Professional Development for Ms. Grace

As some folks may know about me , I am a bit of an overachiever . I am restless in my learning and growth as a professional educator, and I constantly am pushing myself further to learn more and to do more. I recently applied for and was accepted into the prestigious National Art Education Association's (NAEA) School for Art Leaders . They only accept 25 applicants from across the States each year, and I am honored to be one of those 25 this summer who will travel to Arkansas this year to participate in an intensive weeklong leadership training. I am terribly excited for this new endeavor, and am positive it will help in my growth as an art leader in my state, and as a strong educator to my students. 

Currently, I am serving as the President-Elect for the Pennsylvania Art Education Association  (PAEA), and in 2021, I will take over as President. I feel certain that the School for Art Leaders will help me in my role with the PAEA, as well as in my role I play locally in Philadelphia with the Philadelphia Art Teachers Alliance (PATA). PATA serves as a support group for art teachers in the city, of which I founded and organize monthly meetings. I love teaching in the city of Philadelphia, and want to encourage more art teachers to stay and help them thrive, which is why I founded PATA, as well as for my own selfish reasons in feeling the need to connect with other like minded art educators. 

Unfortunately, my school district does not support the cost of professional development opportunities for art educators. We are left to pay out of pocket and yet expected to grow and stay relevant in our profession- just at our own cost. I have managed enough out of pocket expenses for PD and for supplies on my own, and now I feel the need to reach out to my community for any support- small and large. I have spent thousands of my own dollars on my classroom- on furniture, supplies, snacks for students, and on costumes for the school play. I feel it is time for me to ask for support, which I do so with a great weight as I hate asking for myself. It feels strange to be so selfish in this regard, but I know that what I will learn will benefit so many more than just myself. 

In addition to attending the NAEA School for Art Leaders, I will also be traveling to Alaska this summer with art educators from the PAEA. There I will be taking in the environment, culture, and the arts to bring back new ideas and inspiration into my lessons and curriculum. Our group will also be meeting with the Alaska Art Education Association for a professional development workshop on cultural sensitivity in art lessons, which will majorly beneficial to multicultural art lessons I plan for my students, and I plan on sharing that information with educators in Pennsylvania at our local PAEA State conference. 

Alaska, of course is not a cheap trip, so to have 2 huge expenditures this year is daunting on me financially.  I will be traveling to Alaska from July 28th-August 4th.

SAL takes place from July 7th-12th in Bentonville, Arkansas at the Crystal Bridges Museum of Art. 

SAL Program Cost- $799
Flight and Transportation- $464-$600
Room and Board- $700- $1,000
Meals- $100-$200

Alaska Trip Cost (Includes lodging, tour guide, and some meals) - $3,245 
Alaska Flight- I used my airline miles for :)

I not asking for the full cost of my travels. I have budgeted for some PD expenses for myself this summer, but I can't afford all this without some assistance. If I get a few dollars, I'll be happy to have had the support, and if I get more than a few dollars, then I will be over the moon!