Consider the benefits of art portfolios so you can intentionally integrate portfolios into your teaching practice.

Portfolios help students in K-12 and beyond.

Students of all ages benefit from building their own portfolios. Younger learners gain confidence by witnessing their progress and revisiting past lessons. It’s a fun way to make them feel like an artist! As students advance, portfolios become essential tools for high school courses like AP Art and Design or IB Visual Art where they demonstrate skill development and conceptual exploration. For all students, portfolios can serve as an inventory of their artwork and ideas over time. 

Furthermore, portfolios cultivate essential reflection and presentation skills relevant to all aspects of life. Whether applying for jobs, pitching ideas to clients, preparing for college or competitions, or even crafting a compelling social media presence, the ability to effectively showcase one’s accomplishments is crucial. Introducing portfolio development early helps students cultivate these skills incrementally, avoiding the last-minute scramble.

Portfolios reveal effective teaching.

Portfolio reviews offer a valuable opportunity for assessment and reflection, allowing you to evaluate your own teaching practice. By examining your students’ collected works, you gain insight into how your curriculum shapes their artistic development and reflects your own artistic viewpoint. Consider getting a fresh perspective by doing a portfolio swap with a colleague. Seeing work collected in another art teacher’s classroom can help you discover concepts, techniques, or approaches to explore in the future.

Portfolios reflect a strong curriculum.

Starting with a robust K-12 curriculum like FLEX Curriculum will make it easier to develop strong portfolios students will be proud of! A strong curriculum will meet your students’ needs and your state and district standards. It can be time-consuming to make or find resources to meet the varying levels of your students. FLEX helps you differentiate support for students with organized, sequenced content and filters to find instructional materials that meet state and district standards. The FLEX library is always growing so you can continue to add and change materials based on your students’ needs.

A solid curriculum will keep you and your students’ artwork focused because you’ll have clear concepts, terminology, techniques, mediums, and standards to follow. FLEX has well-composed learning objectives ready to copy and paste into any document or presentation. There are several options for each lesson for you to pick and choose from and then customize as needed. Additionally, FLEX has grade-level and media-based curricula to ensure your students are learning at a steady pace with a logical progression of skills. This directly translates into consistent growth which in turn results in more compelling portfolios!

Portfolios are a great advocacy tool for your art program.

Anything that art teachers are already doing in their art room that can promote their program and the visual arts is a win-win! Administrators love to see art portfolios because they capture the vibrant learning that happens in your art program. When tied to objectives and standards already provided in FLEX, it shows relevance. Because they capture growth over time, it can be a great way to demonstrate student learning objectives.

For secondary students who submit their portfolios for outside evaluation, the scores can highlight the strengths and successes of your program, school, and district. Leverage high scores to showcase the power of the visual arts and advocate for more funding for your program.

Gain resources to build better art portfolios so you can level up your students’ artmaking practice.

Set goals for a focused portfolio. 

A portfolio is not everything an artist created. Instead, it is a showcase of an artist’s best work. To determine what belongs in a portfolio, start by thinking about the goal. Are you trying to showcase expertise across a variety of media and subject matter or focus on mastery of a particular skill? Is it about the student’s personal growth and self-expression or the curricular standards? Do you want pieces that show a deep exploration of a concept or pieces that show technical proficiency? 

A strong collection will have a balance of commonality and variety. What unifies the collection will depend on your students’ age and your curriculum. Younger students’ portfolios tend to be more about exploring a variety of materials and methods. Older students’ portfolios are usually more conceptually driven.

Choose a route to success.

As creative professionals, we know there is no single solution to fit all learners and all circumstances. The same is true for portfolios! There are many formats to choose from, depending on your goals, student needs, and resources. In addition to the suggestions below, watch the Student Portfolio Basics Pack in PRO Learning for even more portfolio options!

Traditional Portfolio

Students fold a large sheet of construction paper and then glue or tape the sides to build a pocket to hold their collection of masterpieces. Check out the Personal Portfolios Lesson in FLEX for a simple plan to help students make beautiful custom portfolios tied to objectives and standards. If your budget allows, upgrade the paper portfolio by investing in hanging file folders.

Student Curated Exhibition Portfolio

Give students a large poster-sized sheet of paper or a yard of bulletin board paper to affix their best pieces on. Write brief artist statements using FLEX’s ready-made student-facing guides about why they are proud of these particular works to prompt reflection. This method gets pieces ready to hang for your art show ahead of time—all you need to do is hang one large sheet per student instead of thousands of artworks. 

DIY Photobook Portfolio

Fold and cut a large sheet of paper to make a small booklet. Students select their most prized artworks from the year. Take photos of students holding each artwork. Print the photographs for students to glue in their booklet, along with short artist statements about why they are proud of each work. Don’t forget to check FLEX for student-facing resources to guide students as they write about their work.

Process Journal Portfolio

Document the creative process with sketches, experimentation, and reflection. Journals provide valuable insight into artistic development and showcase problem-solving skills and a growth mindset. This is a more informal way to capture the “behind-the-scenes” work over a long period of time. The Reflect and Select Growth Portfolio Lesson in FLEX gives a step-by-step plan to build a portfolio documenting processes with artifacts.

Interactive Hyperdoc Portfolio

Slides are great for portfolios because students can embed more than just photographs. Students can include audio recordings of artist statements, as well as video or animation work. Students can also link to other resources such as artists who inspired them!

Career Portfolio

Challenge students to think about an art-related career that interests them. Brainstorm a list of skills that their career requires. Put together a portfolio of their artwork that demonstrates those skills. This method also points out any gaps in their skill set, which can direct future work. 

Continue developing portfolios.

A portfolio is a living document. As lifelong learners, students will grow and their portfolios should grow along with them. Encourage students to continue developing their portfolios beyond the classroom. They can add new pieces, reflect on their growth, and explore different mediums and styles. This ongoing process fosters a lifelong love of art and provides a valuable tool to highlight their skills and accomplishments in future endeavors.

Portfolios offer tremendous benefits to both you and your students. They help everyone reflect on the artwork and process and pinpoint strengths and areas of improvement. Strong student portfolios are indicative of a strong art curriculum and can be an invaluable advocacy tool for your art program. There are many portfolio options so choose one that meets your classroom needs. Support your students now with FLEX Curriculum’s download-ready portfolio resources so you can build better portfolios and watch your students’ artistic growth and your art program thrive!

How do you use portfolios in your classroom and beyond?

What is one thing you will implement this year to level up your portfolio practice?

To continue the conversation, join us in The Art of Ed Community!

The post How to Build a Better Art Portfolio with Your Students appeared first on The Art of Education University.

What’s the difference between assessing and grading?

Both assessment and grading gather information about students’ knowledge and progress. Assessment provides insight into the skills, understanding, and creativity students demonstrate. Grading assigns a simplified score to complex learning. Both are extremely important in the art room for your students’ growth as artists and your growth as an art teacher. 

What are your goals?

The first step in solid assessment practices is to determine your goals. What do you want your students to learn? Oftentimes, these goals are predetermined by national or state standards or district scope and sequences. You may also have your own goals you want students to achieve while they’re in your class. Whatever your goals are, ensure they are clear and specific. The goals should be about the skills and concepts students will learn and not just the finished product or how students behave.

For example, in a clay unit, your learning goals may include:

1. Understand the importance of planning before creating.
2. Demonstrate the coil technique and use the slip-and-score method to build structurally sound pieces.
3. Explore 3D design principles through hands-on creation.

What is the evidence of learning?

Now that you have your goals, it’s time to make them measurable. For each goal, think about the evidence you’d need to see to know the students’ learned and achieved mastery. Students may need to turn in a final artwork, show their process, or articulate their choices.

