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http://dekettdigitalphoto.weebly.com/

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Mrs. Dekett's ​digital photography class

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Mrs. Dekett's ​digital photography class

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3 Refreshing ways to bring photography into art class

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3 Refreshing ways to bring photography into art class

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2022/01/19/three-refreshing-ways-to-bring-photography-into-any-art-class/

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Unless you are a photography teacher, it might seem daunting or even impossible to bring photography to your students. Your first thoughts might be, "My students don't have cameras," or "I don't have enough cameras," or "I don't know how to use a camera." These challenging thoughts may lead you to scrap the idea before it even takes shape. The good news is that there are ways to bring photography into your classroom that don't necessarily require cameras at all. If you find yourself in that third camp where you aren't sure how to use a camera, make sure to check out our Studio: Photography class.

Within the medium of photography, there are practices called alternative processes. These processes allow you to explore some of the concepts of photography or a derivative of it. Some of these processes require cameras, and others are enhanced if you have them. However, many don't require cameras at all.

Let's take a look at three photography processes for any grade level that do not require a camera.

1. Cyanotypes (Sun Printing)

Whether you are a high school instructor or spend your days teaching elementary, this process can be altered to fit your needs. Cyanotypes are essentially photographic blueprints that are created using the sun or artificial sun lamps. To create a cyanotype, a chemistry mixture is applied to paper and allowed to dry. Objects are then arranged on the paper and placed in direct sunlight. The sun exposes the paper for a period of time and, when complete, is placed in a stop bath of water. The process results in a dazzling blue cyanotype!

If you are not interested in purchasing chemicals or you work with young children, consider purchasing cyanotype printing paper. This alternative branch of cyanotypes can produce similar results, but it is safer and reduces cleanup time.

Cyanotypes are also excellent candidates to explore with other art mediums. Drawing, painting, collage, fibers, and more can be incorporated with dry prints to enhance the imagery and connect to other things you are exploring in the art room.

If you plan to use cyanotypes, make sure to use them in a season when the sun is likely to be shining. This alternative process makes a fun option for a beginning or end of the year lesson. Or you can introduce the medium leading up to World Cyanotype Day, which is the last Saturday in September.

2. Tinting and Hand-Coloring

You may not have access to SLR or DSLR cameras, but your students likely have access to a camera on their phone or another digital device. If so, you may want to explore alternative processes, like photographic tinting or hand-coloring, with your students. Students capture images on their digital devices and then print them on paper. Tint the images using different materials, like coffee, tea, turmeric, crushed blueberries, and more. You can follow up the tinting process by hand-coloring the images using special photographic markers or paint. Or, skip the tinting and just try hand-coloring.

If you are interested in trying out tinting or hand-coloring, make sure to have a variety of paper on hand for your students to explore. Different types, thicknesses, and quality of paper will produce different results. The process can be just as important as the product for this medium.

3. Chlorophyll Prints

Another refreshing alternative process that doesn't require a camera is chlorophyll prints. To achieve this process, print a high-contrast image onto transparency paper and place the transparency on top of a leaf. Use something sturdy, like photo frame glass, to keep the two objects from moving and set them outdoors. Let the sun expose the "negative" (transparency) on top of the leaf. Have fun experimenting with different types of leaves and lengths of time in the sun.

Take this opportunity to collaborate with a science teacher. If there is a curricular unit on nature, chlorophyll prints would be the perfect match. This is also a great opportunity to advocate for your program. You can show your administration how the arts can be intertwined with other disciplines in your school.

The options when it comes to alternative processes don't stop here! There are hundreds of ways to explore photography, both with and without a camera. If you are intrigued by any of the processes mentioned above and would like to learn more, make sure to check out AOEU's Studio: Photography course. You will have the opportunity to explore alternative processes as part of your studio work. This is also a great match if you are interested in photography or are completely new to the medium. You will leave the course feeling confident shooting in manual mode and excited to bring the medium back to your students.
What process are you excited to introduce to your students? How do you already incorporate photography into your classes?

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3 Refreshing Ways to Bring Photography Into Any Art Class - The Art of Education University

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Unless you are a photography teacher, it might seem daunting or even impossible to bring photography to your students. Your first thoughts might be, "My students don't have cameras," or "I don't have enough cameras," or "I don't know how to use a camera." These challenging thoughts may lead you to scrap the idea before [...]

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Sarah DeKett - Photography Youtube Channel

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Sarah DeKett - Photography Youtube Channel

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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpGS1tG39LyuJ_eC1OzOKJQ

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1gpvvuNGsomAetXpvTy6S9o-espY1-2SGkq32xWY8WsI/edit#slide=id.gf8114ec108_0_0

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Comprehensive Guide to Teaching Digital Photography

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2018/06/13/how-to-introduce-photography-with-ipads-to-your-students/

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In today's "selfie" generation, photography isn't always seen as a high art form, especially among our students. Therefore, it's up to us to share the work of prominent photographers and showcase what a powerful form of expression photography can be.

Luckily, we can easily capitalize on our students' love of technology to do this! And, it couldn't be easier, especially if you have access to iPads. Sharing the technical side of photography can help influence your students to think differently about taking photographs.

Today I'll be sharing how to introduce your students to photography using the iPad. However, you could easily use the suggested prompts at the end with any form of technology to which you have access.

Check out these 4 easy steps to introduce your students to photography using iPads.

1. Inspire your students.

When introducing your students to digital photography, it's important to hook them in the right way, so they are excited to learn. This way, they'll be motivated to gain a deeper understanding of how photography works.

One way I like to introduce the ideals of photography is through the video Art with Mati and Dada - Dorothea Lange. This video is a cartoon but would work for many grade levels. It addresses how to capture the right moment as well as how to pay attention to angles and lighting.

Once we watch this video, we discuss how photography has changed over time and how we can use information from the video in our photography. I also share some images of high-quality photography. I make sure to include many different types of photography like portraits, nature, abstracted photos, and photos of everyday spaces to get them thinking on a deeper level.

