Unfortunate Events, Excitment on the Horizon

Some events beyond my control have caused UM-St. Louis to pull me from my placement at Washington Elementary. This is an unfortunate and highly rare occurrence, but it is best for both parties, we feel.

If you would like to donate still, I will have a classroom someday and I will need many things to get me started. I would be happy to accept your donations. If you change your mind, I understand this too. I am sure if you call the Normandy School District directly they would be still willing to accept donations.

Thank you for your understanding and continual support. You all have the biggest hearts and I had no idea how many of you cared for me and for my belief that art education is vital for the success for children's future. It really makes me feel so good, so thanks!

On a lighter note, hopefully I will be starting my St. Charles High School placement sooner. We are waiting to hear back now.

Sincerest Regard,

Megan Steinlage

First Week of Student Teaching

This week has been great! I am starting to plan for my first lesson, which will be to 2nd graders. I think I am going to learn a lot about how to make a dollar stretch over a lot of kids. On that note...I am looking for donations! Anything you can dig up from your home or work office will do. So, clean out your cabinets and send me your

• old oatmeal cylinders
  
• paper grocery bags
• scrap yarn
• beads
• craft paint
• gently used brushes
• paper (recycle too!)
• magazines
• glue sticks
• school white glue
• old kitchen aprons
• shop towels (lightly used, please)
• and anything else that could be recycled into cool art! If in doubt, DONATE IT to an art student!
  

You may call me or email me if you have a donation and I will come pick it up.

Thanks Ya'll. More updates to come on my journey to being a teacher!

Another Adventure: A Children's Book!

I had a dream a few nights ago. I didn't remember it until last night when I was laying awake at 2 in the morning (I have bad insomnia; something I inherited from my father).

In the dream, my old boss's boss came over to show me her book. It was a beautiful piece of artwork. Each page was a beautiful work of art. Beaded pages and rich colors and textures. She explained that she commissioned a person who worked at her catalog to do the artwork, but the book pieces were all her ideas and direction. She was wanting to write a children's book. She was looking for someone to illustrated her latest idea. In the dream, I got very excited and ran to my back bedroom to pull some children's books from my library, including one I did when I was in elementary school. As I was running back to show her, I woke up. I must have just turned over and gone back to sleep.

Last night as I forced myself to clear my mind so I could finally fall asleep, the dream popped back into my head. What if I did my own children's book? I can do it! I have tons of ideas. And there it started!! I immediately got up and opened my sketchbook and started jotting down ideas and a storyline, which has an art theme, of course!

This morning I woke up and immediately told my husband. He was really excited about the idea after I told him my storyline and has agreed to help me. I am hiring him for the fabulous salary of hugs and kisses to be my manager. I hope he accepts the job. Ha!

Wish me luck! Hopefully soon you will be calling me Megan Steinlage, children's book author.

Back from Vacation. Interview with Laumeier tomorrow!

I am back from the Bahamas! It was a great break, but I would have liked to have had a little more opportunity to paint on the beach. It was just a little too chilly and very windy, which made it hard to get everything out to paint. I did do some oil pastel drawings, though.

Tomorrow I have an interview with Laumeier Sculpture Park. (http://www.laumeier.com/) I am really looking forward to this position. It looks like it would be a great opportunity to stretch my skills as an art educator. What better kind of job could there be? I'll get to hike around their beautiful natural park and explore art ideas with youngsters. It will be awesome! It would be a great position to come back to every summer once I get a permanent art teaching job, too.

So, I have prepared a CD with a few lessons I have written and have gone through some potential interview questions hoping that I won't get too nervous during the interview. Why do I get nervous? I guess I just want everyone to like me. Especially someone interested in giving me a job. I need to just chill out and know that whatever is supposed to happen on this life journey will happen.

Wish me luck!