Let’s tie the same clay goals to evidence of learning:

1. Understand the importance of planning before creating.
   Sketchbook pages with three brainstorm thumbnail sketches, one detailed final sketch from three different angles, and a timeline of due dates for each clay stage.
2. Demonstrate the coil technique and use the slip-and-score method to build structurally sound pieces.
   8-inch sturdy ceramic coil vase with decorative coils and smooth areas.
3. Explore 3D design principles through hands-on creation.
   6×6 inch ceramic tile with a surface design that emphasizes one element and one principle of art.

How will you let students respond?

Student learning and assessment are not “one size fits all.” Each student artist is unique, with different learning styles and preferences. There are multiple ways to assess students and gather feedback and data on their learning. Offer students multiple ways to show their learning. Flexibility in assessment can make a massive difference in student engagement, communication, and final work.

Here are some ways to offer varied responses for a finished artwork:

• Verbal Sharing
  Present their work to the class (or the teacher in a one-on-one conference), explaining their process and reflecting on their challenges and successes.
• Written Reflections
  Offer the option of writing about their work, including explanations about their decisions and reflections on the artmaking process.
• Project Displays
  Display the final artwork and consider how the viewer will interact with their piece. Accompany the artwork with a curatorial rationale explaining the exhibit choices and how those choices support the artwork.

Do you need to rethink the grade book?

Number or letter grades are a way to systematize the abstract concept and process of learning. Grades are also helpful to provide measurable data over time for individual students or a class as a whole. For some families and students, grades can be a very motivational factor in learning and pursuing post-secondary education.

Specific feedback can be just as helpful as a number or letter grade. Meaningful feedback provides concrete takeaways for students to apply to future learning. It can also be more encouraging and gentler when a student is feeling discouraged or anxious.

Try pairing grades with feedback for a balanced approach. For example, jot down notes on a project rubric for areas the student excelled at and a skill they can refine. They’ll end up with a final rubric grade plus examples from the artwork that exemplify their score.

Whatever form of assessment you implement, remember to make it regular, timely, and relevant. When you give feedback on a consistent basis, it encourages students to get into a reflective habit and gives them many chances to practice receiving constructive criticism. When grades and feedback are immediate and relevant, it provides students with an opportunity to make changes before the next assignment or project is due. When grading and assessment are a two-way open conversation, students are more likely to be honest and ask for help as well as more motivated to apply themselves to their work.

Do we really need to grade everything?

After this dive into assessment versus grades, the new question is, Do we need to assess everything? At the end of the day, you probably don’t need to grade every single assignment. However, your district or school policy may indicate how many grades you are required to enter per week. As far as assessing, art teachers naturally assess everything! We are continually observing, providing feedback, reflecting on how a demonstration or assignment went, and having chats with students to check in. We have a good handle on where learning is in the art room—including ours!

If you want to grow in your assessment practices or you’re just an art teacher who geeks out about assessment, check out the following resources:

• How to Take Letter Grades Out of Your Art Room to Refocus on Learning
• How to Motivate Your Students Beyond Grades
• Designing Effective Assessment Practices Pack in PRO Learning
• Assessment in Art Education Graduate Course

Whatever your district or school grading policies are, you have the power to make a culture shift in your art studio that prioritizes artistic growth. Actively assess your students and their work by setting clear, measurable goals tied to standards and evidence of learning. Provide multiple ways for students to demonstrate their learning so you get their best work. Consider how you can pair customizable feedback with grades to spur motivation and improvement. With these methods, your students will not only produce beautiful artwork but will also blossom into strong artists who value reflection and constructive criticism.

Do you grade everything in your art room? 

How do you provide regular, timely, and relevant feedback to each of your students?

To continue the conversation, join us in The Art of Ed Community!

The post Back to Basics: Do We Need to Grade Everything in the Art Room? appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Leverage rubrics in 11 unexpected ways to enhance student learning, foster meaningful dialogue, and refine your teaching practice.

There are many ways to use rubrics but where do you start if you don’t know how to write a solid rubric? The first resource you won’t want to miss is the Plug n’ Play Rubric from FLEX Curriculum. This rubric is customizable to any art project and will create consistency in your curriculum. Save more time with the many other rubrics and assessments in FLEX—simply select the Assessment tab and filter by grade level and medium to find what you need.

1. Guide parent-teacher conferences.

A rubric provides a clear framework for discussing student progress with parents. It moves conversations beyond letter grades and highlights specific areas of strength and growth tied to learning objectives. This shared understanding helps you collaborate effectively with parents to support students’ artistic development.

2. Support reflection, self-assessment, and artist statements.

Rubrics provide a structured format for students to reflect on their creative process and articulate their artistic goals. Turn the rubric criteria into prompts to kickstart reflection. This will result in more thoughtful self-assessments and more insightful artist statements.

3. Focus critiques.

Similarly, structure critiques around the rubric to provide students with focused feedback. Tying feedback to the rubric criteria helps students provide constructive comments based on the artwork. It pulls the attention off the artist and onto the work. This approach also encourages students to more deeply analyze artwork and develop their critical thinking skills in a supportive environment.

4. Check in with students.

Integrate rubrics into student check-ins to foster a sense of ownership and encourage self-reflection. Students can use the rubric to monitor their own progress and identify areas where they excel or need additional support. This process promotes self-awareness and empowers students to take an active role in their learning. Using rubrics in this way also guides the feedback conversation in a way that feels predictable and comfortable for students.

5. Plan future projects.

Analyze rubric data to identify trends in student performance and areas where students consistently succeed or struggle. This information informs future lesson planning and helps you tailor instruction to meet the specific needs of your students. By using rubrics to identify knowledge gaps, you can differentiate instruction more effectively.

6. Build research skills.

Provide students with rubrics designed to evaluate the credibility and relevance of research sources. Students will gain critical research skills as they identify reliable websites, videos, and other resources. It will help them to assess the accuracy, authority, and objectivity of information, which is crucial in an age of digital media.

7. Decrease student questions.

We’ve all heard the question a thousand times—”Am I done yet?” Create a rubric for students to reference to determine if their work is complete. List hallmarks of completion, such as filling in negative space and putting their name on the work. Laminate the rubric and hang it where students put their completed work. This way, they can check it before turning their project in.

8. Monitor studio habits.

Establish clear expectations for studio habits and encourage responsible behavior with a studio rubric. Be sure to outline specific criteria for maintaining a clean and organized workspace. This promotes a productive learning environment and instills ownership in the art room. It develops organizational skills, attention to detail, time management strategies, and respect for shared resources.

9. Evaluate your lessons.

A rubric can also assist you with assessing your teaching strategies and identifying areas for improvement. This reflective practice encourages continuous growth and helps you refine your instructional approach to better meet the needs of your students. The specificity of a rubric will clearly tell you if it’s the clarity of learning objectives, the engagement of activities, or the overall impact of your lessons. You can even give your students a rubric for scoring your lessons to tell you which are the most interesting and impactful!

10. Encourage engagement.

Rubrics can assess how students work and conduct themselves in the classroom. Think about the skills you want students to demonstrate, such as listening quietly when others speak, asking good questions, sharing relevant connections, revising work, and seeking feedback for improvement. Make a rubric with examples to define these soft skills.

11. Prompt deeper discussions.

Rubrics equip students with a shared vocabulary and a common framework for discussing art. This shared understanding facilitates more meaningful conversations about artistic choices, techniques, and the creative process. Using a rubric, students can engage in more focused and productive critiques of their work and the work of others.

Ultimately, rubrics empower both teachers and students beyond grading art projects. Clear and specific rubrics foster transparency, encourage self-reflection, maintain an orderly classroom, and promote meaningful dialogue about art. By embracing these unexpected rubric applications, you can cultivate a more engaging and enriching learning environment. Watch teaching and learning flourish and students develop a deeper understanding of their artistic potential!

