We know creating art is a way to help students express their feelings. Where social-emotional prompts shine is their ability to take it one step further and help students process their feelings and make sense of them. For many students, putting feelings into words is challenging. Therefore, students are often more willing to express themselves in their sketchbooks than verbally. Reflecting in this way can help students better understand themselves and develop greater empathy toward others. Sharing their art through these sketchbook activities also invites an adult to connect with them.

CASEL, the organization for Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, has created a framework with five key components. These components are the basis for the prompts below. Use them as a guide when dreaming up your own sketchbook prompts!

The five components are:

1. Self-Awareness
2. Self-Management
3. Social Awareness
4. Relationship Skills
5. Responsible Decision-Making

To make this activity as simple as possible to roll out, download the complimentary handout. This sheet includes all fifty SEL-inspired prompts. To stay organized, cross out each prompt as soon as you use it.

Note: The following prompts can be adapted across all grade levels. Within each component, prompts are listed from least to most complex.

1. Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is when a student can understand their “own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior across contexts.” We want to encourage our students to explore their strengths and weaknesses, emotions, biases, and identities. We also want to cultivate students’ areas of interest and have a growth mindset.

Let’s look at ten ways to prompt our students’ thinking in this component:

1. Sketch a memory from a time you felt confident.
2. Show an emotion you are feeling through line and color choices. What colors show excitement? Which kind of lines shows nervous energy?
3. Draw your favorite mode of expressing yourself. (i.e., martial arts, construction, dance, theatre, painting, etc.)
4. Draw something that makes you smile whenever you think about it.
5. Think of your favorite character from a story. Draw a time when you felt the same way as the character. 
6. Illustrate a time when you felt strong. 
7. Draw two portraits side by side and label each at the top: Who I Am vs. What They See. Encourage students to reflect on how they feel inside versus how they think they appear to the outside world.
8. Reflect on the steps you take when dealing with something hard. Draw the things you do that help you manage your feelings.
9. Draw yourself in the middle of the page. Think about how you have acted as a leader. Add words around you to describe how a good leader shows up for others. Circle the qualities you wish to develop further.
10. Think of one word that describes how you accept challenges or adjust to change. Write the word using font styles and designs that reflect it. 

2. Self-Management

Self-management is when our student artists can manage their “emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations and to achieve goals and aspirations.” We can introduce and model how to navigate stress, accomplish goals, plan and organize, and take the initiative.

Keep reading for ten ways to get students to reflect on this area:

1. Draw a place where you feel safe.
2. Observe your hand making a fist, and imagine squishing a stress ball. Draw the squished ball, then add a funny face to it!
3. Draw a “worry” dragon that holds your concerns. You can even write your problems on your dragon. Next, problem-solve ways to tame or trap your dragon and add one to your picture. Consider how you might tame or trap your worries in real life.
4. Think of a time you practiced something and got better. Create a picture or symbol that reminds you of that.
5. Invent a mantra (a statement or slogan) to motivate you. Design a mini sign or poster with your mantra surrounded by happy doodles.
6. Illustrate a three-part comic strip showing a time you “stepped up” this week.
7. Draw two ways in which you contribute to your school community.
8. Create a staircase in any style you like. At the top, draw or write a goal you have for yourself. Think through the “steps” it will take to get to your goal. Draw your ideas for each, starting from the bottom step and working toward the top.
9. Lightly sketch a memory from a time you felt like giving up. Draw an image over the top of the sketch that represents the result from persisting instead. Press a bit harder on your pencil to make the second drawing darker.
10. Draw an “obstacle” in your way. Then, add a fun image of yourself pole-vaulting over the obstacle. 

3. Social Awareness

We strive for our students to “understand the perspectives of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and contexts.” This is a natural goal in the art room with the variety of art forms and artists across time and the globe. When focusing on this component, students investigate compassion, empathy, concern for others, and community support.

Dig in with the ten prompts below:

1. Sketch a picture of you and a friend side by side. In between the both of you, list your similarities. On the outside of each person, list your differences.
2. Observe a friend’s ear or look at your own in a mirror. Draw an ear on your sketchbook page as realistically as you can. Write the words “Be an Active Listener” on the same page as a reminder.
3. Draw a situation when you saw something unfair happening.
4. Recall a memory from when you made a new friend. Sketch the moment you first connected with them. What was happening at the time?
5. Create an imaginary celebration to recognize someone’s extraordinary qualities. 
6. Think of a friend who is having a tough time with a problem. Invent four different products or solutions that might help your friend. These can be silly or serious. Draw your inventions!
7. Draw a playground or your favorite hangout with friends. Then, think of some conflicts that happen there. What could you add to your drawing that might help resolve the disputes?
8. Trace your hand and wrist on your sketchbook page to look like a tree trunk (wrist) with branches (fingers). Draw leaves coming off of each finger. On each leaf, write supportive qualities you and your friends have that help each other get through challenges.
9. Identify things in society that are common but unfair (i.e., homelessness in front of mansions). Illustrate one image.
10. Draw a picture that responds to the prompt, “Changing My Mind.”

4. Relationship Skills

The art room can be a bustling spot full of chatter, connection, and collaboration. In this component, students “establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and… effectively navigate settings with diverse individuals and groups.” Students learn to communicate, listen, negotiate, resolve conflict, and practice teamwork. They also can hone their leadership skills, help others, and stand up for others.

This valuable skill set can be discussed further with the following ten prompts:

1. Use half of your sketchbook page to draw a design. Then, swap sketchbooks with a tablemate. Add your design to their page. How can your design enhance theirs?
2. Draw a “teamwork” soup with your favorite “ingredients.” Your ingredients can be non-food items and be represented by symbols! For example, you might add “working together” and draw an image of a handshake. Add all of your ingredients to a bowl.
3. Create an image that shows how you feel when listened to.
4. Depict the qualities of a good friend.
5. What are some ways to show you care about someone? Sketch a few drawings that illustrate your ideas.
6. Turn and talk to a neighbor about a dilemma that is on your mind. Draw a picture of one choice the main character in your dilemma can make. 
7. Relationships can have red and green “flags,” or signs of negativity and positivity. Draw two flags on your page. Add an example of a negative relationship quality onto the red flag and a positive relationship quality onto the green one. Color each flag in red and green.
8. Cut images from magazines that show people working together or practicing teamwork. Collage them in your sketchbook, and reflect on what it means to offer support to someone.
9. Use a sticky note to flag a page in your sketchbook where you felt stuck on a drawing. Exchange sketchbooks around your table. Write two things on the sticky note: Praise their progress and one idea that offers support in completing the drawing.
10. Saying “no” and standing up to pressure can be challenging, especially from your friends. Design a few comic-style speech bubbles and write different ways of saying “no” inside of them for practice. You may write, “No, thanks!” “Nope,” “That’s not for me,” or just “No.” Try out a fun font using block or bubble letters to add power to your words.

5. Responsible Decision-Making

Responsible decision-making allows our artists “to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions across diverse  situations.” We can scaffold how to be curious, identify problems, analyze information, and make reasoned judgments. Students can consider how their choices impact others around them.

Take a look at ten prompts to spark meaningful discussion:

1. Draw an image of a head with an “open mind.”
2. Design the word “curious” in an interesting letter style, written vertically. Write an acrostic poem that describes how you demonstrate curiosity.
3. On the bottom of your page, draw the top of a head, including the eyes. Add a thought bubble over the head and sketch out some things you think about when making a decision.
4. Recall a time you helped a friend or classmate. Draw an image that represents that interaction. 
5. Create a drawing that shows something you are proud of yourself for doing from this past year.
6. Draw a road with a fork in it. Add two road signs where it splits and label them with opposite choices (i.e., “close to home” and “far away from home”). Create imagery that shows traits of each option and consider the pros and cons of traveling down either.
7. Imagine sitting down with a fortune teller and discussing a decision you must make. Draw the room’s setup with a crystal ball large enough to draw inside. Add images of potential outcomes of your decision.
8. Illustrate a memory from when you made a hard decision that ended up being the right choice.
9. Sketch a response showing how you would take responsibility in this scenario: Someone posts something about a friend that isn’t true on social media. What would you do? After sketching, discuss your response with a tablemate.
10. Consider a famous person you admire. Draw images representing their positive impact on their community or the world.

Start your day with building empathy.

Art educators have the opportunity to cultivate a classroom environment that prioritizes social-emotional learning. Using sketchbooks and prompts can be an essential practice for many reasons. It transitions students’ minds into artmaking mode at the beginning of the class. The prompts stretch creativity and allow for more freedom, flexibility, and silliness since it’s not meant to be a finished work of art. Even if drawing is not your specialty, have no fear! Sketchbook prompts are accessible for all ages and abilities because they invite an immediate response without overthinking.

As we head into this new school year, consider creating a routine with SEL sketchbook prompts. They are a dynamic way to engage drawing skills and visually communicate with students and their inner world.

Check out some more SEL resources:

• 5 Ideas to Help Bring SEL Into Your Teaching
• The Art of SEL Podcast
• CASEL
• How to Get Middle School Students Excited About Drawing
• 50 Ideas That Support Social-Emotional Learning

What is your favorite SEL-based drawing prompt?

How do you introduce social-emotional learning in your art room consistently?

The post 50 SEL Sketchbook Prompts to Help Start Your Day appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Is the “more is more” approach best?

Art teachers often put a great deal of thought into organizational methods, the display of student artwork, and the accessibility of materials. We consider students’ physical space and movement, and we are always on the lookout for hacks, tips, and tricks that make our lives easier.

Yet, as teachers increasingly share views of their classrooms on social media, there appears to be a trend of curating heavily-decorated spaces. Rooms on our screens explode with color, themes, and wall-to-wall stimuli. Seeing these ambitious classrooms earn so many Likes may create pressure to keep up. These spaces are often impressive and beautiful, but it begs the question: is the “more is more” approach best for student learning?

Many teachers believe classrooms should be layered with color and information, creating a fun and educational environment. However, in March 2022, psychology researchers found that “on-task behavior was lower in classrooms containing greater quantities of visual noise and color variability, and in classrooms with either relatively small or large amounts of displays.” Furthermore, classrooms loaded to the brim with stuff may be less flexible and adaptable for student use.

Art educators often describe their classrooms as chaotic, noisy places. When high energy mixes with overstimulating visuals, it’s not surprising that adults and students alike can experience sensory overload. But, fear not! You can address this by reimagining the design and feel of your space. Making deliberate choices and working with what you have can help you transform your art room into a functional, flexible, and inviting space.

Let’s look at 27 ways you can modify your art room to best support your student artists.

1. Streamline the environment.

Like it or not, art teachers are known for attracting clutter. We require a ton of supplies and serve high numbers of students. Despite our best efforts, the mess sometimes gets the best of us.