Once my students are inspired, it is time to show them some iPad basics.

2. Demonstrate the iPad and apps.

Once your students are inspired, it's a great time to introduce the tools they'll be using to create their work. If needed, show your students the basic way to operate an iPad and take a photograph.

You will also want to demonstrate how to use whatever photo editing app you have chosen. There are many options, but I like to use Photo Editor by Aviary. This app has several editing functions that give students a chance to work with the lighting and dimensions of the photograph. It is simple and easy to use.

Enhance
This feature offers options to enhance various lighting effects and brighten the image.

Crop
This feature allows students to resize the photograph with a grid.

Adjust
This feature offers brightness, exposure, contrast, warmth, and saturation among other options.

Orientation
This feature allows students to turn their image left, right, vertical or horizontal.

Blur
This is a fun feature that blurs areas students touch.

Vignette
This feature adds a vignette to the edges of the photograph and allows students to move the vignette around the photograph.

I also make sure to give my students time to explore any features I don't demonstrate. Many times, my students teach me a variety of tricks as they play around and merge different edits.

Finally, reiterate that students are not making memes. They should avoid any text or meme options the apps may contain.

3. Share how to combine apps.

If you would like your students to take it to the next level, show them a few other apps they could explore after they use the first one. Combining the editing capabilities of two apps on the same photo can allow your students to get some really great results.

They each have their own unique features and can offer another level of design to your students' images. You can demonstrate this process or let your students explore it on their own.

If you'd like your students to combine apps, let them know from the beginning so they know what to expect.

4. Give students a prompt to drive their final product.

Now that your students are inspired and understand how to work the iPad and photo editing app, it is time to begin their final product. This is also a good time to let them brainstorm a list of ideas they may be interested in photographing. You can let your students use their own ideas or give them guidelines or prompts to inspire your work.

1. Take your students on a walk around the school and let them find moments or areas to capture.

2. Take a walk to the playground or common outdoor areas for students to be inspired by nature and capture shots outdoors.

3. If your students bring their own devices, allow students to take photographs from their homes, neighborhoods or even photographs they captured on vacation.

4. Set up a container of still-life items and let students set up and photograph their own still-lifes.

5. Let your students choose an idea from their brainstorm list and photograph it.

These ideas should get you and your students going in the right direction. If your iPads are limited, you may want to pair students and let them take turns using the iPads. This could be done alongside another project as well.

Once you let your students loose, be ready to be blown away by their creativity and skills!
What photography apps do you use in the art studio? How to do you introduce photography to your students?

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How to Introduce Photography With iPads to Your Students - The Art of Education University

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In today's "selfie" generation, photography isn't always seen as a high art form, especially among our students. Therefore, it's up to us to share the work of prominent photographers and showcase what a powerful form of expression photography can be. Luckily, we can easily capitalize on our students' love of technology to do this!

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2021/11/29/nov-meaningful-artmaking-ideas-that-have-nothing-to-do-with-the-holidays/

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December brings about festive cheer, white lights, and a moment for art educators to reflect on our purpose, practices, and inclusivity. As kids, we may have made paper stockings with fluffy white cotton glued to the top with our art teachers. But do these types of artmaking experiences have a place in art classes today?

We can agree our art rooms should be a safe place where all students are welcome. Considering what and how we teach in the month of December is an opportunity for us to question our instructional practices and exercise empathy. Stepping outside of ourselves and our own cultural traditions makes space for our students' lived experiences. It also creates meaningful learning for all.

Take time to reflect on your intentions and practices.

Paula Liz is an elementary art teacher near Washington, DC, and a founder of Anti-Racist Art Teachers. She reminds us that our intent does not always equal our impact. Our intention might be to provide students with fun decorations that families adore and keep for a long time. Instead, our impact may be othering or excluding students who don't celebrate our cultural holiday or don't celebrate in the same way. There is also the real possibility that some students may not equate Christmas with joy and colorful lights but with a traumatic experience. Trauma-Informed Teaching reminds us to be aware of potential hidden circumstances that can be magnified around the holidays. This may include continued grieving over the loss of a loved one, abuse, or homelessness.

Linda Hoeptner Poling, an associate professor of Art Education at Kent State University, says, "Christmas is great... So are a lot of other world holidays." Diwali, Ashura, Ramadan, Kwanzaa, Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah-just to name a few! When we decorate our art rooms with Christmas trees and provide drawing prompts featuring Santa, we prioritize one holiday over others that may be culturally significant to our students. Amy Neiwirth, an intermediate art teacher in Ohio, says, "Kids are incredibly perceptive. They look to us and watch what we are doing all the time. Displaying a Christmas tree or hiding an elf amongst our supplies signals that Christmas is important in our art space."

What about your own holiday traditions?

As we reflect, the critical thing to remember is that these conversations do not mean someone is taking our own holiday traditions away from us. We can celebrate with our friends and families joyfully and whole-heartedly. We are simply making room for our students and their unique developing identities.

So, what do we do instead? What is an art teacher to do in December that is not centered on Christmas? One way to get ideas is to listen to Rethinking Your Holiday Projects (Ep. 294).

Consider these artmaking experiences to spark enthusiasm, empathy, and an awareness of all that winter has to offer.

Let's explore nature in winter!

It's easy to gravitate to nature-inspired lessons in the warmer months. However, you can still find inspiration from the beautiful natural world even in December! The climate zone of your teaching situation adds to your understanding of what "December weather" looks like. Having these discussions may prompt meaningful accounts of a Saturday spent outdoors or a goal to see a snow flurry in real life.
Here are some winter nature ideas to get your creative lesson planning brains going:

Pastel drawings focusing on the natural wonder of the northern lights.

Snowman bowls formed with small "snowballs" of clay.

Birch trees painted with watercolor and black ink.

Snow globe drawings of favorite winter activities with crayon and watercolor resist.

Underground homes of hibernating animals, drawn with lots of imagination.

