being lazy and felt burned out from all of the changes that are happening.

I love my routine.  I love how reliable and predictable it is.  But I love change, too.  I love the newness it brings.  The past few years I've been feeling stuck in life (on and off).  As I've described in an early post, I felt like I was running really fast, but not moving anywhere.  I have been feeling burned out at work and have come to realize that next year will be my 10th year of teaching.  TEN YEARS!  That just blows my mind that it has been that long.  I still feel like I'm only in my 4th or 5th year.  But change comes at a great time. 

My classroom is room U-2, which I love because I love the band U2.  I have a Bono poster on my door welcoming my students to my classroom.  It is in a great location and is very large, but the storage is lacking.  Next year I'll be in a new room, which is bitter sweet, but I'm excited about the amount of storage I'm going to have.  Plus, my schedule is changing.  I'm a bit sad I'm giving up my intermediate/ advanced drawing class.  It is my baby that I've developed over the past 6 years, but it is time for a new challenge.  I'm trading in my class for intermediate/advanced/ AP studio art.  I feel a little nervous about this step, but I feel ready for it.  I'm going to have to make adjustments to the way I teach, especially since I was diving into illustration type lessons that coincided with my personal goals of illustrating.  I know I can make this work.  The future is beginning to look very exciting. 

The SCBWI summer conference has a great illustrator intensive this year about writing for illustrators, which is exactly what I need right now.  The yoga retreat inspired a new book idea and allowed me to finally let go of things that have been hindering me.  And I just received an email from Mira Reisberg saying I won a Skype critique with her!!!!   This is really exciting!  I have been using one of her children's book with my beginning students for years.  I love that my journey has connected me to her.  It makes the world so much smaller. :) I am also signed up for her online art course.  I just realized that it will begin on Monday.  She is having a sale on the course if you are interested.  Here is the link: 
www.herosartjourney.com

I am a big believer that everything happens for a reason.  Right now, it feels like all of the planets in my individual universe are aligning perfectly.  Could it be that after all of the tears, tough obstacles, nonstop hard work, and determination to keep moving forward that it is beginning to all pay off?  I go into all of this with an open mind with only one expectation: to come out of this a little bit wiser.

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