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Avoid the April Burn Out!

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Hi, all! Ok...It's April and what feels like one of the longest months you will have all year. The finish line is close in sight. You can do it. This month is a great time to think about how you can take care of your students and yourself. Make End of Year Testing Fun Try making test review fun with an art version of the game headbands. Here is how you play. Simply write the vocabulary words you want to review on index cards. Students will take turns holding the card up without peaking. Students around the table will try to explain the vocab word without saying the word while the student hold the card guesses. The Elements of Art, Principles of Design, the steps for art criticism, etc. are all great words to include on your cards. This can be a done at the beginning or end of each class as a fun review.  Use Up Those Open Art Supplies Set up centers in your class with the left overs of materials from prior projects. You can set a timer and have students rotate, or just let them cho...
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Why the Arts Matter

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 Hi, all! I know you have all heard about the budget cuts that are being made to public education. We always worry that the arts will be cut first. When I was in the classroom, this was time of year that I always worried just a little about being asked to return the following year.  Advocating for access to high quality arts educational programming taught by certified arts educators is not an end of the year conversation. Arts advocacy should be a part of every conversation you have with your school administrators, parents, community partners, and anyone that will listen.  Americans for the Arts , National Art Education Association , and the Florida Art Education Association  all have fantastic art advocacy resources available on their websites. I'm including a great "Why the Arts Matter in Florida" to get you started from Americans for the Arts. Start practicing that elevator pitch now!
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It's Tax Day: Donations Aboud

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Hey, all!  It's Tax Day. You may have noticed community organizations and non profits asking for their community members to donate today. Why not donate to your art program? Now is a great time to "remind" your community that you have a supply wish list. I have seen quite a few teachers include their wish list in their email signature or in their class newsletter. Don't forget to check with your administrator for school's policies on donations. 
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But What About the Outdoor Art Festivals?

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     Ok... So it may not have been fair to assume the only art show you may be asked to do is an inside school Fine Arts Night. Spring can bring an ask from a local art festival to exhibit student artwork as well. Set up for these shows is a little different. You have to plan for weather, humidity, possible touching of the work, outdoors, etc. Based on the.... 100s of shows I have helped set up or attended over the years, here are a few things I have learned to guarantee a successful show. 
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It's Spring Art Show Time!

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     Hey, all! There is nothing better than a Spring Art Show. For art teachers, that may mean collecting, matting, and hanging a works of art from ALL of your students. You guessed it. They forget to mention the ALL students in one show part in your interview. Don't panic. You can do it! First on the agenda, send out an S.O.S. for help from the teachers in your school. If each teacher helped with their students, that would help immensely. Second, ask your art teacher colleagues for help. We all have been there and appreciate it when you return the favor down the road. You can also offer service hours for your local high school art students.      Help is on its way! Now what? The easiest way to manage it is to painters tape the work to bulletin board paper and attach it to the tack strips in the hall. You can export your student roster to Excel and print using mailing labels. This is much quicker than handwriting names. Prior to the show, enlist the help of...
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Welcome To Art Ed: The Missing Teacher's Guide!

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     Hi! It is great to meet you. If you are anything like me, you have had this thought cross your mind. Why didn't they teach me this in school? Honestly, after 20 years in art education I still ask myself the same question. I am still looking for that magical teacher's guide that is supposed to hold all of the secrets to a great lesson and an engaged classroom. Who am I kidding? Either this is the world's best hide and seek, or it does not exist. The latter is more likely.       Despite what you learned in your art ed or studio classes, there is no such thing as a perfect lesson. No matter how "pretty" that PowerPoint presentation is, your lesson may not go as planned. Why? Because no two students, classes, or days are the same. And guess what? That's ok. Give yourself some grace. Just like how you can make drawing a still life look so easy. Being a great art teacher takes practice, time, and a mentor who motivates, challenges, and inspires you to c...
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