What are some other December observances?

When we say " Happy Holidays " in December, we may assume this greeting includes multiple holidays. However, Christmas is centralized in mainstream American culture. Because the actual dates of Hanukkah change each year, our intention to include this Jewish holiday may result in an art project that is far outside the days of celebration. Linda Hoeptner Poling reminds us that there are a bunch of other inclusive observances in December to spark intriguing and inspiring work from our students.
Here are a few other special days to consider:

December 3rd is International Persons With Disabilities Day.
Highlightartists with disabilities working in your community. Invite them to be guest speakers in your art room or highlight them as an artist of the month.

December 7th is National Letter Writing Day.
Students can write and illustrate letters to their heroes, near and far. Check out the seriesUnwritten Love Letters by Aminah Robinson. This artist used envelopes as a canvas for portraits of individuals she admired. Students create their own portraits of those they love and respect on envelopes. Alternatively, students compose artwork that fits into envelopes.

December 17th is National Underdog Day.
What an opportunity to discuss topics ofsocial-emotional learning! Engage in conversation about what an underdog is in sports, culture, and art. Students devise their own unlikely superheroes.

Highlight student voice and choice in your art room.

Holidays are a joyful part of our cultural identity. Linda Hoeptner Poling reflects, "Part of honoring all students' voices means helping each child find joy in their individual identity. Cultural traditions are a part of their identities." When an artmaking experience focuses on student voice and choice, students are invited to share things about themselves in their work. Amy Neiwirth says, "If a student gravitates towards holiday subject matter on their own, the artmaking experience is more authentic and student-centered."

Paula Liz adds, "No one is taking a holiday away from students. If they choose to share their family traditions in the form of artmaking, that is up to the students." This can create meaningful learning opportunities for everyone when it's time to share their work with peers. For example, a lesson in architecture may result in students adding Christmas trees to the exterior of their designs, giving them an opportunity to share their own cultural celebrations. The important part is that this is done by the students' own choosing and is not required by the teacher.

We often use the strategy of emulating the style of an established artist to create a personal visual narrative. In December, a study on an artist like may result in students creating images about baseball, a family vacation, or lighting a menorah-all in his style. The key is that the narrative is the students' choice to make.

How can we cultivate mental well-being?

This time of year can be busy and overwhelmingly exciting-regardless of cultural celebrations. The art room can be a safe space for students to explore their experiences and emotions. Amy Neiwirth suggests calming Neurographic art during December. The experience can be relaxing as students get lost in each curve and twist.

Try drawing activities that encourage students to share the emotions they are experiencing. If you need guidance on how to introduce this to your students, check out the digital series Drawing with Mr. J.

Create your own school-wide holiday.

We are not talking about Merry Xmas or Festivus but an inclusive and school community-based observance. For example, students at an Ohio elementary school celebrate Winter Fest. Throughout December, students create white paper snowflakes that hang from the school ceiling. Forests of cardboard trees take root in the halls. During an evening event, families visit the school in their pajamas. Large cardboard fireplaces welcome students for storytime with a staff member or community leader. These stories focus on winter themes and social-emotional learning. Hot cocoa and hands-on creation stations are available as families wish each other, " Happy Winter Fest! "

Just keep teaching art!

Sometimes the best thing to do in December is to just keep teaching art. Instead of breaking the flow of your curriculum, continue with the plans already in motion. Hilary Neu Carvitti teaches elementary art at a parochial school in Ohio. She intentionally does not provide Christmas artmaking lessons for her students. She shares, "Our time with our students is so limited. I try to be super aware of how I allot our time on skills and standards, packing in as much rich art content as possible. Content with cultural ties, historical figures, and new techniques." Christmas-themed art experiences may be a disruption in the learning with which students are already engaging. It may be best to keep moving forward in your curriculum without these Christmas-themed projects.

The topic of holidays in the art room can be sensitive. We all have personal experiences that drive our decision-making and feelings during this time of year. However, students also have personal experiences that drive their choices and emotions. It is important to consider our purpose and impact when planning lessons this season.

Reflect on how our curricular decisions and classroom decor support or impede the art room as a safe space. When students are in our rooms, we want them to feel comfortable exploring and expressing themselves artistically as individuals. This may include depicting a favorite holiday tradition or a baseball game they attended with their uncle. Just as we do all year long, we can be more inclusive when we provide opportunities for student choice and expression.
For more articles like this, check out: What kinds of ac tivities do you engage your art students with during the month of December? How does your classroom decor welcome all students to your space?

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Meaningful Artmaking Ideas That Have Nothing To Do With the Holidays - The Art of Education University

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December brings about festive cheer, white lights, and a moment for art educators to reflect on our purpose, practices, and inclusivity. As kids, we may have made paper stockings with fluffy white cotton glued to the top with our art teachers. But do these types of artmaking experiences have a place in art classes today?

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2021/08/04/how-the-brain-and-art-connect-with-mindfulness/

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No Drawing Skill Required! An Activity That Connects the Brain and Art - The Art of Education University

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For many, art is inherently therapeutic. The act of creating can be a form of self-care, and it can also release a sense of calm. We all know the feeling of losing track of time when we enter into our creative flow state. We want our students to experience this, but we may not be […]

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https://uploads.theartofeducation.edu/2022/07/SUM22_NeurographicArt.pdf

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL7SrQpRRVc&t=2s&ab_channel=TheArtofEducationUniversity

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Art Room Hacks | Art Supply and Organization Ideas (Ep. 1)

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https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjHIXlDbceMVwMxFiiLzeDnamTJiqPjiG

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Join us as we spend a day in the life with an art teacher. In this ongoing series, we will meet various art teachers from different grade levels, school envi...

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2019/06/14/7-ideas-to-pump-up-your-drawing-curriculum/

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One of the best things about AOEU courses is that art teachers from across the world come together to share, learn, and improve their practice. It's always a joy to get to know these creative, passionate teachers who are full of amazing ideas!