Start managing your collections by auditing your decor and removing old projects. Pare down student artwork and anything decorative you have displayed on walls, ceilings, tabletops, windows, and doors. Declutter walls and preserve spaces where the eye can rest for cognitive energy breaks. In her article about living and learning with autism, design studies researcher Clare L. Vogel notes, “The classroom arrangement should contribute to the child’s grasp of order and space.” In practice, this translates into establishing good habits of putting things away, taking work down, and sending it home regularly.

Here are a few helpful approaches:

1. Limit areas layered with color or filled with patterns to a specific section of the room.
2. Allow for single colors or neutrals on your other walls to offset busier displays.
3. Showcase art objects thoughtfully and intentionally.
4. Store supplies and artworks in furniture-like containers that blend into the room.

2. Make it adaptable.

Flexible seating improves academic performance. Modify the layout of your room, perhaps aligning it with different portions of your art lesson. Consider rethinking your teaching modes to take full advantage of the new arrangement. Offer students flexible seating when appropriate so they can optimize learning more comfortably. Creating work zones can promote focused attention and offer students control. Consider flexibility when designing your zones.

Here are some free and easy ways to add adaptability:

1. Push tables together to make collaborative groups.
2. Set up independent desks for individual students.
3. Incorporate workspaces at varying heights, such as adding a low table for seating on the ground.
4. Arrange smaller spaces with a maximum capacity of two or three students.

Providing elements that add in or filter out sensory input creates cozy, inviting, and physically safe environments for all students. The spaces can encourage students to take breaks, arrange their materials, and work quietly.

Add to your flexible spaces with these low-cost ideas:

1. Place a small rug and lamp near the bookshelf.
2. Lay a non-slip mat under your sink.
3. Hang or place plants (real or faux) throughout the room.
4. Scatter pillows or bean bag chairs for floor seating.
5. Create work zones using area rugs.
6. Reduce stimuli with screens and partitions.
7. Opt for moveable furniture with casters to quickly transform areas.

3. View the space as an experience.

Environmental factors such as light, sound, room temperature, and air quality can affect student learning. They can also contribute to students’ comfort and set the tone for the energy in the room. On Domino Magazine’s Design Time Podcast, Interior Designer Jeremiah Brent details his routine to curate the “experience of a space” in his home. He explains, “I set the energy for the house before the kids wake up. There’s always music playing, candles lit, or incense. The lights are on in a certain way; the windows are open. I really believe in that energy.”

Teachers know how palpable this sentiment is. You can also intentionally stage a refreshing atmosphere with some simple changes and forethought. Setting behavioral expectations goes a long way, but the preparation of the environment sends strong signals directly to the senses. For example, a noticeable shift occurs in students’ voices, choices, and body language when they walk into a dim room instead of one lit like a grocery store.

Consider making adjustments to create more calming conditions:

1. Shade windows for filtered natural light.
2. Add task lighting in independent work areas.
3. Use fluorescent light-diffusing covers to reduce eye strain.
4. Open windows or use fans to circulate fresh air.
5. Play gentle background music or white noise.
6. Use soft, natural scents, or opt for an odor-free room instead of strong fragrances.
7. Introduce soft furnishings to dampen excessive sound.

4. Consider the spatial arrangement.

Art rooms come in various shapes and sizes, and creating the ideal layout is always a puzzle. Like urban planners, teachers have multiple factors to consider when designing a classroom space. Think about walking down a street and how you use signs, landmarks, and other visual markers to confirm you are in the right place. Support students’ comfort by leveraging similar sensory cues to direct their movement and designate their work areas.

Here are some suggestions:

1. Widen spaces between student tables to create clear, unobstructed pathways.
2. Define walkways using bright tape or painted footprints where you would like students to stand and line up.
3. Use area rugs or color-coding to represent zones visually, and set boundaries for their use.
4. Display a fascinating sculpture to create a memory and inspire conversation.
5. Hang signs and use numbering systems to create predictable movement routines.

Designing an inviting, functional, and flexible art room doesn’t mean you have to give up vibrant colors or exciting displays. Giving attention to your space and the ways diverse students learn best can allow you to support the factory-like function of the art room while maintaining a productive and comfortable classroom. Ask yourself what individuals and classes need throughout the day. Use this reflection to guide how you will modify the environmental factors and direct the energy in your space. Also, ask your students what they want to see in the room design! Children are intuitive about what they prefer, and they will enjoy contributing ideas about spending time in your classroom.

When you see trends online, do you feel pressure to create a particular “aesthetic” in your art room?

How do you balance designing a calm and productive environment?

The post 27 Ways to Design an Inviting, Functional, and Flexible Art Room appeared first on The Art of Education University.

What Games Teach Us About Classroom Management

First, well-planned games provide an opportunity for relationship building. In turn, this creates a safe space. Game playing is the language of children. They are an easy inroad for getting to know one another, fostering camaraderie, and allowing student leaders to emerge. Academically, games can teach new material and are helpful when rehearsing vocabulary, reviewing for tests, and assessing learning. Games make learning fun!

Organizing and participating in games builds empathy between students and teachers. Students often realize how challenging it is to direct a group, communicate, and work towards a common goal. According to Berkley’s Greater Good Science Center, students who internalize this are more likely to show prosocial behavior, demonstrate kindness and inclusion, and are more cooperative in class. Empathy is essential for running a smooth classroom and accomplishing tasks. Friendly competitions also help students increase their intrinsic motivation and facilitate a growth mindset.

Delegate Roles

One way to ensure any game runs smoothly and more collaboratively is to assign jobs. Shift out of your role as the classroom teacher to that of a team manager. Once you learn the ins and outs of a particular game, determine what jobs pop up. Assign roles to students so you can step back. It also allows students to step up and be more autonomous. Note that more than one student can be assigned a particular role if you rotate each round. This approach is especially appealing to those who do not wish to participate competitively but want to support the team.

For four roles you can give to students, take a look at our complimentary download, 4 Collaborative Game Playing Roles. Check out our PRO Pack, Games in the Art Room. You can find this resource and more like this in PRO Learning.

Other roles you can assign may include:

• Scorekeeper: Keep a tally of the scores.
• Timekeeper: Oversee the start and end of each round and monitor the clock for cleanup.
• Host: Review the rules, lead the players in each round, and maintain positive morale and good sportsmanship.
• Judge/Quality Control: Reset materials after each round and check for fairness.
• Cheer Crowd: Hype peers, support players, and generate excitement.

Focus Attention

When it comes time to play a game, the energy in the room can become palpable. Focus students’ attention using one of our Art Teacher Hacks, such as the call and response lyric game. Another fun song to use is Tubthumping by Chumbawamba. Teach them that when you say, “I get knocked down,” they respond with “but I get up again,” and you will be ready to give directions in no time!

After reviewing the rules and expectations, divide the class into teams as needed. Make sure you have a plan for this ahead of time so there is no delay in starting the game. For example, they can count off, split by table groups, or separate by birthdate.

Tech-Based, Seated Games

1. Kahoot

This online game-learning platform allows users to customize games (called Kahoots) to play. Students can compete over quizzes, formative assessments, learning new art topics, getting to know their teachers, and any other reason you want to challenge their knowledge! Kahoot is an easy peasy setup if you have access to technology. Different game styles are customizable with your photos, GIPHY’s library of GIFs, YouTube video links, or Getty Images.

Timeframe: Customizable, but allot 20–30 minutes to start.

Materials Needed:

• Host computer
• Ability to project host computer’s screen
• Computers, tablets, or cell phones with internet for each player
• Kahoot platform login (The Basic Plan with Quiz and True/False options are free.)

Goal: To win the highest amount of points by answering the most questions with accuracy and speed.

Rules and How to Play:

1. Design the game by following the prompts on the Kahoot platform or customize a game created by someone else.
2. Rules vary depending on the style of game chosen, but each player must select one of the response options to get points.
3. The game will automatically tally the score as you go along.

2. Art Heads

This funny, easy, and low-risk “blind-contour” game is a perfect ice-breaker for the art room. Good for warmups, Art Heads helps students transition mentally from their previous class. Curated drawing prompts can connect students with the topic of study on hand. This is a silly game that students can appreciate from elementary to high school.

Additionally, this game is unlike others when judging a winner. Art Heads is entirely subjective. The judge can pick work that closely resembles the prompt, least closely resembles it, or whichever image resonates with them. This out-of-the-box system creates friendly competition, reinforcing that the game is all about fun. However, you and the students will be surprised by the impressive art that will emerge. This game really gets students talking!

Timeframe: Customizable. You can design the game to last for five minutes or 25 minutes, so it’s very versatile for your schedule.

Materials Needed:

• Host computer
• Ability to project host computer’s screen
• Sketchbook or paper on a clipboard/sturdy surface for each player
• Marker for each player
• Slideshow of line drawings to replicate

Goal: To “replicate” the drawing projected on the screen without looking.

Rules and How to Play:

1. Create a slideshow of simple line drawings that gradually become more complex. Place only one image per slide.
2. Select a student judge to pick a winner for the first round.
3. Ask students to place their open sketchbook or paper attached to a clipboard on top of their heads.
4. Set a timer for 20–60 seconds, depending on the complexity of the drawing.
5. With markers ready, ask students to view the first projected image from the slideshow and recreate the image without looking at their drawing.
6. The judge picks a winner based on personal criteria, such as the accuracy of the drawing, how creative it looks, the least accurate, etc.
7. The first winner has the option to become a judge or pass the role on to a different player.
8. Repeat the process with each new slide.

Customizable Classic Games

3. Bingo

This is a classic game beloved by many for the anticipation it builds. Bingo is a classroom staple, and, through technology, the online game is fully customizable and free to create. Bingo cards are perfect for rehearsing vocabulary, reviewing procedures, or studying for a test.

In this version of Bingo, note that the content in the columns and rows varies from the traditional game. Players must match the content according to the game-style pattern indicated at the start of the game. Game-style pattern ideas include straight-line, diagonal, four corners, and filling the card.

Timeframe: Dependent on the “luck of the draw” and game-style pattern. “Fill the Card” takes the longest to complete. The average time per round is about 20 minutes but can end much faster.

Materials Needed:

• Host/Bingo Caller computer
• Free bingo cards
• Terms are cut into individual strips and placed in a bowl, bucket, or a bingo spinner
• Printer
• Bingo daubers, markers, chips, or torn paper to cover/mark squares

Goal: Shout “Bingo!” after successfully covering terms matching those called, according to the game style chosen.

Rules and How to Play:

1. Pass out printed bingo cards to each student and a method for marking/covering their card.
2. Give all terms that appear on the bingo cards to the Bingo Caller.
3. The Bingo Caller announces what type of game is in play, such as straight, diagonal, four corners, fill the card, etc.
4. The Bingo Caller stirs up the paper strips and calls out the definition of the term (without saying the term), then selects a student to guess the answer.
5. Once the correct answer is announced, each student covers the term with a marker on their bingo card.
6. The Bingo Caller continues in this fashion until a player calls “Bingo!”
7. Verify the winning board. The player can call out their terms, and the Bingo Caller can check the player’s card.
8. After each win, clear the scorecards and start a new game.