How else do you use rubrics in your classroom?

What other tools are helpful for student feedback?

To continue the conversation, join us in The Art of Ed Community!

The post Beyond Grading: 11 Unexpected Ways Art Teachers Can Use Rubrics appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Learn why National Board Certification is respected and how it can help you grow in your art education career.

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) is a non-profit organization that aims to advance the quality of teaching and learning. It does this primarily by offering National Board Certification, a rigorous, voluntary assessment process that recognizes accomplished teachers. National Board Certification is the gold standard in teaching and signifies excellence and commitment to the profession. Becoming an NBCT will help you be a more effective art teacher and advocate for your art program.

National Board Certification will prompt your professional growth.

The greatest benefit of the National Board process is that it will help you to become more thoughtful and deliberate about every aspect of your practice. As you analyze your teaching practices, gather evidence of student learning, and engage in rigorous assessment, you’ll gain valuable insights into your strengths and areas for improvement. This reflective process will empower you to refine your instructional strategies, enhance your assessment methods, and deepen your understanding of how students learn in the context of art education. You’ll emerge from the certification process with renewed confidence, a refined skillset, and a heightened commitment to lifelong learning—all of which translate to a more impactful and fulfilling teaching experience.

National Board Certification will increase student learning and achievement.

As you improve your teaching practice, you will notice your students’ attention and skills improve. As you create the rigorous lessons required for certification, your students will become more versed in critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and communication. These are crucial skills that will set them up for success for the rest of their lives. The National Board also encourages teachers to create a supportive and inclusive learning environment. As you model these traits and demonstrate your commitment to building a culture of learning, you will notice students naturally following suit!

National Board Certification will help your community. 

The first thing that draws a lot of teachers toward National Board Certification is the financial incentive. Many districts offer a stipend or step increase as a reward for those who meet the rigorous standards. Districts recognize that National Board Certified Teachers provide a tremendous benefit to the community!

Many districts also offer recognition at school board meetings or similar public events. This can elevate your visibility among administrators, enhance your credibility, and make advocacy for your art program more impactful. Repurpose the required writing component into informative flyers to accompany student work displays, foster community engagement, and increase understanding of the value of art education. Ultimately, the skills you hone in articulating the impact of your educational practice will equip you to be a powerful advocate for your program, ensuring its continued growth and success for the benefit of your students and the community as a whole.

Discover the four components of National Board Certification and tips to tackle the process with confidence!

Know the four components of National Board Certification.

Teaching is a complex job. Just as effective teachers segment instruction and provide clear criteria for success, the National Board helps teachers to focus on different aspects of their job to target growth. In order to become an NBCT, you will need to create a portfolio demonstrating your proficiency across four key components.

Here’s a snapshot of the four components:

1. Content Knowledge
   This component assesses your understanding of the subject matter you teach and your ability to convey it effectively to students. It typically involves a computer-based assessment.
2. Differentiation in Instruction
   This component focuses on your ability to adapt your teaching to meet the diverse needs of your students. You’ll need to provide evidence of how you differentiate instruction to support all learners.
3. Teaching Practice and Learning Environment
   This component evaluates your classroom management skills, your ability to create a positive and engaging learning environment, and your use of various instructional strategies to promote student learning.
4. Effective and Reflective Practitioner
   This component focuses on your ability to reflect on your teaching practice, analyze student learning data, and make adjustments to improve student outcomes.

Each component requires you to submit evidence of your teaching practice, such as video recordings, student work samples, lesson plans, and written reflections. Many people tackle the certification process by segmenting it and focusing on two components per year.

Set yourself up for success.

Trying to tackle all four components at once can be overwhelming. Instead, take your time. Most teachers find it manageable to tackle two components per year. Familiarize yourself with the requirements early and often, paying close attention to the evidence needed, including photographs and videos, so you can plan ahead. When writing your submissions, prioritize the rubric over style. Structure your writing to mirror the rubric, using keywords followed by concise statements of evidence. This approach may feel disjointed, but it ensures clarity and facilitates efficient scoring.

Get parental consent right from the start.

You will need to record lesson videos to submit as evidence. While the video should focus on you and your instruction, it’s a good idea to think through privacy concerns. Strategically select a class with minimal or no students on your school’s media denial list to streamline the consent process. Parental consent forms are always necessary and it is generally easier to obtain them from parents who have already consented to the school’s media policy. 

Study a little every day.

Content Knowledge can be one of the most intimidating components. Art history encompasses basically all of human history from around the world including artifacts that predate recorded history. On top of that, art teachers need to have knowledge of materials and methods for artistic production. If that feels overwhelming, remember that the test is not about trivia. It is aimed at assessing whether you know enough to do the job well. 

Most of the information you need to know is stuff that you likely already know. Still, studying and learning will help you feel more confident. Review PRO Learning’s Packs on art history and media to grow your repertoire of artists and vocabulary. These Packs provide a quick and deep dive into various topics with short, engaging videos.

Take advantage of free learning resources.

One free resource is podcasts! Listen to podcasts during your commute to and from school. Art Ed Radio has hundreds of episodes to help you gain new insights into all aspects of the art teacher profession. Shows like ArtCurious and Who ARTed can help you not only learn facts from art history but also hear how others analyze and describe pieces. You can also go on a free virtual museum tour with smARTee. There are some wonderful YouTube channels, such as Great Art Explained, which tackle a fair amount of depth in 15 minutes. 

Be intentional with how you respond.

It’s inevitable that some students will do something unexpected. The evaluators understand this reality. It’s okay if a student blurts something out without raising their hand or behaves inappropriately on camera. It’s how you respond that matters the most! Respond appropriately to re-direct and get things back on track, then reflect accordingly in your writing.

Along the same lines, you may need to write about an artwork you have never seen before. Remember the purpose of the essays is to evaluate how you respond to art. If you have no background knowledge of the specific piece, take a formalist approach. Describe the elements as you see them, then share connections and inferences. As long as you provide evidence to support your ideas, you’ll do fine!

Artists and art teachers are always looking for ways to grow and improve. If you haven’t considered National Board Certification, now’s a great time to think about it! Working toward National Board Certification will refine your teaching practices and philosophy, boost student engagement, and help you advocate for your art program. Break the journey down into two years and focus on two components per year. Plan ahead, get parental consent, and study as you go to make the most of this art teacher adventure. Your commitment to excellence will leave a lasting impact and empower the next generation of artists and thinkers.

What advice would you give to an art teacher working on National Board Certification?

What questions do you still have about the NBCT process?

To continue the conversation, join us in The Art of Ed Community!

The post How to Become a National Board Certified Art Teacher: Steps & Benefits appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Come explore what screen printing is and how to bring it to your K-12 art room!

Screen printing has been around for centuries and is generally credited to China in the Song Dynasty. The process gained prominence in the Western world in the early 1900s because it didn’t need a fancy printing press. The medium exploded in the mid-1900s with Harry Gottlieb’s expressive prints, Andy Warhol’s famous Pop Art images, and Corita Kent’s text-based works. Today, artists like Wendy Red Star blend traditional Indigenous symbols with contemporary themes. Screen printing remains a powerful medium for storytelling, dynamic imagery, and cultural expression. 

Screen printing is a relatively low-tech printmaking option—you don’t even need a printing press or expensive chemicals. Start with a mesh screen, DIYed from an embroidery hoop or purchased specifically for screen printing. Create negative space on the screen to push ink through with glue, sticker paper, or emulsion. Play with shapes, colors, and layers to create graphic images that will hone students’ digital design-thinking skills.