One of my favorite classes to teach is Studio: Drawing. Time and time again, I am in awe of the art activities and lessons they come up with for their classroom. Today, seven students are sharing ideas, sure to take your students' drawing skills and your drawing curriculum to the next level.

Here are 7 creative ideas that have come out of AOEU's Studio: Drawing Course.

1. Play "Drawing Jeopardy."

This idea comes from Studio: Drawing student, Donna Banks. Donna created a fabulous "Drawing Jeopardy" game to engage her students. She included questions and answers based on drawing concepts, techniques, vocabulary, and more.

Here is what Donna had to say about her instructional learning tool.

"The physical game board loosely emulates the game screen from the television show. It is brightly collaged to show a number of drawing implements and techniques to inspire play. I used bold colors to design the board and included a shiny fringe to attract students. The index cards adhere via low-tack glue dots. So, answers and categories can simply be swapped out, whether for differentiation purposes or teaching different subject areas."

The game is designed to be played as a class, with the teacher acting as the game show host and the students divided into teams. The team with the most correct answers to the questions wins. This is such a creative way to teach students terms they will be using throughout their drawing studies.

2. Reflect on the visual journaling experience.

Students in the Studio: Drawing course take notes via a visual journal. The learning that takes place is nothing short of spectacular, as students organize their visual notes in their own creative ways. Student, Daniela Cirone, did a fantastic job with her first journal assignment. Her reflection about the process, part of which can be seen below, shows just how much she grew.

"I officially faced my fear of drawing in a sketchbook and actually really enjoyed the process! I wrote a lot of notes while watching the videos and in my readings. This started to loosen me up and ease my anxiety regarding the, 'How do I start?' thoughts.

I woke up early on a Saturday morning to start my visual journal. I had it sitting on the kitchen table while I was making coffee. Again, my mind went to, 'How do I start?' I thought back to the previous week's comments and feedback about getting my paper dirty by staining it. So, there I was, spilling coffee on page one of my visual journal.

Once I actually got started, it was shockingly easy to keep going. I just drew the next thing that came to mind. For once, I didn't have a preconceived plan, I just created. My first sketchbook page was inspired by activating all of my senses. I had the aroma of fresh coffee in the air. I had coffee beans spread around my sketchbook and table. I was tasting the coffee, spilling it, reading the coffee bean label. It was the moment I was living, and I captured it all in my drawing."

Imagine how having your students reflect on how they are creating their visual journal pages would deepen their thinking or force them to see things in a new way.

3. Face your fear of tricky techniques.

For many art teachers, anatomy and perspective aren't favorite subjects to teach. However, student, Christine Cintula, combined the two into a dynamic lesson.

She shared, "I chose to integrate last week's anatomy learning with this week's focus on perspective. I've always been inspired by Michelangelo Buonarroti's drawings. So, I attempted to add figures that showed despair and desperation, falling down a staircase that has no end."

To successfully complete this drawing, Christine took photos of two poses she felt would give the drawing power and emotion. She posed on her staircase to aid in drawing the perspective of the stairs.

Think about how your students might take their own reference photos to aid in drawing complicated subject matter. When students have the opportunity to take the photos they draw from, it's a win/win!

If you'd like to brush up on your anatomy skills, check out the Drawing the Human Form PRO Learning Pack. You'll discover how to teach your students about proportion, structure, and posing and take the fear out of realistic drawing.

4. Remix a classmate's drawing.

Studio: Drawing student, Karen Melvin, was inspired by the collage and drawing work of classmate, Robea Nordman. She decided to use the inspiration to go in her own direction. Here's a bit of what she had to say about the process.

"I decided to draw my house using linear perspective. Inspired by the collage Robea created, I wanted to try to use collage for the majority of the image. I gathered a variety of magazine and book pages and used a gloss medium to adhere collage pieces together. Filling in areas with just the right size collage piece was a challenge. To solve this problem, I used tracing paper to trace the area I wanted to fill in. Then, I sandwiched the tracing paper and collage scrap together and cut them out. When I teach a collage perspective project with students, I plan to employ this trick. I will also encourage them to add their own story and explore a variety of media as they add color and texture to their work."

Imagine the possibilities of having students use each other's work as jumping off points. The flow of ideas would be incredible.

5. Tackle light, color, and texture.

Student, Kristie Hirten, did an amazing job experimenting with light, color, and textures during one of our lessons. Here is what she says about the experience.

"I am very proud of the realistic nature and appearance of my drawing. I really loved doing this drawing, and it occupied the majority of my week. There was quite a lot of detail that was included. The photos that I took for this assignment were also very interesting. I used a fish tank and colored plastic wrap to cast color into the water. The soap and the hands give an appearance of things that are slipping away through your fingertips. It was challenging to capture was the amount of detail in the bubbles in this drawing. But again, looking at it from the perspective of line, shape, and color helped so much."

The other students and I were thrilled to see Kristie's thinking and drawing go to the next level. Consider how you might push your students by requiring them to work within these parameters.

6. Let your students experiment with media.

Tackling portraiture can be intimidating for students. It's fascinating to see how different people approach the challenge. One of my favorite solutions was the work of Studio: Drawing student, Kathleen Flynn. Kathleen did an incredible job of merging anatomy with portraiture. She used mixed drawing materials, including pen and ink, graphite, and oil pastel, to create a strong series of works in her teacher showcase. Here is what she writes about the experience.

"To date, and within this course, I've revisited and explored several media. I used alcohol markers for the first time to render the form and discovered that porous papers do not work well with this media. I used colored ink pens instead of the traditional black pen. Hatching with fine tip brushes and diluted ink is very satisfying and proved to be less straining on fingers and hands. Oil pastel on a small scale is difficult, but blending with a tortillon, instead of one's finger, can produce nice effects."

Encouraging your students to experiment with a variety of media is one way to help them build their skills. Even if an experiment doesn't work out, they've still learned something!