4. Heads Up

This entertaining guessing game originated on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Originally made with physical cards held to the forehead, it has been developed into a mobile app. More recently, it has been adapted into a board game using headbands. This fast-paced game is great for the art room because you can create themed decks for any topic of interest.

Materials Needed:

• 200+ index cards with art terms printed/written on them
• Marker
• 60-second timer

Goal: Guess the highest number of answers correctly.

Rules and How to Play:

1. Divide into 2–3 teams and split the deck of index cards so there is one deck per team.
2. Choose the first person who will have to guess. The remaining players offer clues.
3. The guessers each have a deck of index cards facedown in front of them. The guesser will hold a card up to their forehead with the term facing out so they can’t see it.
4. Start the timer.
5. The guesser’s team will shout out clues, “act it out,” sing songs, offer fill-in-the-blanks, etc., to help the guesser say the term on the card. The only word(s) the team can’t say is the term(s) on the card.
6. The guesser has 60 seconds to answer as many cards in their deck as possible.
7. The team can “pass” one card during each round. If the team gives an illegal clue, they must pass that card and pick another one.

Active, Team-Based Games

5. Marshmallow Wars

This is a fun team-building game. Like dodgeball, any game where you are throwing something toward someone needs to have the rules, boundaries, and consequences laid out. Time each round between one to three minutes.

Materials Needed:

• Two tables facing each other, about 20 feet apart
• Ten cups for stacking in a pyramid
• One to two bags of jumbo marshmallows
• Two chairs, optional

Goal: Stack a pyramid of cups before the opposing team has a chance to knock them down.

Rules and How to Play:

1. Divide into two teams, with a designated cup stacker for each. The cup stacker can sit or stand behind the table the cups will be stacked on.
2. The rest of the players defend their cup stacker from incoming marshmallows and throw marshmallows to knock their opponent’s cup pyramid down.
3. Players can only throw from behind their table where the cup stacker is seated.
4. Any player can retrieve marshmallows from the ground. But they must go back behind the table for throwing. Players throwing from anywhere else must sit out.
5. Cup stackers continuously try and complete their pyramid until one team is successful or time runs out.
6. Any player or cup stacker may retrieve fallen cups, but only the cup stacker is allowed to stack the cups.

6. Candy Cane Olympics

This game takes its inspiration from Nic Hahn. Not only are the Candy Cane Olympics hilarious to watch, but this is an excellent relay game that encourages collaboration. The learning curve is part of the fun when controlling the headband-candy cane hook. Students are usually very uncoordinated at first, so it can be a positive empathy builder. Connect this concept to other new things they have tried, like realistic drawing and learning to cut with scissors. With any new skill or task, we may be awkward at first. After some practice, we gain confidence and competency!

While the game looks easy, students quickly discover that strategy, communication, and problem-solving as a team are required to gain an edge over their opponents. I was happily surprised that my middle school students did not tire of this game. They played for our entire 50-minute class!

Materials Needed:

• Four bins to hook candy canes onto, about 20 feet apart
• One to two packages of candy canes (plus extra in case any break)
• Ribbon and string
• Tape

Goal: Move as many candy canes from the starting bin to the ending bin.

Rules and How to Play:

1. Divide into teams. The more bins you have, the more teams you can have. Note that each team requires two bins.
2. Create teams of three players. Each player wears a headband with a string attached and a candy cane secured at the end like a fishing hook.
3. Two bins are placed at one end of the room with six candy canes hooked on the edges.
4. Players line up at the opposite end of the room near their empty bin.
5. One player at a time from each team will attempt to hook one candy cane from the bin onto the candy cane headband.
6. Then, players walk it to the other side of the room, where they drop the candy cane inside an empty bin.
7. The second player can take their turn as soon as the first player successfully drops off the candy cane.
8. Players continue in order until all candy canes are transferred or time runs out.
9. Teams have three minutes to try and transfer all six candy canes.

Winners, Losers, and Prizes

There are no losers when you are not playing for a “prize.” The goal of game playing is to enhance learning and provide stress relief. While I rarely offer physical or treat-based prizes, I do give students art room rewards. These rewards usually benefit the entire class and tie directly into the art room. The “winning” team can earn a privilege for the class like free seating or choosing the topic for the next drawing warmup, First 5.

Other ideas include:

• Have an “art outside” day
• Choose the classroom music playlist
• Pick the next medium we work with
• Lead the class for the day

Making Management Fun

Classroom management is something you build and maintain all year long. It fluctuates throughout the seasons but doesn’t have to be a headache. It’s never too soon or too late to use games to support your classroom management.

The beginning of the school year is a valuable time to introduce games. Students receive so much new information and may experience sensory overload. They need opportunities to connect with their classmates, and they appreciate a teacher who recognizes this. Games are excellent for encouraging community, collaboration, and problem-solving. All of these make classroom management infinitely more fun!

For more resources on games in the art room, check out the following:

• 6 Games Perfect for the Art Room
• 5 Online Games Your Students Will Love
• Games in the Art Room Pack in PRO Learning
• 5 Games to Put an Artistic Twist on Field Day
• 3 Super Fun Art History Games

What are your favorite games to play in the art room?

How do you use games as classroom management tools?

The post 6 Exhilarating Classroom Management Games You’ll Want to Play in the Art Room appeared first on The Art of Education University.

While students explore their artistic personalities, they must demonstrate growth in their craftsmanship. They do this by developing functional skills and monitoring their progress. In conjunction, we must also communicate clear goals and expectations.

For this article, we will define the term craftsmanship in alignment with Anchor Standard 2 of the National Core Art Standards. Craftsmanship refers to skill in the careful handling and use of tools, materials, and equipment, application of media, and presentation of the artwork.

Where has the craftsmanship gone, and why does it matter?

Since returning to in-person learning, teachers are noticing that fine motor skills and craftsmanship are in decline. This isn’t surprising, considering that remote learning took the place of hands-on work to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID. Students began spending more time on their computers, participating in school, joining social interactions, and keeping up with virtual doctor’s appointments. Researchers like Marcy Guddemi say that more screen time correlates to “decreased use of crayons, paints, pencils, scissors, clay, and other manipulatives in their daily lives.” Studies like this account for the decline of craftsmanship.

Craftsmanship matters because:

• The appearance of an artwork communicates the level of effort and intention to the viewer.
• Strong craftsmanship reflects the pride of the artist and their mastery of the materials.
• These skills are ancestral and often passed down or lost through generations.
• Well-crafted artwork stands the test of time, lasting for ages.

Luckily, the art room is an incredible place for teaching and learning these skills! We have the opportunity to expose students to a wide variety of media and techniques. Through our activities and lessons, fine motor skills and craftsmanship are part of our regular practice.

What is the relationship between fine motor skills and craftsmanship?

The development of fine motor skills is directly linked to quality craftsmanship. Dr. Robert Kneebone of Imperial College in London reflected on his surgical students’ lack of dexterity. He noted their fine motor skills “might once have been gained at school or at home, whether in cutting textiles, measuring ingredients, repairing something that’s broken, learning woodwork or holding an instrument.” But, in over a decade of observations, his students have become “less competent and less confident” in using their hands. The concern lies in that fine motor skills are essential for independence, self-care, and many jobs, like surgery.

It’s alarming to learn these skills are declining. Jobs ranging from automotive technicians and orthodontists to surgeons and tattoo artists rely on their fine motor ability. As customers and consumers, we rely on their fine motor ability for our safety. Developing fine motor skills is a lifelong investment that impacts your students’ immediate quality of life. The broader impact trickles down to the communities they serve once they join the workforce.

In the art room, fine motor skills also provide students with the ability and dexterity to work independently. Cutting on a line, picking up small objects, tearing paper, and holding a pencil are a few examples highlighting their importance. When a student has solid fine motor skills, it’s easier for them to achieve high levels of craftsmanship and thereby stronger, more professional-looking artworks.

What are some fine motor ideas that support the development of craftsmanship?

Craftsmanship skills emerge over time in school. Practice, repetition, and frequent in-person feedback from teachers are important factors. There’s not a one-size-fits-all approach to fine motor skill or craftsmanship development. Read on for four overarching areas that are further broken down into eighteen fine motor activities that support the development of quality craftsmanship.

Increase endurance for hands-on work.

Students need stamina when creating art. From careful coloring to creating masterpieces in clay, exercising growing muscles is key.

1. Work with playdough and clay to exercise the muscles in the hands, wrists, and arms. Squishing, wedging, rolling, and coiling train muscles for other activities like coloring and writing.

2. Build with plastic building bricks to support hand-eye coordination, grasp development, and hand strength. Have students build and then ask them to draw their construction!

3. Employ an easel or vertical painting to build the upper body strength needed to stabilize the body against gravity. Tape paper to vertical surfaces like walls and doors, or let your students paint your classroom windows with tempera paint.

Practice finger isolation.

Using one finger to perform a task is called “finger isolation.” This skill is used in activities like typing or turning pages in a book.

4. Finger paint for a nostalgic and fun activity for all ages. When limited to a small surface, fingerpainting supports hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness.

5. Fingerprint pointillism (pictured above) is a creative way to practice finger isolation and teach this historical style.

6. Play with finger puppets to make learning engaging and accessible. Learn more about using them in the classroom here.

7. Apply glitter or sequins with a dampened finger to add details to projects.

8. Teach students to use American Sign Language cues for classroom requests.

Use open thumb web space exercises.

Try this! Connect the tip of your ring finger to the tip of your thumb, like when creating the “O” in the “OK” hand gesture. The circle that forms is your open thumb’s web space. We use this fine motor skill to grasp and maintain control over a pencil or pinch something.

9. Create eyedropper ink paintings (pictured above) by squeezing India ink onto smooth paper. Blow the ink across the surface using a straw for an interesting way to incorporate the open thumb’s web space. Apply watercolor paint to bring these exciting creations to life.

10. Bead and make jewelry with polymer clay in the Polymer Set Lesson in FLEX Curriculum. Stringing beads is also an excellent way to practice bilateral coordination.

11. Thread a needle for sewing, embroidery, and other fiber arts. Holding a needle is a fantastic way to practice an open thumb’s web space. Check out 33 Fiber Arts Ideas for Your Classroom for inspiration.

12. Stitch or lace a stuffed object or animal using paper or cloth. Hole punch around the perimeter, then stitch with yarn using an embroidery needle. These are wonderful mindfulness activities on their own. A bonus is that they connect with open thumb web space practice and visual-motor integration.

13. Tie macramé knots. Capitalize on this trend while practicing fine motor skills.

14. Arrange intricate patterns with plastic fusion beads. Integrate STEAM with the Perler Bead Code Lesson in FLEX Curriculum, or make some jewelry with this tutorial.