Grab the stencil printing materials below to try screen printing:

• Stencils
  Create using paper, cardboard, or acetate sheets.
• Cutting Tools
  Cut out the stencil using scissors, craft knives, or laser cutters.
• Screens and Frames
  Stretch traditional screens over frames. Substitute embroidery hoops or stretched pantyhose.
• Emulsion
  Photosensitive emulsion creates a solid layer on the screen that ink cannot pass through. Ensure your brand does not require darkroom conditions.
• UV Light
  Expose the emulsion-coated screen so it hardens into a solid layer. If your budget doesn’t allow for a UV light, use the sun!
• Screen Printing Ink
  Use water-based screen printing ink or try acrylic paint as an alternative and fabric ink for textiles.
• Image Materials
  Sketch with paper or gather images of student artwork. Trace with permanent markers on acetate.
• Scoop Coater
  Apply emulsion evenly across the stencil or sub with a squeegee or piece of cardboard.
• Squeegee
  Pull ink evenly across the stencil or sub with a piece of cardboard.
• Red Polyethylene Tape
  Frame the printing area on the screen with this residue-free and reusable tape.
• Paper or Fabric
  Print on smooth, sturdy paper such as cardstock or fabric.

1. Create screens.

Coat the screens with light-sensitive emulsion. Let dry for 24 hours in a dark place while students move on to the next step. To save class time, you can also pre-coat the screens so they’re ready to go! Alternatively, skip the emulsion process and use stencils.

2. Plan designs.

Guide students through planning their designs. Break designs down into one to three layers to keep things simple. Encourage students to use high-contrast imagery to make the layers easier to see. Transfer each layer of the design to a separate sheet of acetate.

3. Expose screens.

Secure the first layer of the acetate design to the screen. Expose the screen to UV light according to the suggested time on the emulsion container. It’s a good idea to do an exposure test to ensure the timing is correct.

4. Wash out the screen.

Use warm water and a sponge to lightly wash out the image area of the screen. Scrub lightly so the rest of the emulsion stays on the screen.

5. Prep your printing space.

Setup is key because the ink dries so quickly! Frame the area you want to print with red polyethylene tape on the screen. Cover the table with large scrap paper and make registration marks for the final image and paper and screen. This will ensure students align each layer correctly. Line up paper on the table and secure with tape. If you’re using stencils, place them on the paper. Carefully put the screen on top.

6. Apply and pull the ink. 

Add a thick line of ink on the top piece of red tape. Use a squeegee and pull evenly down the screen to distribute the ink through the mesh. Gently lift the screen to reveal the print!

7. Let dry and repeat!

Carefully remove the paper and set it in a clean spot to dry. Repeat the process with more layers.

For more in-depth steps in a handy video format, watch the Pack, Getting Started with Screen Printing in PRO Learning.

Bookmark these quick and easy tips to streamline screen printing with large classes!

Teaching screen printing to a large class of students has a lot of moving parts! Stay organized and plan ahead to make the most of your class period. You’ll discover students’ engagement will skyrocket. Plus, you’ll know all the prep is worth it as soon as you see the excitement on their faces as they pull their first print.

Here are some pro tips for streamlining the classroom screen printing process:

• Share screens and stations to boost collaboration and provide extra hands for pulling prints.
• Pre-mix and pour ink in small cups so the entire bottle doesn’t dry out or spill.
• Turn it into a group project and provide pre-made screens with images. Students can customize their final print by choosing their imagery and layers.
• Cover tables with butcher or bulletin board paper, disposable tablecloths, or newspapers for easy cleanup.
• Pre-label bins and buckets for more easy cleanup, including labels like Clean Tools, Ink-Covered Tools, and General Waste.
• Cover clean tables with clean paper for drying prints.
• Provide a giant tub of water to throw inked screens in so the ink doesn’t dry and clog the mesh.

If you’re looking for a fresh way to hook your students and foster design thinking, try screen printing! Students will love this low-tech process that produces powerful imagery. Encourage students to play with layers for endless combinations and experiment with various surfaces for functional pieces. Streamline the process by pairing students together, prepping materials ahead of time, and labeling bins for easy cleanup. Turn your classroom into a dynamic printing studio and spark excitement with each pulled print.

What questions do you still have about screen printing in the art room?

Share a screen printing shortcut or hack!

To continue the conversation, join us in The Art of Ed Community!

The post Screen Printing Success: A Step-by-Step Guide for Busy Art Classrooms appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Grading practices vary widely across states, districts, and schools. It often sparks debate among teachers, parents, and students because grades can carry a lot of weight. The impact of grades can extend beyond report cards and influence student motivation, teacher effectiveness, and parental perceptions of education. Traditional approaches to grading have long-standing roots in educational systems. However, there is growing interest in finding new methods that better reflect student learning and foster equity and consistency. This is especially true in the art room where assessing artistic growth can sometimes be challenging to capture with a numeric grade or through an established grading ritual.

Let’s investigate common grading scenarios to refine our assessment practice in the art room.

Extra Credit: Boost Engagement or Inflate Grades?

Benefits

Extra credit can motivate students to engage more deeply with the material, offering them a chance to go beyond basic requirements and improve their grades. For students who struggle with formal tests or assignments, extra credit can provide an opportunity to recover and demonstrate their learning. If you’re collecting supplies or need tasks completed, it can be a huge help to your budget and classroom and build ownership in the art room.

Considerations

Extra credit may also pose equity concerns, as students with more resources, such as time or finances, are better positioned to complete extra assignments. It can also be tricky to be consistent across classes and grade levels, creating possible misunderstandings. There’s a risk of artificially inflating grades and potentially masking the true level of student understanding.

Further Investigation

Align extra credit with meaningful enrichment activities connected to learning objectives to keep grades more reflective of content proficiency. Also, remember that extra credit should not be extra work for you, the art teacher! Challenge your students to take ownership of their learning and come up with their own extra credit assignments.

Open-Note Tests: Promote Real Understanding or Encourage Laziness?

Benefits

Open-note tests can mirror real-world scenarios where individuals use resources to solve problems. It can shift the focus from rote memorization to the application of knowledge. Open-note tests reduce test anxiety, allowing students to demonstrate understanding without the pressure of cramming.

Considerations

Open-note tests may lead students to rely too much on their notes, neglecting thorough preparation. In subjects where critical thinking and recall are essential, open-note assessments may not fully capture students’ mastery of content.

Further Investigation

Combine open-note questions with analytical tasks that require deeper engagement. Let’s say you just finished a unit on the elements and principles of art and guided your students through art analysis. It’s their turn to show what they’ve learned! Give students an artwork they’ve never seen before. Allow them to use their notes to reference the definitions of each element and principle. Ask them to apply the information to identify examples in the artwork.

Pop Quizzes: Grow Consistent Study Habits or Cause Unnecessary Stress?

Benefits

Pop quizzes can motivate students to stay up-to-date with the material and learning objectives. It can encourage regular review and preparation and keep students on their toes. Pop quizzes provide teachers with immediate feedback, allowing for adjustments in instruction.

Considerations

The unpredictability of pop quizzes can cause significant stress, especially for students who already experience test anxiety. There is also the potential to penalize students who may have valid reasons for being unprepared on a given day, such as an excused absence.

Further Investigation

A more low pressure way to capture real-time feedback is to build a habit of doing exit tickets before students leave. Students will appreciate the consistency in routine and the accountability in learning that period. Switch up the activity by doing questions, games, drawings, or tasks!

Participation Grades: Foster Engagement or Penalize Introverts?

Benefits

Grading participation is often used to encourage active engagement in class. Participation can take many forms, such as attending classes, contributing to discussions, being on time, and demonstrating attentiveness. It aims to foster a dynamic learning environment and build communication skills.

Considerations

However, grading participation can be subjective and favor more visible contributions over substantial ones. It may disadvantage introverted students, absent students, or those with anxiety. If participation is not explicitly linked to a learning objective, it may not accurately reflect a student’s understanding. 