7. Merge various techniques.

It's always exciting to see when a student combines their new knowledge and skills into a successful final piece. I was thrilled when student, Greg Pajala, shared his teacher showcase. It merged elements from the course together into a fabulous final work that inspired us all.

Greg writes, "I used multiple techniques and media to create the final piece. I intended to showcase the different materials and methods we had used over the course of the semester. The first panel is graphite, the second is a marker, and the third is a technical pen with a watercolor wash. I created each panel separately, using the grid method. Then, I matted them as a single piece. I really wanted each panel to stand on its own, but also work together as a larger piece."

Challenging your students to use multiple techniques in a single piece will help push your students out of their comfort zones.

One thing we all learn via these online courses is that truly, "together we ART better." I've been saying it for years, but AOEU student, Kathleen Flynn, said it beautifully as she summed up her experience in the course:

"I believe it's important to keep a network of supportive teachers. I still remember the colleagues with whom I shared studio space at grad school. Something special happens when people are face-to-face in a shared space as opposed to online. The personalities in this class, however, made it less impersonal than online classes I've taken in the past. Folks on here have been really honest and supportive, and exceptionally generous with sharing resources. I'll always appreciate and admire this great group of artists and teachers. Thanks, everyone!"

I hope these ideas spark some new thoughts for your next school year. I know the work I see coming out of teachers across the nation certainly inspires me!
How do you currently teach drawing techniques to your students? Have you considered taking an AOEU studio course?

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7 Ideas to Pump Up Your Drawing Curriculum - The Art of Education University

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One of the best things about AOEU courses is that art teachers from across the world come together to share, learn, and improve their practice. It's always a joy to get to know these creative, passionate teachers who are full of amazing ideas! One of my favorite classes to teach is Studio: Drawing.

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2018/09/04/4-ways-to-liven-up-your-drawing-curriculum/

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Drawing is a fundamental part of the artmaking process. It's even proven to aid in child development. But, while drawing may be basic, it certainly isn't easy.

When you ask students what they want to be able to do in art class, many will say, "draw realistically." What students don't realize is the amount of work and effort that goes into mastering this skill set. Furthermore, if you dive into traditional materials and methods, the intensity can make students reluctant to practice. The trick is to hook students with exciting experiences.

Check out these 4 ways you can liven up your drawing curriculum right now!

1. Use Non-Traditional Materials

For many students, traditional drawing materials, like graphite and colored pencils, just aren't that exciting. Students don't know how to properly use them or don't want to take the time to use them correctly. Craftsmanship goes out the window, and the work ends up sloppy or unfinished.

Instead, try starting a drawing unit with a non-traditional material, like paint.
Here's one example.
Blind contour drawing is a great first activity to get students thinking about observational drawing. But, is it necessary for them to use pencils or markers?

What if students smeared paint onto their papers and then drew into it with the back of their paintbrush? This method will not only yield some remarkable results but teach blind contour drawing in a new way.

2. Use Traditional Materials in New Ways

It's easy to get caught up in the fun of using fancy materials. But, they can be hard on your budget and inappropriate for some grade levels. If you don't have the budget for your favorite Ebony Pencils or Prismacolors this year, take it back to the basics!

For example, markers aren't often used to their full potential, but can yield some fantastic results! Have your students experiment with different types of markers to see what cool effects they can come up with.

For instance, using a combination of drawing pencils with highlighter on top can create an impressive result. Or, have you ever used water with your markers to create a watercolor effect? Let your students play around to discover how a simple material can create impressive effects.

Tim also talks about this idea in the Rethinking Your Drawing Curriculum PRO Learning Pack. There's an entire section about challenging your students where he discusses using traditional materials in new ways. Don't miss it!

3. Utilize Technology

Using technology is an easy way to liven up your drawing curriculum. Students are often less intimidated and more apt to take risks with digital media. This is because they can work quickly and fix errors easily. If you have access to tablets, find a basic drawing app and let your students go!
All of these apps have worked well for my students.
Or, the next time you have the opportunity, try having your students create a gridded drawing digitally and traditionally. It's interesting to see how the results differ.

Another fun way to merge technology and drawing is by using 3-D pens. 3-D pens require students to draw lines to create a 3-D form. It's a wonderful visualization for how 2-D and 3-D elements relate.

4. Incorporate Calligraphy

We all know handwriting is becoming a lost art. However, we can bring back this skill by teaching mark-making and line quality through calligraphy. There are a variety of wonderful markers that can be used for hand lettering. Tombow has many excellent choices.

That said, there's nothing more exciting for students than using traditional calligraphy pens with nibs and ink to create. It will likely be a new material for them, which will create instant buy in. Plus, when the nib inevitably creates an unwanted splatter, students will be motivated to learn how to make the best of it.

Drawing does not need to be boring. There are so many exciting ways we can address this fundamental skill with our students. With a little creativity and carefully chosen materials, students can love to draw again!
What is your favorite way to teach drawing? How do you get your students excited about drawing?

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How to Liven Up Your Drawing Curriculum and Engage Your Students - The Art of Education University

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Drawing is a fundamental part of the artmaking process. It's even proven to aid in child development. But, while drawing may be basic, it certainly isn't easy. When you ask students what they want to be able to do in art class, many will say, "draw realistically."

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https://theartofeducation.edu/podcasts/ep-257-exactly-how-do-you-teach-drawing/

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Jenn Russell is back by popular demand, and in today's episode, she and Tim dive into a long conversation about exactly how they teach drawing. It's all here, from favorite lessons to best drawing media to motivating reluctant learners. Also listen for a discussion on how skill building can lead to more choices for students. Full Episode Transcript Below.

Resources and Links

Transcript

Tim: Welcome to Art Ed Radio, the podcast for art teachers. This show is produced by The Art of Education University. I'm your host, Tim Bogatz. All right. A few weeks back, I recorded an episode with Jordan DeWilde all about his new book, 30-Minute Drawing for Beginners, which is a number one bestseller on Amazon, by the way. Shout out, Jordan. I spend a lot of time at the beginning of the episode talking about how I teach drawing and how my own education with drawing informed everything that I do in my classroom.