15. Weave with paper, ribbon, yarn, or scrap fabric. The Basic Weaving Techniques Pack in PRO Learning has excellent ideas on how to introduce weaving.

Flex those scissor skills.

Scissors deserve a category of their own due to the number of skills developed when learning to use them. From perfecting their grasp to holding them with correct body posture, scissor use supports bilateral coordination and visual motor integration.

16. Roll and cut thin coils of playdough or clay instead of paper. Students practice pinching off chunks of clay and then rolling them into long, thin coils. Cut the coils with scissors and roll each piece into small spheres to make beads or marbles.

17. Create paper fringe to practice “little snips.” This quick and easy project helps beginners become more confident with scissors.

18. Cut angles, curves, and shapes through two layers of paper for a more advanced scissor skill. Students grasp the paper with one hand (the “helper” hand) and turn it while cutting with the opposite hand (the “dominant” hand). This activates both bilateral coordination and visual motor integration. A great trick to support this skill is to draw the lines or shapes onto a piece of paper with a bold marker. Then, overlay wax paper. Students pinch both papers together to complete cutting, moving their helper hand along the lines. Turn these paper cutouts into collages following this inspiration.

What are five ways to reinforce craftsmanship expectations?

Now that you have a trove of ideas for developing fine motor skills, let’s think about how we pair them with communication. To help students track their progress and determine areas of growth, we must discuss expectations.

1. Conduct a rubric review.
   Set craftsmanship expectations using rubrics. This support guides the degree of “finished” work students turn in.
2. Create a visual chart.
   Include exemplars or images of each rubric score for each material and technique.
3. Plan informal peer-to-peer craftsmanship checks.
   Base the checks on the criteria discussed in the rubrics. By analyzing other students’ work, their peers will also think critically about their work. Ask students to offer their peers two celebrations and one area of growth about their project. Set the focus on the celebrations to make for a positive feedback experience.
4. Carve out time for a gallery walk around the classroom.
   Students love to see how their classmates are progressing. It may be the motivation some students need to take their work to the next level.
5. Give students brain breaks when they have reached their saturation point.
   They can come back to their project once they have stepped away and can view their work with fresh eyes.

The good news is it’s never too late to practice and hone one’s craftsmanship abilities by developing fine motor skills. With more swiping on touch screens and less hands-on work with manipulatives, we must provide students with as many fine motor opportunities as possible. As students rise to the challenge of learning these functional skills, their ability to present well-crafted work will grow.

Portions of this work are based on the National Core Arts Standards. Used with permission. National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (2015) National Core Arts Standards. Rights Administered by the State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education. Dover, DE, www.nationalartsstandards.org all rights reserved.

NCAS does not endorse or promote any goods or services offered by the Art of Education University.

What are your most successful ways to teach craftsmanship?

Which are your favorite activities to support students’ fine motor development?

The post 18 Helpful Fine Motor Ideas and 4 Ways to Reinforce Quality Craftsmanship in Art appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Keep reading to learn how to navigate the internship process from start to finish, including six ways to set everything up for success!

Consider a High School Intern

Ultimately, an internship helps guide students’ college and career choices after graduation. U.S. News and World Report noted that, unlike college internships, “high school internships focus more on experience and learning than on obtaining full-time work.” From managing groups to giving constructive feedback, the skill sets they gain are transferable to the real world and in areas of public service.

You, their mentor teacher, also benefit from this relationship. Interns can share a fresh viewpoint, innovative ideas for lessons, and suggestions for interacting with students. They can help you complete tasks, work with small groups, and fulfill needs in the art room. So, how do you find a high school intern and develop meaningful work for them?

Connect With an Intern

Many high school programs require students to complete an internship to graduate. In some districts, internship coordinators reach out to local school directors to ask if educators are interested in mentoring. With permission from your site director, consider reaching out to your district’s internship coordinator. Ask if they maintain a list of internship sites to which you can add your name.

It is also possible to seek out an intern by posting on job boards or your school site’s careers page. You can ask for referrals from friends and family and use platforms specific to internships. Before posting or working with outside agencies, check with your school or district to understand the requirements associated with internships and mentoring programs.

Interview Intern Candidates

Ideally, you will have an opportunity to meet your internship candidates face-to-face for your interviews. However, video conference calls are a great option if there are time or travel concerns. This is also an opportunity for the candidates to ask questions about the internship.

Here are ten questions you can ask to guide the interview:

1. Why do you want this position?
2. Tell me about your prior art experience.
3. Why is art important for students to learn?
4. Describe a time you felt supported by a teacher or staff member at school.
5. How would you handle the situation if I was trying to get the class started and a student was interested in continuing a conversation with you?
6. What skills can you contribute to the art room and internship?
7. What skills do you hope to gain from this experience?
8. Share one of your best memories of art class and why it stands out to you.
9. How did you overcome a recent challenging project or assignment?
10. What questions do you have for me?

Develop Meaningful Work

The art room internship serves both the intern and the art classroom. Meaningful work occurs through dialogue, original thinking, and the intern’s agency regarding their shared interest in the class. It’s essential to build rapport with your high school intern, as they are still adolescents. As they balance their obligations as a student and the standards of the professional world through their internship, they will need support navigating this new leadership position.

Let’s look at six ways to set the internship up for success as you develop meaningful work.

1. Define responsibilities.

Teaching and guiding the intern is a time and communication commitment. The intern and mentor must discuss the intern’s progress. You must also communicate expectations in the ever-changing environment of the art room. Clear expectations and defined responsibilities will result in smoother communication. Before setting goals, take time to clearly define both the mentor and intern’s responsibilities.

Mentor Teacher’s Responsibilities:

• Interview intern candidates
• Provide supervision and guidance
• Document the intern’s progress
• Act as a point person between the intern and their school
• Allow or encourage the intern to attend staff meetings
• Assign tasks and manage them through completion
• Evaluate the intern’s strengths and weaknesses

Intern’s Responsibilities:

• Interview with the mentor teacher
• Complete paperwork as required by their school
• Design and complete a project to benefit the host organization
• Take the initiative to volunteer for tasks
• Communicate with the mentor teacher by asking questions and clarifying expectations
• Document the internship experience
• Create artifacts to demonstrate growth
• Present learning

Tasks Interns Can Take On:

• Inventory supplies
• Assist with supply management and distribution
• Connect with students about their work by offering encouragement, ideas, and feedback
• Share a portfolio presentation of their artwork
• Support small group work
• Complete tasks on the mentor’s to-do list

2. Set clear goals through shared purpose.

How will the internship experience benefit the host organization (your school) and deepen the intern’s learning? Goal setting should play to the intern’s strengths. It can also support areas where they seek to grow while also fulfilling a need in your art program. Investigate their strengths based on their interview responses. Is there anything that stood out that can be applied to a project or task needed in your classroom?

Here is an example scenario:

In the interview, perhaps the intern mentioned they had prior art experience painting commissioned murals. They enjoy painting murals and feel confident about teaching others the steps to plan a mural. The creation of a legacy project is on your year-end to-do list, and you think a mural is a fantastic way to accomplish this. One area the intern expressed needing support in is managing students.

Some of their goals may look something like this:

• Propose ideas and poll students for input on the theme of the mural.
• Work with the mentor teacher to divide students into small groups and assign roles.
• Write out the steps and timeline for the planning and creation of the mural.
• Conference with the mentor teacher to review the plan and anticipate any challenges.

3. Ensure the work is authentic.

Once the goals are established, it’s crucial to ensure the intern’s work is authentic. You may be wondering what authentic work is. Learning innovations site Getting Smart states, “One of the best ways for learning to be authentic is to use real-world problems, challenges, and questions as the primary pursuit.” Additionally, authentic work relates to expressing your personality, feeling safe, and being valued for being you. Part of the internship experience is allowing them to find their way. Make sure they contribute to the discussion, take ownership of the project, and have the opportunity to apply what they know.

In our legacy mural scenario, authentic work is demonstrated when the intern:

• Supports the mentor by taking on the real-world problem of the year-end task.
• Develops a plan to execute a mural painting project that interests them and anticipates challenges.
• Learns how to manage groups by asking the mentor questions.

4. Uphold professional standards.

For high school interns, this may be the first time they are venturing into the world of professional expectations. Showing up on time, dressing appropriately, and shifting into a leadership role may be new experiences. High school interns must also be differentiated from the students in your classroom. How they perceive themselves and how the class perceives them must have defined boundaries. For instance, the intern may need access to their phone or computer at times when it would be inappropriate for the class to do so. As their mentor, you will guide these expectations through communication and modeling.

5. Provide detailed and specific feedback and evaluations.

To monitor growth and maximize the internship experience, regular communication is essential. Open lines of communication early on to prepare the intern for their final evaluation. Schedule time for a quick chat each day. This can be a morning check-in, a “download of the day,” or ideas for the future. Additionally, plan to connect weekly for thirty minutes or more for deeper discussions.

Your intern’s insight is valuable because the lens they view the students through is not of a fully independent adult. We see things as a professional that they will miss. They see things more closely aligned with how a student would see and process things. They are more attuned to the social dynamics in the classroom than we may be.

On-going feedback allows the intern to:

• Implement real-time adjustments in the fluid environment of the art room.
• Ensure they receive the resources they need in a timely fashion.
• Support pacing and adhere to a timeline.
• Course correct if something isn’t working.

There should be no surprises when it comes to time for the final evaluation. Share the evaluation tool early on. You can share it around the same time as goal setting or when introducing expectations. According to Chegg Internships, it’s best to provide a written evaluation. Formal documentation serves as a record and is retained better than oral communication.

6. Require a presentation of learning.

Internships usually culminate in a presentation of learning. Whether a portfolio of work, a panel discussion, or sharing a blog, it’s an essential step in processing their experience and documenting their growth. Their final presentation should encompass their project-building process, not just a demonstration of the product they create.

Here are some questions interns can consider including in their final presentation:

• What are you most proud of about this internship?
• Describe a time when you encountered a challenge. How did you overcome it?
• What was the process for arriving at the final product?
• What skill sets have you developed that will carry you beyond this internship?
• How is the work you completed relevant to the real world?
• What would you change if you could start the internship over?

Make the Connection!

Hosting a high school intern in the art classroom is a win-win situation. If this idea is new to you, reach out and connect with your school or district to learn about mentorship programs. While this is often an intern’s first exposure to the working world, it’s an undeniably important career-training opportunity. The intern benefits from solving real-world problems and gaining experience in a field of interest. The mentor teacher benefits from a second set of eyes, hands, and ideas while fulfilling needs in the classroom. Connecting with a high school intern is supportive of both of your goals. Don’t wait and give an internship a try this year!

Have you ever worked with an art room intern?

What advice would you give to a first-time mentor teacher?