Further Investigation

Offer multiple ways students can participate. Students can write or type responses and submit them for you to read aloud anonymously. Break the class into smaller groups or pairs with guiding prompts for more comfortable discussions. If you do have a required whole class discussion or large presentation, give students advance notice so they can prepare and ask questions ahead of time.

Homework: Reinforce Learning or Burden Students?

Benefits

Homework provides an opportunity for students to practice and reinforce skills learned in class. It also teaches life skills like time management and responsibility. Depending on the assignment, it can invite families to participate in their student’s learning. It can also provide a way for students to catch up if they don’t have enough time during class. 

Considerations

Homework can present equity issues, as not all students have access to resources like a quiet workspace or internet at home. Many students may not have the time, energy, or attention to adequately focus on homework at home due to other responsibilities. Excessive homework can lead to burnout and take away from quality family time.

Further Investigation

Use homework as a formative tool for practice and offer flexible completion options. Adjust deadlines or try a “ketchup” day in class for students to catch up on any assignment. Additionally, try optional assignments to do at home that are fun and foster a love for creativity!

Curved Grading: Level the Playing Field or Mask Performance Gaps?

Benefits

Curved grading can be helpful for adjusting scores on challenging tests, ensuring fairness in assessment. It may also create a sense of competition that motivates students to perform well. 

Considerations

It can foster an unfair comparison among students, where one student’s performance impacts another’s grade. Curving may also obscure gaps in understanding and give a false sense of achievement.

Further Investigation

Try curved grading if you give an assessment that ends up being more difficult than expected for your students. Alternatively, focus on creating fair assessments that measure learning objectives. If you’re looking to level up your assessment practice, enroll in Assessment in Art Education or watch the Designing Effective Assessment Practices Pack in PRO Learning.

Grading practices are essential to the educational system but come with inherent challenges. There may be many common grading rituals that we’ve done for years without thinking much about them. It’s important to keep evaluating why we do things and refining how we do them so we will continue to grow as art educators. From pop quizzes to curved grading, each practice has benefits and considerations for our students. With the guidance of your district and school administration, investigate your grading practices and take steps to find a solid balance between tradition and innovation in your art room. 

Which grading practice are you investigating further in your art room?

Is there a common grading practice you’d add to this list?

To continue the conversation, join us in The Art of Ed Community!

The post Balance Tradition & Innovation: A Deeper Look at Common Grading Practices appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Shift your mindset from grading to assessment and tackle how to use assessments as a tool for artistic growth.

What are the different types of assessment?

Assessments generally fall into two categories: formative and summative. A formative assessment gathers data to determine current skill levels. Use it to help you gauge where students are at and when they’re ready to move on. Formative assessments tend to be lower stakes and are often carried out during a lesson. For example, while your students are studying value, a formative assessment would be a bellringer requiring students to create a value scale or shade a sphere. Their level of success in these quick drawing activities will indicate whether they are ready to tackle more complex forms or if they need some guided practice to review the basics.

Summative assessments come at the conclusion of a lesson or unit. The purpose of the summative assessment is to determine the student’s level of mastery. Summative assessments can take many forms, including tests, artist’s statements, and portfolio reviews. Summative assessments can often feel higher stakes as they are often more heavily weighted in the grade book. 

What should I put in my rubric?

Rubrics aren’t just for art projects! You can use rubrics to evaluate any objective or standard, including activities like bellringers, drawing exercises, small group discussions, or presentations of artwork. Whatever the purpose, a good rubric provides clear and specific criteria for success. Focus on observable skills aligned to your curriculum and state or national standards. 

Rubrics can take a good amount of time to make if you’re starting from scratch. Save time and mental energy by using any of the numerous assessment tools in FLEX Curriculum. FLEX offers hundreds of student-facing resources including checklists, compare and contrast graphic organizers, reflections, project rubrics, and feedback sentence stems. One of the most flexible and customizable rubrics is the Plug n’ Play rubric. Click the Assessment tab on the lefthand navigation bar and filter by Grade Level, Medium, or Assessment Type—it’s seriously that simple!

How can I keep my assessment data organized?

There are a lot of ways to track student progress. Many districts provide an online grade book which may have features to track data and grades. For those without a digital grade book platform, digital spreadsheets can work just as well. Still, the most valuable data is the evidence you observe in student artwork, reflections, and skill demonstrations—not just the number from a rubric. 

Consider photographing student projects in a digital portfolio or virtual gallery. It may sound time consuming, but even elementary students can handle it by themselves. A class gallery is a wonderful tool to see learning trends across the board and provide you with insights about your teaching. 

Creating digital portfolios and virtual galleries is simple. For a class-wide gallery, create a slide deck and number each slide. Share the slide deck with your students. They will snap a photo of their artwork and post it to their numbered slide. Individual portfolios allow for student privacy and show students their growth over time. Similarly, create a slide deck to use as a template. Notate spots on each slide for their artwork and artist statement. Share the slides using a forced copy link. Encourage students to have fun customizing their slide decks and share them with you! Consider linking each student’s deck in one spot so it’s easier to access.

What do I do with the assessments?

If the goal of assessment is to help students grow, you must share the assessment data with your students. This will look different depending on your grade level. Young students won’t benefit from looking at a bunch of numbers on a rubric, but they will learn a lot if you give them each a one-minute “glow and grow” mini-conference. The important thing is that you provide students with timely feedback in words and a format they can understand.

What is my students’ experience with assessment? 

Sometimes assessments can create pressure and anxiety for students. Many students get nervous thinking about everyone looking at and judging their work! Give students a voice in the assessment process to reduce anxiety. Talk to them about your goals as a teacher and ask them about their goals as artists and learners. When you are assessing students or discussing your observations with them, give students the opportunity to self-assess first with a rubric, artist statement, or conversation prompts. Often, they will be harder on themselves than you and it will provide space to give plenty of encouragement. 

Assessment has a negative reputation but it can be a helpful tool for artistic growth and student connection. It’s important to assess students regularly to check for understanding of current concepts, determine what students are ready to learn next, and pinpoint areas of mastery. Shift the culture from grades to open feedback to relieve pressure and anxiety and promote excitement around discovery and development. Use ready-made resources from FLEX Curriculum to keep your rubrics clear, observable, and objective, while saving so much time. Embrace your newfound view on assessment to create a supportive learning environment that celebrates each stage in the artmaking process!

How do you track your students’ artistic growth?

What’s a successful way you share feedback with your students?

To continue the conversation, join us in The Art of Ed Community!

The post How to Assess for Growth and Transform Your Art Classroom appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Discover how to harness your classroom leadership skills for a fulfilling career journey and give back to other art teachers along the way.

Recognize your value and share the wealth. 

Many art teachers underestimate the value of their specialized skills. Take a moment and think about how often a fellow teacher or community member has said something along the lines of, “I don’t know how you do it” or, “I could never do what you do.” Art teachers are experts in not only art media and techniques but also cultural competency, classroom management, community organizing, and more. Sharing your skills is an act of generosity that can mean the world to someone who is struggling. 

Reflect on your practice.

Many things that seem ordinary to you are extraordinary to others. Take time to reflect on your practice and identify your greatest strengths. As you think about your typical day, focus on the aspects that run smoothly or seem easy. Do you have a knack for learning students’ names? Are your transitions calm and orderly? Have you found a way to hook students and get them motivated in your lessons? Once you identify your areas of strength, think about the steps you took to succeed. 

Find your people. 

One of the biggest challenges many art teachers face is being the only art teacher or specialist in their building. It can feel very isolating! There are many spaces where art teachers can connect with other like-minded professionals, such as The Art of Ed Community. This online space is the best corner of the internet with fun and relevant activities like daily polls and Community Challenges. Follow your art teacher friends, make new ones, and spread the love by cheering posts and comments. Many art teachers are more than happy to connect with you!