I've gotten a lot of emails about that saying, "Tim, we need to hear more about this." Apparently, four minutes was not enough. We're going to dedicate this episode all to teaching drawing. I can't think of anybody better to chat about that with me than Ms. Jenn Russell, who is here now. Jenn, how are you?

Jenn: Good. I'm so excited to be here. How are you?

Tim: I'm doing great. As I just told you, I had some M&M's for breakfast, which makes my life significantly better and I'm doing well, so that's exciting. I was thinking back to when you and I first started talking on Twitter, and I don't know if you remember this, but I think it was because you had a kid doing an incredible colored pencil drawing.

Jenn: Yes.

Tim: I was like, "This is what I want my kids' work to look like." I messaged you. I'm like, "This is great. How do you do this?" First of all, do you remember that?

Jenn: Yes, I do. I talked about that with somebody and I was like, "Tim literally DM'd me and has changed my life." They were like, "Really?" I was like, "Yeah. Really." Because I at that point just was putting my kids' art out in the social media world just for my own personal purposes and just so that they were out there. I didn't really think anybody was looking at it. It just validated what I was doing and it was cool that someone thought it was cool. Yeah. That is a fond memory that I do have.

Tim: Okay. Fantastic. I'm glad to hear that, but I think it was great to connect with you because I think you and I teach drawing very similarly. We need to chat about all of that because that's what the people want to hear apparently. Let's just start at the beginning. When you have intro kids come in, or when you have kids come to you for the first time who maybe don't have their skills developed, where do you start when it comes to drawing?

Are you teaching techniques? Do you have simple lessons? Do you go somewhere else? Where does it begin for you?

Jenn: For us, it's techniques. We have a ridiculous schedule, and I will leave ridiculous as an open term. I don't know. Some people use it for good. Some people use it for bad. I don't know. You decide, world. Where we have semesters and so a class is only 18 weeks for us instead of 36 like it is for most of the world. I always say, "Okay. The first nine weeks are going to be drill and kill and you might hate me and that's okay.

But you're going to see the difference in the second nine weeks when I give you free choice of what you want to do, and the stuff that you didn't think you could do, magically, you can do. Guess why? It's because I told you how to do it and you did it. You followed instructions and it paid off." The first nine weeks is definitely technique-heavy. We do a lot of exercises, a lot of exercises. I do drawing bootcamp and it just builds and builds on that.

Tim: All right. I do things very similarly, just a lot of exercises, a lot of drills, a lot of techniques. Like, here's how to shade really well. Here's how to make your shading smooth. Here's what line weight is. It's kind of boring. It's not super exciting right at the beginning, but, like you said, you just got to promise that payoff and say, "Guys, it'll all come together soon. I promise."

Jenn: Yes.

Tim: I think that really helps. Do you have a couple of examples? What are a couple drills that you do with your students or can you talk about what bootcamp looks like? Give us specifics on what you teach and how.

Jenn: Yeah. The first thing that we do is every day we come in and we draw a hand. The hand drawing, and it's 15 minutes, and depending on what your classes ... If you have seven/eight classes a day, 15 minutes is a lot of time of your 45 minutes. It might be like you're working on gesture so it's a lot faster, or you're trying to get them to sketch quicker. For me, I have an hour and a half and so 15 minutes is really a small amount of time in the span of an hour and a half. We do a 15-minute hand drawing and I show them mine.

I didn't fully understand observational drawing until I was in college and I was learning in college too. It was like junior/senior year and I was forced to take a figure drawing class. The first thing that we did was draw a hand. I was like, "This is so stupid." Then I realized that I had never actually looked at my own hands. It's a very weird thing because you're like, "Oh." Like for me, I'm like, "Oh, I have short, chunky fingers. Oh, okay. I don't want to look at that."

It's like looking at your face, but to a different degree. We do a hand drawing every day. It focuses on observational drawing skills and also the idea of looking at your subject and drawing. That immediate turning of the head. You're focused. Okay. Then you draw, or you're just focused on your subject. You don't need to look at your paper because it's right there. It's not moving. You're not doing anything. We do that and that's how we open up class. I turn down the lights. We have spotlights.

I turn on the spotlights. It casts some pretty cool shadows. Eventually, for the first week, week and a half, I'm like, "Okay. I just need a contour drawing." We go over contour drawing. We go over gesture drawing. We go over just all different types of line. Then we get into value. Now, okay. We're focused on value. Your hand drawing today needs to have let's stipple this hand drawing today. They're like, "Urgh, stippling." Right? Because it takes forever.

Some of my kids really pick it up. Some are like, "Hey, I like to crosshatch." I'm like, cool. Crosshatching is on Wednesday, so wait your turn." Yeah. They pick up all these different skills. They pick up on what they like, what they don't like, what they find useful. I don't let them use blending stumps until further along.

Tim: Oh, I want to talk about blending stumps. We'll save that but go on. Go on.

Jenn: Yeah. That really opens up my class. Then we do basic old school value scales, shading of a sphere. It's repetitious so, "This isn't quite great. Do it again." They're like, "Okay. I just did two." "Great. Now we're on three. By the end of today, you're probably going to do a cool eight." They're like, "Seriously?" "Yep. Okay. The next one." They're like, "How many do we have to do?" I'm like, "Uh, I don't know." They're like, "What do you mean? You're not ..." "I don't know. Until it looks good." Right?

Tim: I was going to say, "Until we get it right."

Jenn: Right. Until it looks good. I used to coach cheerleading and a lot of them don't know that until that moment. They're like, "Why?" I'm like, "Well, you're not puking, so that's good. You're good. We're good." Yeah. Fun fact about me guys, if you didn't catch that vibe. Then I do bootcamp and that's a still life drawing and that's after all the value exercises. We do the same still life from ... They just circle around my room. They have to do a contour still life.