The post How to Interview and Develop Meaningful Work With a High School Intern appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Overwhelmingly, teachers agree that the particular stage of development called “early adolescence” makes teaching at the middle school level challenging. Educator Leesha Dunkeson sums the sentiment up well, saying, “Some days they want to be treated like elementary kids, some days like high schoolers. You have to sniff the hormones at the start of each class to figure out which is appropriate for that day.” There is so much truth to that statement!

How exactly do we “sniff the hormones” each day to figure out the appropriate course of action?

Great question! I usually determine this one of two ways each day. I observe how students enter the classroom and “read the room,” or I ask them. Are they coming in full of energy, are they dragging, or are they neutral and ready to work? Proceeding with an approach that supports authentic connection is a helpful practice. Let’s look at these two strategies below.

Strategy 1: Read the room.

If most students are energetic, use this as a conversation starter and a chance to join the fun. Greet them and acknowledge the energy you are observing. You can say something like, “Wow, you all are so noisy and excited! What’s going on?!”

This warm welcome usually opens up a conversation about something that just happened. Whatever the reason, the point is to gain insight into their day and understand why they are so full of energy. Pausing your typical expectations and allowing them to share is often enough of a release to ensure they feel seen and heard. Then, you can turn your attention to getting back on track.

If a quick class check-in isn’t enough, blast a pop song and tell them they can dance out their energy for five minutes. Sometimes, they decide to dance! Sometimes, the mere invitation to dance makes starting work more appealing than showing off their moves. Either way, middle school students need to know that you can join in on the fun. It signals that we “get” them and have space for their silliness.

If most students are dragging, listening and responding gently is essential. We can never entirely know what is happening in students’ home lives or other classrooms. Then, offer a compromise to the class, “I can tell you are having a hard time focusing right now. Do you want to talk about it? It’s important that we complete (insert your top priority for the day). After that, you are welcome to talk quietly or rest in your seats. How does that sound?”

When preteens are sleepy or feeling low, they are unlikely to pay attention in class or put effort into good craftsmanship until they have rest. Remind them of your must-dos if a deadline looms, then let go of the rest for the remaining class time. It shows students that you care about their well-being and can adjust to their needs. You can also offer options to complete work on their time, like during lunch or your office hours.

Strategy 2: Obtain direct feedback.

The second way I determine how to meet students where they are at is by surveying them. They appreciate the opportunity to speak for themselves and dispel any assumptions. By demonstrating openness and flexibility, you create a safe place. Students feel comfortable sharing their needs, and you can respond accordingly.

When the energy in the room feels mixed, ask the class for a visual cue to signal how they are feeling. Then, check in with individuals or groups depending on the responses observed.

Here are three simple visual cues you can employ:

1. Thumb up: They feel good and are ready for art.
2. Thumb down: They are not ready for class.
3. Thumb sideways: They are unsure how they feel.

If students are ready, move forward with the daily plan. If they are not or suggest ambivalence, ask them to write an anonymous explanation on a sticky note.

When reading their sticky notes, you may find:

• Students need you to know they have strong feelings but will be okay.
• You need to hold a restorative circle.
• A resource support teacher or counselor can help solve a problem.
• You need to contact a parent or caregiver about something important.

When we have daily goals and project deadlines, we can feel pressure to stay on our planned track. Maintaining a responsive classroom requires more flexibility from us. Sometimes, we must prioritize students’ social-emotional needs over product creation. As challenging as it feels to pause the work and pivot, this is part of playing the long game in building relationships.

How do we handle the emotional reality of “two worlds colliding?”

Developmentally speaking, children enter “early adolescence” and begin leaving “childhood” around ages 10 to 13. It’s no wonder that some days they seem childish and others they seem independent. This is a period of rapid growth towards puberty. Body and vocal changes are often clear signals that puberty has begun. That doesn’t mean that early adolescents have emotionally or socially grown at the same rate as their body changes or vice versa. Some students show few signs of physical change yet communicate with the maturity and wisdom expected from older students.

The path is not linear or universal. What is happening on the outside often does not match what is happening on the inside. This reality brings enormous pressure and discomfort to students physically, socially, and emotionally.

A significant benefit of being an art teacher is making space for feelings and providing an outlet for expression. Middle schoolers need this space. Though they sometimes give us mixed messages, they want to say how they feel and know we hear them.

Let’s look at four opportunities you can provide for students to express their emotions:

1. Provide journal prompts.
   Practice the habit of daily or weekly check-ins to ask how students are feeling.
2. Use an emotional color wheel.
   Connect their feelings to a color. Guide students to compose an abstract design using the colors they are feeling.
3. Try this incredible Weaving Emotions lesson in FLEX Curriculum.
   Combine weaving and photography to create powerful portraits.
4. Play games.
   Games are an ideal way to merge the playfulness of children with the increased competitiveness of teens. You can even incorporate learning art content through games like Bingo and Kahoot.

Remember, during this growth phase, students may also be exploring their gender identity. Check out this article for ways to best support all of your students.

It’s not you, it’s them! (*Hormones!)

Remember, hormones influence behavior, and adolescents are not robots despite craving routine. They are straddling childhood and adolescence simultaneously. When working with preteens, it’s essential to meet them where they are at on any given day. Adults, often frustrated with inconsistency, must understand that preteens don’t “want” to be a baby one minute and then be treated as adults the next.

Students in this age range need support as they navigate a very tricky development phase. They are not fully in control and still require adults to help them regulate. Teachers must be empathetic, flexible, and able to tap into their childlike sense of wonder and play. When you do, you create opportunities to build authentic relationships with your students.

Relationship building helps students feel safe enough to express themselves with you. Safety in the classroom translates into a collaborative and creative work environment. In turn, it makes managing normal adolescent behavior easier and more enjoyable. It also fosters young adults who are courageous risk-takers in their art.

For more middle school-specific art resources, take a look at the following:

• 5 Successful One-Day Art Lessons for the Middle School Classroom
• Surviving Your First Year of Middle School Art in PRO Learning
• Managing Middle Schoolers Pack in PRO Learning 
• 4 Units Every Middle Schooler Should Experience
• 10 Things You Need to Know Your First Year Teaching Middle School Art
• 10 Insider Tips for Surviving Middle Schoolers
• 3 Ways Middle School Students Really Are Different

What strategies do you use to encourage middle schoolers to express their emotions?

What are your tips and tricks for meeting pre-teens where they are in the art room?

The post Middle School Mailbag: We Want to Know, What Is Most Challenging About Teaching Art? appeared first on The Art of Education University.

What is the difference between burnout and demoralization?

Both burnout and demoralization are types of work dissatisfaction. The World Health Organization defines burnout as a “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” It’s important to clarify that burnout is a medical diagnosis resulting from compounding factors caused by someone’s work and their relationship with work. As such, it is an outdated notion to assume that using only better self-care practices or stress management will eliminate burnout. While it will help, it will not fully resolve most people’s feelings of burnout.

What can burnout look like for art educators?

• Budget cuts
• Too many classes/students
• Students pulled from art regularly
• Limited planning time
• Covering and subbing for core content classes
• Canceled or compromised classes or programs
• Absorbing, managing, and supporting students’ emotions
• Lack of resources and support
• Negative feelings or increased mental distance from one’s job
• Reduced professional productivity

While the symptoms of burnout are serious and need attention, they are considered temporary states.

Demoralization, on the other hand, is a complex process. Philosopher of education, Doris A. Santoro, conducts empirical research examining teachers’ work concerns. She explains that demoralization happens when “a value-conflict [is] experienced as a result of policies, mandates, and school practices.” When teachers feel “unable to access the intrinsic rewards of their work, believe they are complicit in wrongdoing or find that they are incapable of meeting their ethical obligations,” their ability to do meaningful, value-based work is compromised.

What can demoralization look like for art teachers?

• Inability to meet students’ learning needs
• Restrictive curriculum
• Academic achievement being prioritized over emotional needs
• Witnessing the effects of racism on students and staff
• Observing unjust actions committed by educators
• Feeling betrayed by administrators and education policymakers

What are teachers saying?

Teachers love their jobs and are passionate about providing high-quality education for students. However, a study conducted this year by Merrimack College and EdWeek Research found that only 12% of teachers are “very satisfied” with their jobs. Educators For Excellence’s annual survey called Voices From the Classroom found that “counter to the national narrative, most teachers remain committed to staying in the classroom long term.” They also found that teachers of color are “far less likely” to say teaching is sustainable.

Teachers feel pressure to be resilient and flexible, but the last two years have seen a crisis of low morale and burnout at a growing rate. The collective trauma some of us have encountered proves we are vulnerable and need help.

When the National Education Association surveyed its members this past spring, 55% of teachers reported considering leaving the profession earlier than planned. In the 2022 State of Art Education Survey we conducted, more than half of our respondents said they feel burned out at least once weekly. 41% of respondents cited they feel a lack of respect as art educators.

Who is listening?

At Education Week’s three-day Leadership Symposium, panelists discussed findings from teachers surveyed. They listed “more recognition, flexible schedules, and better pay” as a remedy to sentiments of low morale. Undoubtedly, there’s a dire need to improve pay structures and schedules.

Feeling stuck and powerless keeps us in a cycle of low morale. It can feel overwhelming to advocate when in this vulnerable position. Consider the options, and decide what feels manageable. Whether you put your energy toward cultivating inner peace or national reform, it’s vital to take action and break the cycle.

Let’s tackle symptoms of burnout and demoralization.

Let’s look at two approaches for managing symptoms of burnout and demoralization. Short-term actions will help you get back on your feet, feel energized about your job, and support a hopeful, positive outlook. Long-term solutions revolve around influencing change in your immediate sphere as well as advocating for measures that improve the broader field of education.

What are some immediate actions you can implement?

Because burnout and demoralization can leave us feeling powerless and stuck, it’s important to take actions that begin to recognize and address problems. Short-term goals aim to create a perspective shift and direct energy into reigniting your passion for art education.

1. Partner with colleagues.

Social reciprocity between educators has been shown to reduce burnout. This is a proactive strategy that supports leaning on your colleagues. Share strategies and lesson ideas. Delegate tasks when possible. Attend a conference or join a Facebook group to network with like-minded art educators.

2. Make Art With Me!

Reclaim your joy by making art with the AOEU community. Join us on IG Live with your favorite art materials to create therapeutic art that will recharge your batteries.

3. Practice proactive self-regulation.

Honor your time by adhering to specific work hours and manageable timeframes. You can use a tagline under your email signature stating something along the lines of, “Thank you for your email. My working hours are from 8–3 p.m., and I will be happy to respond during that timeframe.” It’s a small step, but art teachers are notorious for staying late to grade projects, take work home, and catch up on emails around the clock.

4. Collaborate with your administration to work toward solutions.

Talking about your concerns is an essential step toward acknowledging problems. There are several things your school leaders can do to help. Schedule time to check in to keep the lines of communication clear and open to help decrease anxiety. During this time, discuss the following topics with your administrator to ensure everyone is on the same page. Through this process, you may find areas where you need to advocate for yourself.