Document everything! 

As you create lessons, remember to take pictures of the process and the product. Many art teachers use a document camera to record videos while they create sample projects and sub plans. These are invaluable resources for students to review asynchronously. It will also give you plenty of archived content to work with when you feel ready to share your secrets with others! Whether you decide to share on social media, start a blog, or lead a professional development session, pictures and videos go a long way to help your audience understand what you’re talking about.

Refine your skills. 

While art teachers are experts in many areas, we still love to grow and explore new things! If you’re looking for a way to level up your leadership skills, enroll in AOEU’s Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction. This graduate-level course will help you improve your professional practice and apply your art education background to leadership roles. With the Instructional Leadership in Art Education specialization, you will learn how to advocate for change in the field through building community connections, applying ethics, and writing grants. Reach out to an admissions counselor to learn more! 

Start local. 

You don’t have to travel far to step into a leadership role. Plus, starting locally can often make the biggest impact on your students! There are many opportunities even within your school and district.

Here are a few local options to consider:

• Welcome a student teacher to your classroom.
• Mentor a new art teacher in your district.
• Apply for a spot on the curriculum team.
• Join your building’s leadership team. 
• Take on a role as a building rep for your local union. 
• Lead after-school professional development during institutes or workshops.

Many districts provide opportunities and offer incentives to lead professional development. The incentives may be a credit toward a lane change or a stipend. If you have the opportunity, consider broadening your audience to teachers beyond the art room. Develop cross-curricular resources, share therapeutic art techniques, or teach colleagues to make more visually pleasing slides, anchor charts, and instructional materials. Remember, you have more to offer than art! 

Present at conferences.

Every state has an art education association and there is the National Art Education Association (NAEA). AOEU also hosts the world’s largest online professional development for art teachers with the NOW Conference each summer and winter. The NOW Conference features art teachers just like you who have the most innovative ideas in art education. 

One of the keys to presenting at a conference is to remember that adult learners are like the class of your dreams. The teachers who attend educational conferences are passionate about learning and growing and they welcome depth and expertise on topics. Still, just as with your students, adult learners crave inspiration. Take time to think about and plan a good hook and approach your presentation as a story. 

Join the conversation in podcasts.

Art Ed Radio is the gold standard for art education podcasts. In addition to art education-specific shows, look for podcasts in specific niches like art history, art crimes, or art mediums. There are tons of podcasts out there and many podcasters love to talk with someone who shares their passion. Send them an email to introduce yourself and what you can bring to the show!

Teaching is an art form. As a teaching artist, it’s natural to continue exploring new territory so you can learn, grow, and share your work with others. There is nothing more satisfying as a teacher than seeing others flourish and being a small part of their journey and discovery. As you continue to hone your craft and achieve success in your classroom, consider the ripple effect of sharing your wisdom with the broader community. Whether it’s mentoring a new teacher, joining a school committee, or enrolling in a leadership program, your unique perspective and expertise can ignite inspiration in others. What are you waiting for? Step into your role as a leader, generously share your knowledge, and help elevate the field of art education. 

What is the best piece of advice a fellow art teacher gave you?

Share a reservation you have about stepping into art teacher leadership.

To continue the conversation, join us in The Art of Ed Community!

The post How to Become an Art Teacher Leader and Drive Meaningful Change appeared first on The Art of Education University.

We often teach our students that they can send powerful messages through their artwork. What if your students took this one step further to use their art to directly impact their community and the environment? Empower your students to use their art beyond self-expression and harness it as a tool to raise awareness and inspire action! Introduce environmentalism and visual activism to make real-world applications that are sure to hook students and transform them into changemakers.

Give back to the environment with two visual activism strategies and discover three fascinating artists leading the charge!

Strategy 1: Embrace sustainable art practices with recycled materials.

Upcycling and sustainability in the art room begin with the materials students use. It encourages students to think critically about waste and budget and think creatively about material manipulation and transformation. This focus reinforces to students that their artistic decisions can have a positive environmental impact and further enhance their art’s message. 

Provide structure and support with the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals offer a framework for addressing environmental challenges. For example, Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production encourages reducing waste and using resources wisely. It would be a great tie-in to a paper-making lesson using scrap papers. Incorporate the SDGs into your curriculum to make your lessons more impactful, expose students to new connections, and create cross-curricular activities. 

Check out the following three resources for ideas to embrace sustainability in your art curriculum:

1. Zero Budget Art Room
2. How to Embrace Limitations to Tap Into Creativity With Your Students
3. 12 Ways to Be Environmentally Conscious in the Art Room

Strategy 2: Design thematic projects to explore environmental issues and tap into students’ interests.

Introduce environmental issues in student artwork through the use of themes. Break down big topics into easier-to-digest themes for students to select from. For younger students, focus on simple concepts that they encounter every day, like recycling. For middle school students, introduce more complex initiatives like climate change or deforestation. For older students, allow more abstract issues, such as resource depletion or environmental justice.

Garner support from teachers in other content areas to enhance the depth of each project and reinforce the interconnectedness of learning. Another way to gain support and inspire students is to bring in guest speakers who are environmental scientists, local activists, or community leaders. Facilitate guided research from multiple perspectives so students can learn more about their topic. This is a great opportunity to discuss strong research skills and how to be a responsible digital citizen.

Once students have information on their topic, it’s time to brainstorm! Reflect on what stance they want to take within their topic and what they want to prompt the viewer to do. Sketch ideas that convey their messaging and consider how upcycling and sustainability in specific materials can detract from or support their idea. Show them the artists below to highlight what other artists are doing in the field and get them to think outside of the box before diving into their final creations.

Discover three environmental artists sparking change!

Note: Artists are arranged in alphabetical order by their last name. Peruse the links below and consider how these artists and works fit into your district and curriculum parameters to determine if they are a good fit and appropriate to share with your students.

1. Mel Chin

Mel Chin’s Revival Field explores bioremediation, which uses plants to remove toxins from contaminated soil. His work, using plants to heal the earth, focuses on overlooked communities that suffer the most from environmental harm. Chin’s work is a model for how art can show an audience a solution to a real-world problem. 

Classroom Application:

Create seed bombs to take this concept to your students and their neighborhoods. Seed bombs are small balls of soil with seeds that you throw into underutilized spaces to promote plant growth. Students can create two seed bombs each—one to keep and plant themselves and one to donate. Gift the second seed bomb to a local community clean-up initiative. This allows students to help with re-greening efforts in their community. 

2. Olafur Eliasson

In Ice Watch, Olafur Eliasson moved ice from Greenland’s glaciers to city centers. It made climate change a real experience that people had to face every day. His work turns environmental data into a physical, interactive display that you cannot ignore. It forces people to confront the impact of climate change and take action.

Classroom Application:

Make a stop-motion animation that documents a natural process of change, like an ice cube melting or organic material decaying. Students will photograph the gradual transformation from the same spot, visually tracking each stage as it unfolds. The more sequential photos they take, the smoother and more fluid their animation will be. Use a stop motion app or simple slideshow presentation to arrange them in order. This activity challenges students to think critically about how small, incremental changes can accumulate over time.

3. Maya Lin

Maya Lin’s What is Missing? is an environmental memorial that highlights biodiversity loss and climate change. Through art, science, and data, she raises awareness of species and ecosystems at risk. Lin’s work highlights the damage happening to the environment right now. It reminds us of loss and why we should push for a more sustainable future.

Classroom Application:

Design postcards to raise awareness about an endangered species or ecosystem. Students research their subject matter and draw it on the front of the postcard. Students write a short advocacy message about the importance of their issue with one way the recipient can help. Students mail the postcard to a friend or family member to spread awareness to someone they love and advocate for action. Use the Postcard in Earth Biomes Lesson in FLEX Curriculum for a full list of supplies, standards, objectives, and step-by-step instructions.