Then they have to do a full value still life. Then they have to do a crosshatched, a stippling and just a regular hatching. Some will go faster than others. I usually bank two weeks for all of these things. All of this is a major grade and I do count them as different daily grades so that they are getting validated per the day because if not, they're like, "Oh, no. I'm not going to participate today. It's all due on the 27th. It doesn't matter."

They do get a daily grade, and sometimes I feel spicy so I'm like, "Oh, you know what? Today, this is a quiz grade." They're like, "Oh my God." It just depends on the day, but they really get a sense for viewfinders and how to use your pencil to measure and what angle do you like? Once I see that they start to get comfortable in a certain angle or drawing certain items, I'm like, "Awesome. Today, you specifically are going to move over here." They're like, "That has the horse head that I don't want to draw."

I'm like, "I know. You avoided it in the last three drawings. I saw it." That takes up a good chunk of my first nine weeks. They hate it, but...

Tim: They do, but it's just about keeping kids motivated in different ways, whether that is daily grades or you being mean and giving kids grades or whatever the case may be. I don't have a lot to add, but I do want to share one exercise that I do. When we're first beginning drawing, whatever the subject is. I've done this with hands. I've done it with shoes. I've done it still art. We do 15, five, two, one.

We do a drawing that takes 15 minutes and then we draw that same subject in five and then we draw the same subject in two minutes and then in one minute. That 15-minute drawing, for everybody who likes to draw really quick, that forces them to slow down. Then by the time you get down to the two and the one-minute drawings, everybody who loves to take their time really needs to speed up.

It just shows them how they can vary their drawings, how you can capture details quickly versus how you add so much detail and so much shading when you have more time. That's a good lesson that I think works well to just show them the variety of what you can do.

Jenn: These are fun little things in the 'boring' unit of teaching technical drawing, right?

Tim: Right.

Jenn: Those are the fun little things to like, yay, spice it up. Like when we do blind contour and it's like so funny.

Tim: Yeah. It's hilarious-

Jenn: It's so funny.

Tim: ... the first time you demonstrate it.

Jenn: I know.

Tim: Like, "This is blind contour. Everybody laugh at it ..." I encourage kids to laugh at me.

Jenn: I know.

Tim: Then they don't feel so bad about creating their own terrible drawings, but then you just get tired of terrible drawings after a while. It's tough to keep going with that. Okay. I wanted to ask you next about your favorite materials or favorite mediums to use. I was going to say blending stumps for mine. We need to talk about that in just a minute. I'll go to you first. What are your favorite mediums, favorite materials to teach with?

Jenn: We are sticking to you obviously drawing, right?

Tim: Yeah. Yes.

Jenn: To just regular drawing. I have been playing a lot recently with graphite sticks. It's like the chunky-

Tim: That's a good answer.

Jenn: ... graphite. I mean, it ... And I have this issue. I don't know if it's a Texas thing. We're going to blame it on Texas and also my personality, but I'm a massive drawer. Physically, my drawings are just huge. My handwriting is huge. I'm loud. It's just-

Tim: I was going to say it fits your personality.

Jenn: I know, right? It's just big. Everything I draw is big and my kids are always like, "Why is your whole face taking up the whole board?" When I show them my parts of the paper. I'm like, "I need the whole board, okay? I need the whole board. I'm sorry I'm not drawing a dinky drawing in the middle of your paper. I'm not doing it." Yeah. When I demo, I have to demo on like 18 by 24. Graphite sticks for me are great because I can cover so much, but also I draw really dark anyway.

I never have problems with darker values. I always have trouble picking up the pencil because I put so much of it on. A lot of my kids are the opposite where they're scared to add value and make it darker. For me, right now, graphite sticks are really where it's at and I'm using Lyra. Lyra, L-Y-R-A.

Tim: I'm mean just, we're on camera. This is terrible for a podcast.

Jenn: Oh, yeah. I was like, "Yeah, those."

Tim: I have to show you. I have them sitting on my desk right now.

Jenn: I love it. Yeah.

Tim: Yes. They're amazing.

Jenn: Yeah. I was pointing. I was like, "Yeah. Those guys." Like if you guys can see me. You can't see us. Yeah. Those. I love those and I mean the blending and it's so smooth. I always talk about pencils being creamy and my kids are like, "You're weird. That's not a thing." I was like, "Yes, it is."

Tim: No. Then you're like, "Just draw with them. Just draw them."

Jenn: I was like, "I promise. You're going to feel it."

Tim: Then they do and they're like, "Oh, I get it. I understand."

Jenn: Yeah.

Tim: Yes. Yeah. You're right.

Jenn: I know. They're like, "Pencils are not creamy." I'm like, "But they are though if you just trust my judgment, which is why you signed up for this class. Trust me, they're creamy. They're smooth." It's like, "Yeah." Graphite sticks are bomb.com for me.

Tim: Yeah. I love it. All right. Blending stumps for me. I think they're so spectacular. First, you have to learn without them. You have to learn how to just smear with your finger. The super gross thing, I don't know if you do this. My kids think I'm weird anyway, but if you just get a little bit of grease off your forehead or a little bit of grease off of your nose, just take your fingertip and smear it on there and then your graphite blends so beautifully. The kids are like, "I'm not doing that." I'm like, "Just try it."

Jenn: I know.

Tim: They're like, "No. It's gross." I'm like, "Just try it." Then they do and it's amazing. Plus, they're teenagers so they have a lot of oil on their forehead, a never-ending supply and it makes the drawings look spectacular. After we learn to do that, then I always go for the blending stumps because they are wonderful. I also do lessons where we draw crumbled pieces of paper or crushed soda cans.

To get the shading inside of those little tiny areas, you really need to do that with blending stumps. I guess that's a very long way of me asking you, why do you not let your kids use blending stumps?

Jenn: I don't let them use them at first because they rely on blending sticks and blending stumps as if they had graphite themselves. Because they see that there's a dark tip to it because it's been used, they're like, "Oh, I'm not going to add pencil. I'm just going to use this."

