Inside: A podcast episode discussing the best ways to enact classroom management and why managing your classroom is a vital act of self-care for teachers. Whether you’re a new teacher, an old pro, or you’ve just run into a particularly difficult set of students, it’s vital to have a solid classroom management strategy in place….
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30: Perfection = Failure
Inside: Perfectionism is stopping you from being the best art teacher you can be. Our students need to see us try (and fail) and learn. Don’t let perfectionism stop you from having the hard conversations. I have exciting news. The podcast is BACK! It’s been about a year since the last episode, and to be…
The Secret Recipe of Choosing an Artwork for Art Lessons
Inside: Choosing an artwork for art lessons can seem impossible. Whether for art appreciation, art history, or classroom art discussion, the possibilities are endless. This 4 ingredient secret recipe will ensure your art lessons are engaging every time. Choosing an Artwork for Art Lessons When picking an artwork to share with students, it’s easy to…
Art Around the World in 21 Days – Free E-Mail Series
Inside: An invitation to join the FREE email series, Art Around the World in 21 Days! It’s been 5 years since my original Art Around the World series! To celebrate this exciting anniversary, I’m relaunching the free Art Around the World in 21 Days email series. Starting November 1st, I will deliver one artwork to…
I am… Dorothea Lange: Exploring Empathy Art Lesson
Inside: Explore empathy art with this photography analysis activity. Students study the photography of Dorothea Lange, consider the thoughts and feelings, and write an empathy art poem from the perspective of the people in the photographs. My 8th-grade boys don’t open doors for me. The girls do. The 6th, 7th, and 9th-grade boys do, but…
5 Tips for Meaningful Classroom Art Discussion
Inside: Five tips for how to lead a classroom art discussion that will get your students thinking about and enjoying works of art. Looking at art is an inspirational and emotional experience. Talking about art is a launching pad for creativity, collaboration, and cognition. A meaningful classroom art discussion helps students develop empathy, flex thinking…
SPARK: 5 Art Criticism Steps for Inspired Art Connections and Conversations
Inside: Discover SPARK, the complete art criticism and discussion framework that ignites deeper student art connections and more engaging classroom art discussions. Download a SPARK art criticism steps poster and worksheet for your classroom! Many of us are familiar with the traditional Feldman model of art criticism steps: Description, Analysis, Interpretation, and Evaluation. But this…
What do kids learn from looking at art?
Inside: Students, parents, and admins often struggle to understand what we learn from looking at art. Find out some of the many reasons why looking at art is valuable. Last week, I was teaching a class about German Expressionism, and we were spending a considerable amount of time (over 20 minutes) dissecting and discussing as…
{Free Training} Curated Conversations: 4 Steps to a Fun & Engaging Art Discussion
Inside: Register to join a free art teacher training webinar about how to lead engaging and educational classroom art discussions. Classroom Art Discussions Have you ever wanted to lead a meaningful classroom art discussion but felt too nervous or unprepared to go for it? Worried you’ll be greeted with silence and blank stares? Concerned they’ll…
6 Juicy Artworks for the First Day of School
Inside: Six works of art with discussion questions and creative activities that make perfect first day of school art activities for art teachers of any grade. August is coming… I know. Summer just started! You’ve barely had a chance to sunbathe or swim, and yet it’s almost time to attend in-service meetings, set up your…
