The final post...

Okay, this is it. My article was published in the May 2009 edition of Art Education. Very exciting and a LONG article with lots of photos. Since the research for this article evolved out of the CSUWPAI of 2007 it feels like I really am coming full circle.

Here we go again

Okay, this blog will end in May - that's when my article is scheduled for Art Education. Although I have nothing new to report, and I'm pretty sure this whole posting is mute at this point because I'm the only one doing it - it's become like a list. Posting is like crossing something off my to-do list. I updated on the other two blogs so here I am.

I've been working on research for another project, and have begun work on yet another article I'm planning for Art Education. Since I've been down that route already I do feel less in the dark on the whole process. But for the time being all I have to report is my excitement for an upcoming mini-retreat to NYC. Mini because 3 of the 5 of us in my writing group will be going. We're leaving in about 3 weeks and will be in NY for 4 nights - two in the city and two on Long Island. While there we'll do research for a couple of writing projects.

How about you?

Success, finally!

Okay, I feel like I can finally end this blog because I've come full circle. Just learned today that my article about this research has been accepted to Art Education, THE journal for my field of study. There are extremely minimal revisions (it will take me all of two minutes to complete) and the reviews were great. Now that I've done this I feel that my personal commitment to the project is complete. No doubt I will continue to do research, and hope this publication is merely the first step.

Crossing to the "other" side

Well here I am again, talking to myself in cyberspace. Gosh, I do plenty of talking to myself as I clean the house, drive my car, iron, etc. - why not in cyberspace! Anyway last spring Cindy sent us an email encouraging us to submit for the "Classroom Without Borders" issue of Statement. Since I had something ready I went ahead and submitted and am pleased that I'll have an article included in an English publication come October.

Still waiting for the peer review process to give me an answer with my CSUWPAI research article submitted to Art Education, but hope springs eternal as I've gotten involved in yet another research project - nothing to do with writing this time. But another big research article is brewing in the background as I work through the artifacts and documentation from my summer FCMOCA workshop. As always my writing group is out there to support me in real life - and I can't wait to share my new writing with them come next Saturday.

Learning new ideas

Just completed the summer teacher workshop, Mining the Museum for Contemporary Culture: A Collaborative Approach to Professional Development that was funded by the Bimson grant I was awarded this spring. It was fabulous! The daily facilitators each brought something different and a new approach to the experience. And all of them used both writing and art as a way to acquire information. Over the course of the week it became obvious that there is another article for Art Education in what I learned - now I just have to follow up and do the writing.

Sue Doe, an assistant professor in the English department at CSU joins teacher Dolores Rowland in examining Judy Castro's altered book. Sue gave us a smorgasbord of writing strategies to integrate into our classrooms.

This must be the finale

Okay, JC, you proved me wrong and I'm not alone out there in cyberspace all the time - thanks! Anyway I felt I had to add this (probably) final post. I published two articles relating to my research in the Colorado Art Education Association publication and just yesterday dropped my 'real' article in the mail to Art Education, "the" journal in my area. The image I've included shows the article, accompanying photos, the digital files on cd, publication permission slips and my cover letter.

Although I've found this whole process extremely frustrating many times, the idea of research excites me and I plan to continue. I received a Bimson Humanities grant this year and am already working on a research project related to the project. As I did research for my big article I kept a lookout for readings I needed to complete in order to properly report on the Bimson project.

Anyway, in my anal-retentive need for closure, submission of my article feels like the finale for the CSUWPAI. When I get notification that my article has passed through the review process and is accepted for publication (see, I'm trying my best to be positive!) I'll add another post as the grand finale.

I'm sorry that the blogging idea has been so disappointing, although my skepticism was rampant, I do see great possibilities and have two other blogs that are limping along (one for art the other for my writing group) and not quite on life support as yet.

Nothing like validation

Now that several of my CSU students are experiencing life in the trenches, i.e. student teaching - they're getting first hand experience about the realities of teaching. They're also seeing first hand the degree to which literacy is stressed in the school. At our first seminar nearly every student mentioned the school-wide emphasis on writing - hopefully they will be equipped to face that challenge.

This post is also presented with optimism that a least one or two art educators will visit me online as a result of the recent issue of Collage. If you visit - PLEASE let me know. I welcome your input, comments and reflections on the process. And I'd love to hear what's going on in your classroom.