Here are some clarifying questions to guide a conversation with your administrator:

• What duties are covered in my job description?
• How much planning time am I allotted each day?
• What meetings are mandatory or optional to attend?
• What are the expectations and contract language around class coverage?
• What is the maximum number of preps I am contracted to teach?
• What are the required times and hours I need to be in the building?
• What after-school events are mandatory or optional to attend?
• What resources and support are available to me?

5. Take time off.

Step away from the classroom. This can be a break or time to determine the next step. Read this article for considerations about staying in art education or trying something new.

How can you play the long game?

Demoralization cannot be solved overnight. Many teachers are faced with impossible decisions right now. Relief can come in the form of being able to carry out meaningful work. Sustainable change is possible by advocating for policies that support teachers’ abilities to perform their duties.

Morale tends to remain high when the district, school board, and administration listen and respond in ways that acknowledge they understand educators’ concerns. Better working conditions are achieved holistically when each stakeholder works toward a shared vision.

1. Partner with parents.

Engage and nurture the influence of parents by partnering with them early and often. Parents and caregivers can be amazing allies that show up for you and your students when you most need them.

2. Attend your school board meetings.

Attend your school board meetings regularly and keep up-to-date with decisions. To share your educator’s perspective, contribute to the conversation by following the procedure to submit a public comment. Leverage your voice by getting to know your school board. It’s much more challenging to react to policy change than to be part of the conversation influencing it.

3. Participate in teacher’s unions.

Unions exist at the school, local, state, regional, and national levels. Consider attending union meetings and learning their values. No matter where you stand on their impact, unions have power, and you can influence them by taking part. There are two major national unions, the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association. They each conduct research, advocate for policy changes, and provide expertise in the field.

4. Vote.

If achieving meaningful educational reforms is important to you, how you vote matters. Once legislators are in office, communicate about issues that matter to you. You can stay up-to-date on policy actions using the database called Education Commission of the States.

5. Seek professional support.

The demand for mental health services nearly doubled in 2021. You are your best advocate for taking care of yourself. To hone in on what specifically weighs you down, talk about it. If you are struggling with where to start, many benefit plans offer free or low-cost, in-person or virtual mental health services. Many larger school districts may also offer their own counseling resources.

It’s important to use your voice.

Undoubtedly, these are challenging times for the teaching profession. There are no easy solutions, but there are supportive ways to cope and many opportunities to move forward. It’s vital to break the burnout cycle and be aware of the factors contributing to demoralization. You have a lot of power to make small changes in your own personal and professional life to be your healthiest art teacher self possible.

AOEU has many resources available to support your self-care and help you access joy as an art educator:

• 5 Ways to Practice Self-Care
• Why Is It Important to Prioritize Yourself During the School Day
• Making Decisions for YOU in the New School Year
• The Rejuvenated Teacher Graduate Course
• 10 Creative and Fun Ideas to Fuel Your Artistic Soul
• How Reconsidering Your Circles of Influence and Rest Helps You Be a Better Art Teacher

Share one way you have persevered through a work challenge.

What are your best tips for advocating for change?

The post 10 Supportive Ways for the Art Teacher to Cope With Burnout appeared first on The Art of Education University.

The reality is coping with the toll of ongoing changes, adapting to new technology, and grappling with a new normal have been hard to process. You may be wondering, “What do I have to show for it?” My guess? More than you think!

Though it’s been a bit of a blur, here is a reminder of how incredible you are and some ideas you can do with your new skills!

1. Proficient with Technology

This one is a no-brainer! Whether interested or ready, art teachers across the country rose to the challenge of learning new technologies. Beyond figuring out how to connect with students online, we became filming and tech issue wizards. In her article for EdNC, Molly Osborne Urquhart commented, “Educators said one silver lining of the pandemic was the fact that it forced schools and districts to upgrade technology and it forced teachers to learn how to use it.”

Until we find our groove in the classroom, teachers can be reluctant to make changes or incorporate technology. Distance learning moved that needle and challenged us to roll with it. We even used digital programs for art creation. Now that we have passed the learning curve experimenting with new technology is far less daunting.

Ideas to Try:

• Experiment with Procreate if you have access to iPads.
• Try Pixlr for drawing and photo editing with computers.

2. Confident on Camera

If you did not film video instruction before the pandemic, it may have been a surprise to see yourself on screen. Video playback of your instruction is an excellent professional development tool for educators. If your camera presence came across as a little nervous or rambling at times with lightning-fast speech, know you are not alone. At first, filming is awkward at best and cringeworthy at worst. Luckily, it becomes easier, and you become more confident with each video.

Here are some meaningful takeaways for on and off camera:

• Simplify project steps to the essentials.
• Clarify language by following outlined scripts.
• Zoom in on details using a document camera or overhead camera angle.

Idea to Try:

Pass your knowledge onto students and have them film themselves teaching a lesson or summarizing what they have learned.

3. Created Responsive Classrooms with SEL

The past few years have been challenging on every front, causing many families to upend their lives. Dr. Stephanie Ross with the Kellogg School of Management reported a dramatic rise in serious conditions since the onset of the pandemic.

These serious conditions include but are not limited to:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Distractibility
• Alcohol use
• Isolation

For many, there have been and continue to be realities and fears associated with Covid-19, race and social justice, and violence in the news cycle. We have seen these make their way into our classrooms. We responded by supporting students as they navigate these experiences at home and within themselves.

We have cultivated:

• Emotionally safe spaces.
• A climate of student feedback.
• A focus on mindfulness.

We have also added in more play! Art educators across the nation came up with creativity challenges like assembling color wheels with objects at home and recreating famous artworks from museums. These challenges are excellent avenues to provide students with fun project breaks that still help build art skills.

Ideas to Try:

• Incorporate silly online games using Kahoot.
• Generate a class set of Bingo cards to study for quizzes.
• Play with students to take a fun break from the usual routine.

4. Connected with the Art Teacher Community

Art teachers everywhere took to the internet to manage uncertainty and confusion when our jobs moved online. When a clear direction was lacking, we turned to our art education communities on social media for connection and support. Our burning questions about ways to manage art materials, modify lessons, share resources, and create art kits, were answered, and our sanity stabilized.

Art educator Christine Doherty summed this up with, “I’ve seen techniques done in new ways, skills taught in ways I never would have thought to teach them. This is an opportunity to see how each other teaches!” There was a huge learning curve for even the most veteran art teachers. Imagine first-year art teachers who were thrown into complete chaos to kick off their careers during the pandemic. You can read about their reflections in this article.

Often we find ourselves without an art department in our school building. The best part about connecting online is the ability to lean on our art colleagues for support and resources when we need them most. So many art teachers are ready to support you and offer ideas—you just need to reach out!

Ideas to Try:

• Follow and interact with art educators on Instagram.
• Search hashtags like #artteachersfollowartteachers.
• Connect with folks on AOEU’s Instagram through post discussions, stories, and IG Live.
• Leave comments and questions on #artteacher accounts.

5. Ability to Chunk Projects

Distance learning illuminated students’ waning attention spans. It forced us to examine the practicality of lengthy units. Researcher Natasha Georgiou suggested educators “Break-up lessons to allow students to focus and process information that has been already given.” You know this as content chunking.

We realized we could chop up extended units into more digestible sections that are more engaging. This strategy keeps the topic exciting and appeals to different types of learners. A side benefit is that it allows you to recover from material-heavy lesson prep and cleanup.

Ideas to Try:

• Keep all instructional videos to six minutes or less.
• Provide brain breaks and movement.
• Chunk your units into mini-lessons when possible.

6. Harnessed the Power of Collaborative Artmaking

Teachers and students across the nation were unsure what to expect upon return to in-person learning. Because students were away for a significant amount of time, we created opportunities to reintegrate their social skills by diving into collaborative assignments.

Collaborative work allowed students to lean on each other and divide the workload. They have shared successes and challenges while managing group dynamics to achieve a common goal. These experiences greatly improved in-person communication.

Idea to Try:

Return to collaborative artmaking frequently to help students practice their social skills and tackle problems as a team. As students become more comfortable, increase the authenticity in their collaboration. In doing so, students take on more ownership and management of their projects.

7. Resilient

Switching from teaching our go-to lessons in person to teaching through an online platform was a sudden change for all of us. We had to innovate in a different paradigm with a technologically steep curve. Even though it was hard, we pushed through, figured out solutions, and are better teachers because of it.

Over the past couple of years, we acquired the skills we needed. These skills served our budding artists and us immediately. Luckily, they carry over to in-person learning and continue to benefit us today. You have grown tremendously, even if you haven’t been able to process it yet. Your new skills are a reminder of your resilience and ability to rise to the challenges ahead!

What is another skill you gained this past year?

How has your teaching practice grown as a result of distance learning?

The post 6 Skills Art Teachers Gained This Past Year and 14 Ideas to Try appeared first on The Art of Education University.

To make your life even easier and to ensure you don’t miss a thing, we have all seven checklists for you to download and post in your room.

1. Student-Centered

Students’ behavior markedly changes as the school year comes to a close. They exhibit a mixture of anticipation and anxiety, as the consistency they depend upon is about to change. While pep rallies, assemblies, and year-end celebrations are fun, the shift to summer is not a welcome change for everyone. In between all of the excitement, try and maintain your routine as much as possible.

Be sure to balance taking care of business while also sprinkling in some fun. Students still need to see that you have a daily plan and are not aching to jet to vacation. Look at 5 Outdoor Activities for the End of the Year for some ideas. If you haven’t established a “last week of school” set of traditions, consider this your year to start. Students have so much fun participating in making the five-day countdown memorable.

Here are some ways to wrap up the end of the year for your students:

• Make a final call and set a deadline for assignments, extra credit, and 1:1 grade checks.
• Give out any awards, appreciations, acknowledgments, honors, and other special recognitions.
• Write any letters or recommendations you plan to give to students.
• Ask students to complete reflections on their favorite projects, units, and experiences.
• Include students in a day of classroom cleaning and purging.
• Submit your grades.

2. Classroom

It’s a rookie mistake to think you have to tackle shutting down your classroom alone! Many students love helping their teachers clean, run errands, and take on other special responsibilities outside of their regular classroom jobs. Either take one day or break your cleaning plans into a few chunks throughout the week with the help of your students. After all, it got this dirty with their help! Consult this comprehensive list of 40 end-of-the-year cleanup jobs when delegating tasks.

There will still be plenty only you can clean and purge, so use this list to help separate what you will ask students to support and what you will complete after they have left.

