If you haven’t taken the plunge of adding local artists into your curriculum, I highly encourage it. Sure, they may not have as much notoriety as the greats, below are 3 added benefits to adding these artists into your curriculum! Connection Okay one of the absolute coolest things we’ve discovered in teaching about local artists...
A lot of art teachers are thrown into the freedom of creating their own curriculum. Or they have one passed down to them but are ready for a change. But between art history timelines, elements and principles of art, art mediums, techniques, skills, and the list goes on and on…. where do you start?! It...
It’s now summertime and along with the nice weather another thing that summer brings is…garage sales! Call them what you want – garage sales, yard sales, rummage sales, whatever your choice of word is, people are selling their unwanted junk (I mean treasures) to strangers roaming the neighborhood. I find it fun to browse and...
Woooo! You made it through another school year! Whether it’s your first, 10th, or 20th…it seems to only get more challenging with all the demands thrown at teachers. In the past, I usually gave myself a week to relax after school got out and then I would start working on stuff. My brain couldn’t stop...
I just finished my 9th year teaching elementary art. By the end of every year I feel exhausted and don’t want anything to do with running a summer art camp like many other art teachers out there. Until this year that is. For whatever reason, I finally worked up the courage (and energy, let’s be...
Today, I wanted to share with you a list of some of my favorite materials in my art classroom. Over the years, these have become staples in my room and I honestly say I can not and will not ever want to be without them! I use them with all grade levels (K-5) and for...
Five years ago when I started in my current district there were a few elementary art openings. I thought, “wouldn’t it be so cool to get the brand new school opening that school year?”…and I did! The whole process was super exciting; all new everything, no one ever having been in my classroom—it was all...
When the clock winds down and the last kids ride off on the bus or get picked up in the car rider line, every teacher lets out a big sigh of relief. The school year is finally over and your body can relax and your mind can reset. That last month of school has been...
As a first year teacher I thought “yessss, I can do whatever I want??” I quickly realized that was a somewhat overwhelming task. Although I loved that freedom, I don’t feel I was taught how to set up a curriculum…lots of strategies, history and techniques. I knew I enjoyed teaching certain topics and my students...