Art has the power to not only raise awareness but to drive real change. By incorporating eco-friendly themes and practices in your art room, you empower students to make a difference. Show students how to use their creativity in upcycling materials with sustainability in mind. Embrace environmental themes to practice solid research and communication skills. Introduce the three artists above to broaden students’ horizons with what’s possible with visual activism and how professionals are sparking change. Mobilize your art curriculum so your students will make a positive impact on the environment for years to come!  

How do you incorporate sustainable practices in your art room? 

Who is your favorite visual activist to share with students?

To continue the conversation, join us in The Art of Ed Community!

The post Make an Impact: Helpful Environmental Service Learning Ideas in the Art Room appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Are you looking to captivate your students with photography but don’t have access to fancy equipment or a darkroom? We have good news! You can bring photography into any art room by harnessing the power of sunlight to create stunning blueprints. Cyanotypes, with their mesmerizing Prussian blue color, offer a unique and accessible way to engage students in a different form of artmaking. It’s also a simple process that encourages experimentation while introducing foundational composition and chemistry concepts. Dive into a world of blue and discover simple tips to incorporate cyanotypes into your art room.

Keep reading to learn how you can implement and elevate cyanotypes in your classroom without a darkroom! 

Why cyanotypes?

Sir John Herschel invented the cyanotype process in 1842, but Anna Atkins brought it to popularity. Cyanotypes offer a unique blend of art and science and allow students to explore photographic processes without a camera. The artist arranges objects to create visually engaging images to explore composition as well as positive and negative shapes. The process uses ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide. These chemicals are sensitive to UV light and produce blue-toned prints when exposed and washed. If you live in an area with limited UV or sun exposure or want to print indoors, use a UV light kit.

Here are three cyanotype artists to share:

1. Anna Atkins was the first person to create a book using photographic images. She used the cyanotype process to create detailed and scientifically accurate images of botanical specimens, blending the fields of art and biology. 
2. Christian Marclay creates cyanotypes to explore the visual representation of sound and music. He places musical objects like records, cassette tapes, and other audio equipment onto photosensitive paper. 
3. Meghann Riepenhoff is a US artist who makes unique cyanotype prints using the natural properties of water. She uses natural materials like water, soil, and dust to physically etch into her photographic materials. 

Elevate cyanotype printing in the art room with these five methods!

1. Toning

Toning cyanotypes can alter their color and add depth and variety. Common toning agents include tea and coffee. This technique allows students to experiment with different hues. 

1. Prepare the toning solution.
   Mix your chosen toning agent (tea or coffee) with water. The concentration will depend on the depth of color desired. Tea will give a lighter, more translucent brown, while coffee will produce a deeper, richer brown.
2. Immerse the print.
   Submerge your dry cyanotype print into the toning solution. Let it soak for several minutes, checking periodically until the desired color is achieved.
3. Rinse and dry.
   After toning, rinse the print in clean water to stop the toning process. Hang or lay flat to dry completely.

2. Multiple Exposures

Creating cyanotype prints with multiple exposures can result in complex, layered images. This technique encourages the exploration of layered compositions and visual storytelling. Experiment with a variety of objects that have different textures like lace, feathers, or paper cutouts. Also, play with exposure time to create depth and contrast in the final print.

1. Plan the composition.
   Select the design elements to layer and arrange objects or negatives on the cyanotype paper.
2. Expose and develop.
   Expose the paper to light for the first layer. For instance, you may lay a transparent leaf on the paper and expose it to sunlight.
3. Repeat exposure.
   Remove the first object, add new objects (such as a different shape or color), and expose it to light again. This layering creates a complex, multi-dimensional image.
4. Develop.
   Rinse in water as usual to reveal the final layered image.

3. Wet Cyanotypes

Wet cyanotypes involve adding moisture to the process to produce unique, textured effects. This technique creates organic patterns, adding an element of unpredictability. More water will create a softer, watercolor-like effect, while less water will make more defined textures.

1. Prepare the paper.
   Lightly moisten your cyanotype paper with a spray bottle or immerse it in water.
2. Apply the cyanotype solution.
   Apply the cyanotype solution to the wet paper using a brush or sponge. The selected tool will also contribute to unique patterns.
3. Expose and develop.
   Arrange objects on the coated paper and expose the print to sunlight or UV light. Rinse in water and let dry.

4. Fabric Cyanotype

Printing cyanotypes on fabric opens up creative possibilities with wearable art and textile design! Fabrics like cotton or silk may produce different results in texture and color. Play with enhancing or modifying cyanotype designs with fabric dyes or paints.

1. Prepare the fabric.
   Wash and iron the fabric to remove any sizing or dirt. Stretch the fabric on a flat surface.
2. Apply the cyanotype solution.
   Brush or sponge the cyanotype solution evenly onto the fabric in a dimly lit area.
3. Arrange objects.
   Place objects or negatives on the coated fabric.
4. Expose and develop.
   Expose to sunlight or UV light, then rinse the fabric in water. Allow it to dry thoroughly.

5. Hand-Coloring

Adding color to cyanotype prints highlights details and adds a mixed-media element. Once the print is dry, students can use watercolors, colored pencils, or other media. Additionally, hand-coloring is a great way to “save” any cyanotypes that don’t turn out as planned.  

1. Prepare the print.
   Allow the cyanotype print to dry completely.
2. Add color.
   Use watercolors, colored pencils, or other media to add details and colors to the print.
3. Fix the color.
   If using watercolor or other wet media, let the color dry completely before handling. Optionally, apply a fixative to ensure the colors stay in place.

With no darkroom required, cyanotypes make blending artistic techniques with foundational concepts in chemistry and composition easy. Embrace the world of camera-less photography in your classroom through this engaging and versatile medium. Whether incorporating the basics of cyanotype printing or elevating the technique with advanced methods like toning, multiple exposures, and wet cyanotypes, the possibilities for creativity and experimentation are endless!

What is your favorite way to elevate cyanotypes? 

How do you incorporate the outdoors into your curriculum?

To continue the conversation, join us in The Art of Ed Community!

The post Back to Basics: How to Teach Cyanotypes in the K-12 Classroom appeared first on The Art of Education University.

As art teachers, we know the power of the visual arts to connect and move people. Now, science is proving what we’ve understood all along! The field of neuroaesthetics is showing how art can improve emotional well-being.

Let’s explore how to harness neuroaesthetics through service learning in the art room to improve health and quality of life.

What is neuroaesthetics?

Neuroaesthetics is the study of how our brains respond to art. When we look at art, parts of our brains light up! These parts handle emotion, senses, and pleasure and release dopamine, which makes us feel good and reduces stress. Susan Magsamen explores how creating and viewing art can help people in her book called This Is Your Brain on Art.

In hospitals and nursing homes, art can be a positive distraction. It helps people focus on something calming. A study of burn victims found that looking at pleasant images reduced their pain. This shows that art doesn’t just fill a space—it makes people feel better! Understanding how art affects the brain enables us to see the full power and potential of student artwork. Use this science as part of a service learning project to bring art and positivity to others in the community.

Bring the power of neuroaesthetics into your classroom and community with these ideas!

Compare and contrast two artworks to capture emotional responses. 

To introduce students to neuroaesthetics, compare two very different artworks. The Scream by Edvard Munch and Water Lilies by Claude Monet are great examples to start with! These paintings show how art can prompt different emotions. The Scream often makes viewers feel tense or anxious, with the subject’s intense facial expression and the artist’s use of bold colors and swirling lines. 

In contrast, Water Lilies creates a sense of calm through soft, subdued colors and flowing shapes. Talk with students about how each piece affects their mood. Ask them to think about how the elements of art contribute to the mood. Segue into how creating and sharing calming art can bring tranquility to others, especially those who are sad or struggling.