Clean and Purge With Students:

• Wipe down all furniture and surfaces.
• Consolidate and refill glue bottles.
• Check, sort, and cap glue sticks.
• Sharpen and store pencils and colored pencils.
• Pass papers and projects back.
• Vacuum rugs.
• Return items to teachers and run office errands.
• Clean and sort paintbrushes.
• Break down cardboard boxes.
• Take down and return students’ artwork.
• Wash palettes and water cups.
• Test and separate markers.
• Sort materials by color and/or type.
• Scrub the sink after all other washing is complete.
• Prepare bulletin boards for the fall return if allowed.

Clean and Purge by Yourself:

• Organize your paper shelves.
• Clear out your desk and drawers.
• Organize your file cabinet.
• Cover bookshelves.
• Remove as many items from the floor as possible.
• Move the remaining items to one area of your room.
• Label all boxes and furniture items still visible in your room with your name and room number.
• Hang decor you don’t want to be moved.
• Bundle any items you can’t use or no longer want and regift or dispose of them.
• Remove batteries from electronics.
• Take home wash, such as towels and aprons.
• Take home appliances like an electric kettle, microwave, and mini-fridge.
• Prepare a calendar and curriculum map for the fall return.

Purge Your Work Computer:

• Write down any passwords you will need and don’t want to forget over the summer.
• Delete unnecessary emails.
• Spend time organizing any important email information into folders and save it to a cloud or external hard drive.

3. Supplies

Thinking about supplies is thrilling and tedious all at once. On the one hand, you get to make fun purchases and share your passion for materials with students. On the other hand, you have to organize and inventory what you have, figure out what you need, and tackle how to budget for next year on a shoestring. Check out these three articles (1, 2, and 3) for guidance on ordering.

Here are some tasks to get you started:

• Discard anything no longer useable.
• Upcycle containers for water cups.
• Organize and label your cabinets.
• Take inventory of what you have.
• Create an initial wish list.
• Update or start your Amazon Classroom Wish List.
• Start planning your fall Donor’s Choose project.

4. Technology

If you store a class set of computers or iPads in your classroom, take the time to examine them. You will want to know how many are in working order before and locate any devices you have lent out before your first assignment next fall.

Here are some other tech-related tasks you can check off:

• Assess all classroom computers and tablets for functionality.
• Count accessories, like headphones, styluses, mice, keyboards, chargers, etc.
• Send an all-staff email about any technology missing from your room.
• Report broken or missing equipment to your IT person.
• Dismantle, label, pack in boxes, and store any equipment.
• Wind up and store extension cords.

5. Administrative

Your administrators will likely give you direction regarding how to check out for the end of the year. Organized administrators provide checklists, but it helps to cross your t’s and dot your i’s so that nothing gets overlooked.

Get a headstart with these items:

• Follow checkout lists as directed by your school site.
• Turn in technology, such as walkie-talkies, document cameras, and computers, as required.
• Check that you have submitted your final grades correctly.
• Ensure that you have next year’s calendar.
• Plan art-based exercises and hands-on activities for the first week of school.
• Photocopy anything you will need for the first week’s activities.
• Write appreciation notes to colleagues, custodial staff, and administrators.
• Turn in your keys.

6. Self-Reflection

A school is always an interesting place when the students have left—it’s empty and quiet. Take this time to self-reflect. You have accomplished so much this year! You absorbed so much information and thought about everything from behavior management to classroom setup and supplies for next year.

Spend a few minutes to synthesize your takeaways and the year as a whole. Jot down notes, create to-do lists, and keep all of those ideas bubbling to the surface before summer amnesia hits!

Try these prompts:

• Reflect on your school year’s highs and lows, as well as what worked and what didn’t.
• Review and reflect on your evaluations.
• Set goals for next year.
• Take pictures of artworks and your room.
• Take notes and sketch changes you would like to make to your classroom next year.

7. Self-Care

Don’t forget about you! Closing down your classroom and managing the needs of students at the end of the year is exhausting. Take time each day to ensure your needs are being met. Find five suggestions for doing just that here. So often, teachers put themselves last. With the doozy of a year it’s been, you deserve to fill your cup, enjoy time away from the classroom, and leave school at school.

If you need some self-care ideas, pick some of these:

• Plan getaways.
• Plan time with friends.
• Schedule doctor’s appointments.
• Treat yourself!
• Spend quality time with family.
• Schedule time for creating your own art.

Working collaboratively with your students to close down the art room will free you up to enjoy those end-of-year parties. With a bit of forethought and these checklists, you will be able to delegate tasks and outsource help to get the job done swiftly! Prepare your classroom, supplies, and thoughts for the school year ahead. It is a gift your future self will appreciate!

What is a task you always do to close out the school year?

How do you balance shutting down the art room and end-of-year celebrations?

The post 7 Easy End-of-the-Year Checklists to Take You From Final Grades to Party Time appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Knowing which brands are quality and which products to buy can feel overwhelming with so many options available. This list will point you to high-quality supply basics that offer the biggest bang for your limited bucks.

The Intersection of Quality and Quantity

Selecting reputable brands is the first step toward ensuring you choose high-quality products. Art supplies marketed for student use and those labeled as “class packs” often sell at an attractive price point. We are naturally drawn to them because their descriptions fit our demographic. You may think, “Great! I can buy enough paint for the year for less than a tank of gas!” But should we buy lower-grade or less expensive supplies just because our students are still “learning?”

Disappointment often arises because the quality of art supplies can vary significantly. Factors like pigment load, fillers, colorfastness, and more are considerations when determining quality.

Tip: Unless you teach pre-school, avoid products marketed to daycare centers. These items are full of fillers that make them cheap, break easily, and have a low pigment load.

Artist-illustrator Amy Shulke of Vanilla Arts Company states that “cheap art materials make learning harder.” It’s easy for art students to become frustrated when art supplies lack rich pigment, blend poorly, and are not durable. Frustrated students can become turned off by creating art, making access to learning harder.

The sweet spot for art teachers is finding products that meet the intersection of quality and quantity. Trusted brands like Blick, Fiskars, Pacon, Prang, and Sax offer high-quality art supplies. Many of their products are at price points designed for art teacher budgets. It’s convenient that these brands also sell variable quantities to suit your specific needs.

Let’s examine 25 tried and true basics to add to your supply order.

Acrylic Paint

1. Chromacryl’s Acrylic Paint is student-grade yet “has the body and consistency of an expert artist’s acrylic.” It comes in singles and sets of brights, primaries, and neon colors.

2. Sax True Flow Heavy Body Acrylic Paint “dries to a water-resistant, matte finish and is ideal for traditional acrylic painting as well as block printing or silk screening.” The twelve pint-sized bottles span the rainbow plus black and white.

Colored Pencils

3. Blicks’ line of Studio Artist’s Colored Pencils are mid-range in price and worth it for the secondary classroom.

Tip: For more ideas about supplies at the secondary level, check out this quick video.

4. Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils are a little on the high end when it comes to cost meets quantity. “They feature superior solubility for a smooth, even laydown of color.” This is highly desirable if you want students to practice the precision of a pencil with the desired effect of watercolor painting.

Tip: Check out this link for a comprehensive guide about regular and watercolor pencils.

Crayons

5. Crayola leads in the Crayon Class Pack department. With 800 pieces in 16 colors at just over $50.00, the value for a good quality product can’t be beaten.

Erasers

6. Pentel’s Hi-Polymer Erasers are an investment with their just-under-a-dollar-a-piece price point. Also, consider their rival, Alvin, which is slightly larger and a few cents more. Both are superior in removing graphite stains without crumbling or leaving a ghost of the drawing.

Tip: Extend the longevity of your block erasers by implementing a checkout sheet when using them.

Markers

7. Classic Crayola Broad Line Markers are still top-ranking for elementary through middle school students. Loved for their vibrancy, longevity, and price point, they are useful even after they “dry out.”

Tip: Soak your washable markers in baby food jar-sized containers to extend their useability by making your own DIY watercolor paint.

8. Blick’s Studio Brush Markers and Sets are a lovely option when you are ready for a more mature marker. The water-resistant and fade-resistant colors come in a dual-ended marker. One side is brush-tipped, and the other is chisel-tipped, supporting a variety of mark-making.

Tip: For a wonderfully fun guide to all things markers, check out this link.

9. It’s a classic for a reason, folks! Black Sharpie markers are the ultimate in crisp lines and are smudge-free and permanent. Class packs of Sharpies are good value for quality when used judiciously.

Tip: Teach appropriate and respectful Sharpie use. Fine point Sharpies perform best and last longest when used for outlining and coloring details instead of coloring in large areas. Students equate markers with “coloring in,” so don’t assume they will understand the intended use.

Paintbrushes

10. Paintbrushes vary widely in cost and can dramatically set your budget back if you are unsure what to buy. The Royal and Langnickel Classroom Assortment does the job of three different types of brushes, making them super economical and budget-friendly. This $100 investment allows students to paint with tempera, watercolor, and acrylic. It will last you for years with proper care and handling.

Paper

11. Blick’s brand of white sulphite, 80 lb drawing paper is a staple in the classroom. It is acid-free and holds up to multipurpose use. It’s perfect for drawing, pastel, collage, tempera, and mono-printing.

12. Pacon’s Tru-Ray Construction Paper is vibrant in color and durable in weight for the K–12 art classroom. I especially recommend their black construction paper for its fade resistance when mounting artwork for hallway displays.

13. Watercolor Paper doesn’t have to break the bank to be high quality. Blick’s Cold-Press Watercolor Paper Sheets ring in at just over a dollar if you buy 50 or more sheets. The tooth helps students differentiate this paper from others and allows colors to mix and mingle. Much of your cost-saving comes from cutting them down yourself!

Tip: Use scrap strips of watercolor paper for experiments or technique exploration.

Pastels

14. Blick’s Studio Pastel Set is perfect for the teacher who wants to introduce pastels, needs a class set, and wants reliable quality for the value. Snag 144 pastels in 12 colors for under $50.00.

15. For secondary students and those with a little more budget to invest, consider renowned Faber-Castell’s student brand, Goldfaber. Their Studio Soft Pastel Sets are high-quality and “offer very smooth color laydown with excellent opacity to obtain rich pastel effects and great blending characteristics.” One set for six table groups will cost around $60.00.

16. If oil pastels are more your thing, Niji Oil Pastel Sets provide serious value for their cost. Their brilliantly colored sets come in increments of 12, and there are even options for fluorescents and metallics.

Tip: Check out this resource for more information about buying pastels.

Scissors

17. Scissors are a non-consumable investment that you will have for years if you take good care of them. This is one essential to spend extra dollars on. Fiskars is in the blade business. They make high-quality kid’s sets in blunt and pointed shapes as well as longer shears for secondary students.

Tip: Build up to two sets of scissors, one for paper and one for fibers. Your fibers scissors will stay nice and sharp when not cross-contaminated with paper artmaking. 

Tempera Paint

18. Check out Blick’s eight-color set of multicultural tempera paint. This tempera is “made with less filler and less water and won’t flake, chip, or crack.”

