The Best Professional Development Ever: NAEA San Diego 2014

The division directors of NAEA: James Rees, Kim Cairy, Angie Fischer, Jackie Terrassa,
Flavia Bastos, and Nancy Walkup

I am just back from a NAEA Board of Directors meeting in San Diego, where we were busy planning all kinds of wonderful events for the upcoming national convention there on March 29-31. The National Convention Program Coordinator Cris Guenter joined us by way of Facetime on an iPad.

Dennis Inhulsen and Cris Guenter

The 2014 National Convention theme, Spark! Fusing Innovative Teaching & Emerging Technologies, has inspired fresh energy in the field; evident by the response to the call for presentations. NAEA received 2,046 proposals for this convention; over 1,000 sessions (42%) were accepted through peer review to be included in the 2014 National Convention program. Your conference registration provides access to almost all of these. As usual, there are preconvention workshops on March 28 but reservations for these go quickly. If you have had a proposal accepted, you need to register by December 1 to be included in the convention program, so don't delay.

The San Diego Convention Center

The General Session speakers scheduled include NAEA President Dennis Inhulsen, and artists Deborah Butterfield and Jaune Quick-to-See Smith. Super Session speakers include Jason Ohler and Bernajean Porter, Inocente, Laurence Gartel, Art21, Matt Cauthron, Phil Hansen, the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, Very Special Arts, Terry Whitlatch, and Simon Silva. The California Arts Project will supply wifi in all the meeting rooms, which will be quite handy.

The boat to Catalina Island

The Hilton Bayfront Hotel is right next door to the convention center and to the water and a ferry to Catalina Island. Most everything is in walking distance or a short cab ride away. You won't want to miss the numerous world-class museums in Balboa Park and elsewhere in San Diego. There is a Super Shuttle that will get you to the hotel for just $8.00. Why not share a room with other  art teachers? You won't be spending much time in it anyway!

Learn more details about the convention and register on the NAEA website. It is going to be amazing!