Create calm with color field artists.

Research shows that certain colors can boost our well-being. Non-objective art, especially by Color Field artists like Wassily Kandinsky and Helen Frankenthaler, is ideal for this activity. The large-scale artworks with big splashes of color are a great introduction to color symbolism. 

Introduce Color Field artists and how they used color to convey emotion without recognizable subject matter. Reinforce color theory, focus on mixing tertiary colors, and explore blending. Lead a guided visualization by asking, “What colors make you feel calm? Are they cool or warm? Saturated or muted?” Students paint a non-objective piece, using color to evoke calm. Experiment with materials like squeegees, rollers, and sponges for blending.

If you’re looking for resources to scaffold this process but don’t have time to create your own, check out FLEX Curriculum. FLEX is a standards-aligned curriculum with a vast archive of lesson plans and student-facing resources. Use worksheets like Showing Emotion: A Formative Tool and Discussion: Colors and Feelings to guide students in exploring emotions through color. 

Visualize positive themes through hand lettering.

Ask students to list positive themes like hope, peace, love, and kindness. By transforming these abstract ideas into hand-lettered art, students see how art can inspire. Read Ish by Peter H. Reynolds to encourage students to embrace abstract art and capture their theme’s essence. 

Students choose a positive theme and reflect on how to represent it visually. Ask questions like, “If kindness were a color, what would it be? If hope were lines, what type would it be?  If peace were a texture, how would it feel?” to guide their visualization. Discuss text in art and the importance of different font styles and sizes. Practice various words and quotes with step-by-step hand-lettering directions and drills. After sketching different word and composition combinations, choose a favorite to turn into a final artwork with markers and paint.

Share art in community spaces to positively transform well-being.

Once students create their artwork, it’s time to share it with the community! Brainstorm a list of places with your students that could benefit from calming artwork.

Here are some community space ideas to include:

• Hospitals
• Nursing Homes
• Shelters
• Rehab Facilities
• Veterans’ Centers
• Hospice Centers
• Assisted Living Facilities
• Mental Health Clinics
• Libraries

Reach out to venues via email and share your plan for displaying calming art. Discuss details about the space and display and how long the artwork will be up. Consider easy-hang options like using butcher paper for quick setup or pre-matting the pieces for a polished look. Coordinate with the venue to choose the best method.

For more innovative and time-saving ways to display student artwork, check out the following tips:

• Art Room Hacks: New Ways to Display Artwork
• 7 Nifty Ideas for Storing, Hanging, and Displaying Artwork
• How to Select Art Show Artwork and The Best Adhesives to Hang Art

Invite students and families to visit the exhibit by emailing home or including it in the school newsletter. Provide a box, blank cards, and pens for visitors to write letters to the students about how the artwork made them feel. This reinforces the value of the students’ work and highlights the impact of visual art.

Service learning helps students see how their art can make a difference. Creating art for therapeutic spaces boosts creativity and teaches students the emotional power of their work. By placing hand-lettered quotes or giant color field paintings in hospitals or shelters, students bring calm and comfort to those in need. It shows that art connects us and supports others beyond the classroom. Art-based service learning gives students purpose and shows how their artistic efforts can help the community.

How do you guide your students to think about the emotional impact of their work?

What are your favorite ways to incorporate service learning projects in the art room?

To continue the conversation, join us in The Art of Ed Community!

The post 4 Ways to Use Student Art for Community Service Learning & Well-Being appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Shake things up with how you teach value and bring drypoint to your students for ultimate engagement.

Drypoint originated in the late 15th century but because it’s such an enriching process that creates rich, velvety lines, it’s one that’s here to stay. Along with providing many opportunities for students to explore how line and pressure create different values, drypoint promotes backward design thinking. Students engrave the images in reverse so that when they ink and print the plate, the final image is facing the correct way. The drypoint process of engraving, inking, printing, and refining also mirrors the scientific method, encouraging students to hypothesize, test, and revise their work based on the observed results. This cyclical learning process enhances their ability to critique their work and approach problems.

A little bit of prep goes a long way!

Preparing for drypoint printmaking may seem daunting, but with a few strategic steps and hacks, you can create a seamless experience for you and your students.

Here are a few tricks to keep your classroom under control:

• Pre-rip or cut both dry and damp rags and paper towels for wiping plates and hands.
  
• Set up stations for each step of the process to keep tools and spaces organized and clean.
• Provide disposable gloves for even speedier cleanup!
• Place non-slip material under plates when engraving so they don’t slide.
• Add a masking tape border to the copper plates to prevent cuts.
• Pre-squeeze and pre-mix inks to minimize waste.
• Collect lots of small scrap “pincher” papers for students to use as tweezers to keep their final prints clean.
• Pre-cut printing paper so students can grab and go!
• Assign students roles such as Ink Manager, Tool Keeper, Print Monitor, and Cleanup Crew to foster responsibility and ensure smooth transitions between tasks.
• Display several anchor charts around the room of tools and steps to keep students on track.

Gather these supplies and follow these four easy steps for your students to pull their first drypoint print!

To bring drypoint printing to your students, gather the following materials:

• Plates
  Start with a copper or zinc plate. Trade for plexiglass for a cheaper alternative.
• Etching Needles
  Incise lines with needles, nails, or even toothpicks.
• Printing Ink
  Use oil-based ink for the best results. If oil-based is not allowed, try water-based ink.
• Triangular Scraper
  Pull the ink over the plate. Sub for a piece of cardboard for a free hack!
• Cheesecloth
  Remove excess ink from the plate with a lint-free rag.
• Newspaper
  Catch any lingering ink on the plate and it’s great to cover surfaces for easy cleanup!
• Spray Bottle
  Fill with water to dampen the paper.
• Press, Baren, or Roller
  Apply pressure with a printing press, baren, roller, or heavy spoon.
• Paper
  Print on smooth, sturdy paper such as cardstock.

1. Draw a design and transfer it to the plate.

Share examples of drypoint prints and black and white photographs for students to identify seven different values in each image. Students create their own sketches that also include a range of seven values. Encourage various markmaking techniques such as crosshatching or stippling. 

Transfer the sketch with carbon or tracing paper and a waxy pencil or crayon to the plate.

2. Master the engraving process.

Students carve the design into the copper plate using a drypoint needle. Emphasize how the line depth, spacing, and variety will influence the value in the final print. Keep track of your sharps with a checkout or numbered system for safety and inventory purposes.

3. Ink like a pro!

Model the inking process before students attempt it on their own. Apply a large amount of ink to the top of the plate. Pull the ink over the whole plate using a flare scraper or cardboard. Then, wipe off the extra ink with a cheesecloth or rag. Use newspaper to wipe out the highlights.

4. Print and review.

Walk the inked and wiped plates over to the printing station. Lightly spray a sheet of paper with a spray bottle. Blot it with a paper towel if it’s too wet; it should be slightly damp. Line the paper up on top of the plate. Use a press, baren, roller, or spoon to press the paper onto the plate. 

Carefully lift the print, using scrap paper as tweezers to keep the final print fingerprint-free. Demonstrate how to number, title, and sign the print.

Drypoint is such an underrated medium in the K-12 art room. It exposes your students to the art of printmaking and provides an opportunity to explore the element of value in a fresh way. The drypoint process also encourages students to hone their backward design thinking and make connections with the scientific method. There are many hacks to make drypoint affordable and manageable for the art room, such as subbing plexiglass for copper plates and cardboard for scrapers. Give drypoint a chance and get ready for rich, nostalgic imagery that will keep you and your students captivated!

What reservations or questions do you still have about drypoint in the K-12 art room?

Who are your favorite drypoint artists to share?

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