19. Prang’s Ready-to-Use Washable Tempera Paint is an excellent choice, with several size options at various price points. You can opt for the pump gallons, choose pint-sized bottles, or test out the 8 oz size for smaller projects. Many primary age teachers swear by Prang’s Gallery Tempera Cakes for easy cleanup.

Watercolor Paint

20. Blick’s concentrated, dye-based Liquid Watercolors last forever, making them a solid investment. Experiment with diluting the viscous formula to achieve a range of translucency.

Tip: For younger children, prepare concentrated, liquid watercolors in palettes ahead of time, then allow them to dry out for easy distribution. Students can reactivate them with water and experiment with various dilutions.

Shift Your Mindset

Quality art materials last longer and inspire better care and storage. When you know you have spent only a few dollars on something, it’s easy to think, “Oh, I’ll just get more if these get ruined.” The mindset that items are single-use generates more waste, costs more money, and creates more work for you to replace them.

Remember, “cheap” and “inexpensive” are not the same. It is possible to purchase high-quality supplies that are relatively inexpensive. Aiming for art supplies with longevity and durability is the goal. Thoughtfully spending your money so your supplies work smarter for you frees up funds for your fun wish list items! If your budget doesn’t allow for the investment in class sets or higher-quality items, you still have many options to consider.

Build Your Supply on Limited Funds

Here are three tips if you face the challenge of a very limited art supply budget:

1. Create a wishlist on Donor’s Choose to be fulfilled by individual philanthropists and organizations. You can design a project and request materials ranging from art supplies and books to furniture and technology.
2. Compile an Amazon Wish List to distribute with your newsletter in the fall. Families can purchase items and have them sent directly to you.
3. Consider purchasing smaller quantities of high-quality supplies, even if they don’t equate to a full class set. This allows you to test-drive the product and build a class set over time.

No matter how you go about it, investing in high-quality art supply basics will set you and your students up for long-term success. These items are the workhorses in your classroom and need to be durable. Instead of becoming overwhelmed by the number of options, put your mind at ease by using this guide to help you plan next year’s order.

What other art supply basics are a staple in your room?

Which high-quality art supplies can’t you live without?

The post 20 High-Quality Art Supply Basics to Help You Budget for Next Year appeared first on The Art of Education University.

The Magical Yet

An activity to help students of all ages define and understand the concepts of practice, perseverance, and potential is to create a fun, open-ended watercolor resist creature. Reading the gorgeously designed book The Magical Yet is a fantastic way to start a conversation mirroring these concepts. Author Angela DiTerlizzi and artist Lorena Alvarez immerse the reader in a world of possibility. When the main character thinks they can’t go on, they learn about the magic of “Yet.”

“Yet” is a growth mindset that lives inside each person. This book begins with a struggling young cyclist who is ready to give up until they discover their Yet. With her optimistic, artful, fairy-creature interpretation, Lorena Alvarez brings the invisible Yet to life. The Yet helps the cyclist realize they will meet their full potential if they keep trying.

The most endearing spread in the book is when we see several children with their personal Yet right by their sides. The Yet can also be thought of and explained as the little voice in one’s mind that cheers you on when you need extra confidence and a boost of positivity. “This Yet finds a way, even when you don’t. And Yet knows you will, even when you think you won’t.”

After reading, guide students to create a mixed-media Yet for when they need extra reassurance. Reiterate that they can do hard things, appreciate their progress, and actualize their goals when they believe in themselves.

Set up the lesson.

This project is adaptable for distance learning, digital art creation, or in-person artmaking using the various materials you have available. There are endless possibilities when designing a uniquely perfect Yet!

Before diving into the watercolor resist, tell students they are creating an “art paper” for their final work of art. Explain that the art paper has the potential to transform and become something even more significant than they can imagine right now. Encourage students to use their favorite colors, shapes, and designs to make them happy. Frame this studio time as practice and exploration.

Create the watercolor resist.

Once the lesson is set up, it’s time to begin artmaking. If your students have never used watercolor before, here are some tips for introducing this medium.

1. Students write their names on the back of the paper with crayons or pencils.
2. Students draw all over their papers with crayons. They can choose colorful options or experiment with white only. White crayon produces the most unpredictable, exciting, and high-contrast outcome.
3. Tape the paper to the table or drawing boards if you have space. This will prevent the paper from curling as it dries.
4. Apply watercolor paint over the entire paper. Watch as the wax from the crayon pushes away the water-based paint. It “resists” the watercolor and stands out vibrantly against the paint.
5. Allow the paper to dry thoroughly.

Connect the book to students and their lives.

Once the entire class has created their watercolor resist art papers, you are ready to explain how they will be used. Read (or re-read) The Magical Yet and discuss the themes of practice, perseverance, and potential. Ask students to identify the themes as they notice them.

Here are some talking points to guide the discussion:

• Acknowledge that our inner voices can encourage us when the going gets tough and that it’s okay to feel like giving up.
• Ask students for examples of when they have given themselves positive pep talks.
• Reaffirm that what matters most when we have big feelings or a hard day is we remember we can all reach our potential with practice and perseverance.
• Share what students’ Yet companions would look like in real life.

Design a personal Yet.

Students generate ideas for their personal Yet by sketching a few different characters that help them recall feelings of positivity and encouragement. You may offer them body part pages filled with various facial features, hair, and body types to get them started.

Once the brainstorming is complete, it’s time to put everything together:

1. Remind students that the art paper they demonstrated watercolor resist on has the potential to become a Magical Yet.
2. Students draw their Yet on the back of one of their art papers.
3. Students cut out their Yet.
4. Students apply glue to the reverse side of their Yet image (the blank side) and adhere it to a new solid-color background.
5. Create elements from the leftover watercolor resist scraps (like stars) and collage them to the background.
6. Add details by outlining features in black marker and adding more color with crayons.
7. Add glitter, wiggle eyes, or sequins for extra embellishment to send the “magic” factor soaring!
8. Include a few words of encouragement like, “You can always believe in the Magic of Yet!” Students can also add a specific goal to their final piece.

The Yet finds a way.

Much like returning to in-person learning, winding down the school year can bring about mixed feelings. As the transition to summer begins, students will find comfort in a morale-boosting art project. Read The Magical Yet to remind them that everyone can strive toward their potential with perseverance, no matter where they start. There is no timeline for learning and growing as long as you believe in the power of “Yet.”

How do you help keep students’ spirits high as they strive to reach their potential?

How do you talk about practice and perseverance in the art room?

The post Wind Down an Odd Year With an Inspiring Book and Morale Boosting Art Project appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Read on to understand what to look for in an art curriculum.

What is a “complete” curriculum?

First, let’s examine what constitutes a “complete” curriculum. A complete curriculum serves a wide range of students and includes resources beyond lesson plans. It is aligned to standards and is created, curated, and vetted by a group of experts in the field. A complete curriculum can not only enhance your students’ art experience but can also build a strong foundation for your art program.

When evaluating to see if a curriculum can work for you, look for these six things to ensure you will have everything you need:

1. Scope and Sequences
   A map that shows all of the lessons and major ideas taught in a school year or for the duration of a course.
2. Unit Plans
   A unit plan is an overarching organizational tool that groups lesson plans together, usually by theme.
3. Lesson Plans
   Lesson plans include the following components: the time required, standards, objective(s), cross-curricular connections or areas of study, vocabulary, materials and supplies, instructional strategies, activity/project steps, differentiation and accommodations, resources, and assessment and reflection.
4. Standards Alignment
   Standards can be state, local, and/or national. They reflect best practices and current thought in art education and are developed by experts. They ensure your lessons are on target and age-appropriate.
5. Resources
   These can make the classroom experience come alive! They can include vocabulary lists, images, videos, websites, worksheets, planning sheets, reference sheets, artist biographies, and more.
6. Assessments
   Formative assessment occurs during instruction and is ongoing. Summative assessment occurs at the end of instruction and is a one-time measurement. Both confirm that students are understanding and meeting the lesson objectives.

Download our 6 Parts of Effective Curriculum for a handy checklist to help you remember all six components as you search for curriculums or make your own. For more resources like this and a more in-depth look at what makes a strong curriculum, refer to our PRO Pack, The Building Blocks of Effective Curriculum. Look for this Pack in PRO Learning to learn more.

To show you what vetting curriculum looks like in practice, we’ve used AOEU’s FLEX Curriculum as an example. Let’s take a closer look.

The Art of Education University’s FLEX Curriculum (K–12)

The Art of Education University’s FLEX Curriculum is a flexible  curriculum aligned to all 50 states’ visual art standards, including the NCAS. FLEX includes thousands of lesson plans, resources, videos, assessments, and artist bios that can be filtered and searched so you can find exactly what you need.

Scope and Sequences/Unit Plans

FLEX offers premade Scope and Sequences to save you time. Scope and Sequences are organized by grade level into units based on the NCAS. If you are someone who likes customization, the My Classes feature allows you to build your units and share them with other FLEX subscribers. FLEX is designed to integrate seamlessly with major learning management systems (LMS). FLEX even has units and lesson plans designed for substitutes!

Lesson Plans

FLEX lesson plans include everything you need to get started immediately, including key objectives, teaching strategies, step-by-step instructions, and more. Lessons are categorized into flexible bands, Beginner (elementary), Intermediate (middle school), and Advanced (high school), so you can choose the lessons that best fit your students’ needs.

Standards Alignment

FLEX Curriculum is aligned to all 50 states’ visual art standards, including the NCAS. Even better, you can filter FLEX materials by the NCAS or your state standards.

Resources

FLEX also comes with student-facing resources to support your teaching, including worksheets, reference materials, lists, graphic organizers, writing supports, and planning sheets. You can also help students connect to art concepts and diverse historical, contemporary, and living artists with FLEX videos and artist bios.

Assessments

FLEX includes a plethora of assessments to meet your students’ needs. Choose from various formative and summative assessments, including reflections and critiques.

Interested in learning more?

FLEX Curriculum is regularly purchased for art teachers by districts and schools. Fill out this quick contact form, and we will connect you with someone who can help! If you want to purchase FLEX on your own, you can subscribe monthly with the ability to cancel anytime. Or, sign up for the annual membership to receive two months free.

The Art of Education University also offers many other supports to art teachers. PRO Learning is an on-demand PD platform broken down by topic into Packs. Each Pack has several tutorial and training videos as well as downloadable resources. It is the perfect compliment to FLEX. Don’t miss the free resources available in the online Magazine and on YouTube.

Make your life easier!

Online art curricula subscriptions are an excellent option to guide or enhance the scope and sequence of your instruction. With various curricula options at your fingertips, it’s essential to understand which one will best meet the goals and standards your district requires. Likewise, platform compatibility and user-friendliness are vital to consider before investing in a subscription. Using an online art curriculum can make your life easier, so be sure to download and use the checklist above to help you select the best option for your practice.

What components do you look for in an art education curriculum?

How do you guide or enhance your scope and sequence?

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