ART: Expect the Unexpected.

As a student I remember asking many times “Why do I have to learn this? Why do I need to know the answers to questions like these?

• When will the bathtub will be full if the water drips at a certain speed?

• In what year did Lincoln make his Gettysburg Address? 

• What is the role of electrical and electrochemical processes in the plant's life cycle?”

I, however, never questioned the challenge and delight of learning in the art room. The rules were mine and the conclusions were astounding. 

Today, with the constraints of NCLB we hear terms like “minimize the arts” and ”teach to the test.” We, as Art Educators, need to stand tall and teach our students to be individuals, to know that answers to life are found in the problem solving skills they are learning within the arts. We know that creative thinking is a more valuable skill than just memorizing facts and formulas, especially in the Internet Era, where everything is online. Students who use their creativity and individualism will step ahead of the test takers and the ‘date rememberers’. They will know to turn off the dripping water and not worry about when the tub will be full. They will lead us to the future if we teach them through the arts to dream the impossible and EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED!

Attend this year’s NAEA convention will the attitude of EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED. There you will find the tools you need to better prepare for your quest to enlighten your students. I have already spent countless moments searching through the convention schedule, which you can find on the NAEA web site. Download it and start your search!  

The NAEA Executive Board, the NAEA Staff, and all of the volunteers who help make this convention happen every year do it with you in mind. We owe our gratitude to them and the hundreds of teachers who support this convention by taking the initiative to share their philosophies, discoveries and best practices. I am EXPECTING THE UNEXPCTED when I explore Minneapolis where hopefully the cherry will be repainted and replaced on the famous sculpture by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen! 

Finally, I would like to encourage you to get involved with NAEA.Share your ideas and talents with others in our profession through this organization. The more you give the more you get! 

Most Sincerely,

Linda Devlin
lsdevlin@comcast.net