Tim: Just use that on its own?

Jenn: I'm like, "That's not how it works." [inaudible 00:15:36] literally. I actually just had an argument yesterday and they were like, "Well, I technically can't." I'm like, "Oh my gosh, technically yes, you can. Eventually, I mean, really, if you want to be super technical about it, what you're doing is you're cleaning your blending stump. Every time you put it on the paper without graphite, without pencil on it, you're cleaning your blending stump. That little tip that you're depending on is going to go away."

They're just like, "Well." I'm like, "Okay. Well, whatever." At that point, you just have to let them live and learn because I'm like, "You do you, boo, because I've already told you twice. A third time is not a thing that I practice a lot." Then at the end of the class, he was like, "Okay. I see what you're saying when you say I need pencil." I was like, "Pencil first. I'm not telling you not to use it, but you need pencil first." He had a really light spot and he was like, "It's like the lightest shade of gray.

If I put any sort of pencil on it, it's going to be too dark." I mean, and my kids are just perfectionists anyway so they're just trying to do their best to make it like the picture or like the ... Well, he's drawing a sculpture. Yeah. Yeah. I'm like, "Well, that's a hard lesson you're going to have to learn, bud, because I told you and you didn't take it." Yeah. I have put them-

Tim: Go figure.

Jenn: ... in my desk, in my shelving area.

Tim: Interesting.

Jenn: Then dispense when they're ready. I mean, I also use it as a treat too. I'm like, "Well, if you guys get here, then you get to use the blending stumps." Yeah.

Tim: That's excellent motivation, to be honest. I like that idea.

Jenn: I mean, we know high schoolers are big kids.

Tim: Yeah. They really are. They really are. Okay. You did mention really briefly your giant demo drawings and that got me thinking. How important are demos for you? How often do you do them? What kinds of things do you demonstrate? What role do demonstrations play in your classroom?

Jenn: I demo a lot. I do one big ... Well, not one big demo, but I have demo days and lesson days on Mondays. Because we're on 18 weeks, I try to give them as much time, independent work time as possible. How I structure my class is on Mondays it's full lecture breakdown. We're talking hour. Let's figure out what we're doing. This is what the project needs to look like. If you do have adjustments ... Because I typically let my kids make adjustments on their own depending on their level because I have mixed bags all the time.

I demo. I do one big demo at the front while I'm lecturing and explaining. Then I go ... Back in the day when you could have a table.

Tim: When you could get close to kids?

Jenn: Yeah. When you can get close to kids and you can have tables. Yeah. I go and I sit at the table and then I draw with the kids. I do a small version of the project of what I want them to do. Usually 15 minutes at each table. I have like four groups of tables. Right now all my tables are separate. I'm looking at them, makes me kind of sad. Yeah. I demo in small groups.

I do one big group demo with all of them and then I go back and demo small groups because a lot of times they do have questions, but they don't like to ask them out loud, especially in art class, for whatever reason, even though I'm like such a Goob and whatever and weird and encouraging them of asking questions. But they feel a lot better in their own little pods and islands.

Tim: I'm going to interrupt you really quickly here.

Jenn: Yeah.

Tim: Sorry. Because I just want to throw in one thing that always works for me is if I'm sitting down with kids and doing that project along with them, doing the drawing with them, then I just do, I guess what we call a think aloud where you just talk about what you're seeing and what you're doing. Like, "Oh, that part is really difficult to draw." Or, "Oh, I'm struggling with this. Here's how I'm going to work through it." Or, "Oh, did you guys have any difficulty with this part of it?"

Then that really opens up the conversation. If you share your thoughts, then they can chime in there and it really breaks down whatever weird barrier that is, that keeps them from asking questions. I know that's always really helpful for me.

Jenn: Yeah.

Tim: Well, all right. Cool. One last question here before we wrap things up. After your nine weeks of skill-building are over and you start to transition into the big projects, what does that look like for you? How do we turn the skills that we're developing into finished work that kids are excited about, kids are interested in and things that they're making look good?

Jenn: The transitional project for me is their self-portrait because it's the end of the things that they hate, and for whatever reason, they hate nothing more than their own face. I try to tell them like, "You guys are so beautiful and lovely and I just love the rainbow mixed bag that I get." But they hate it. That is a transitional project because drawing your face requires all of the skills that we've talked about. You have to put those skills into play or else your face is going to look ... And this is the only case that I use a Picasso.

I hate it when my kids are like, "I'm not Picasso, I can't do this." I'm like, "You're not using that in the right term. You're not using it correctly." This is when I am like, "Remember those times that you were like you're not Picasso? Okay. We're going for not a hyper-realistic portrait, but we're going for a realistic portrait here with value." Typically, I don't intro color until this moment so that if they want to use color, they can.

I'm like, "But okay. Spatial awareness, parts of the face, all of your value, observational skills, how far apart are your eyes? How below your eyes is your nose? Let's look at all of the things. Measure with your pencil. All of these skills are going to be in your portrait. Now, you have choice on how you tell me about yourself. Everything that you do in my class should tell me something about you. This is a transitional project.

You have skill, but you're also having some choice and you're going to tell me something about you or this portrait is a snapshot and who you are today, whether you are a sophomore, a junior, or a senior, what does that look like for you? Your face needs to be there somewhere." Then we talk about angles and all that stuff. Really, it's like marriage of the two, of choice and the fun things that they think that they can do and they want to do, versus the skill that we have just practiced for a ridiculous amount of time.

Tim: Yes. Yes. Now, my transition lesson, as you call it, is similar, except we smash our faces up against the glass. We do smashed face portraits. I have the kids smash up their face against the window and then we take pictures of that and they have a great time doing that. Then the pressure's off to make the proportions exact or make the nose exact. You're supposed to look crazy because your face is smashed up against a glass.

Jenn: I love that.

Tim: It's a good transition one because it's fun, but you can get a good finished product, and like you said, it's using all of the skills that we've been developing. I think that's a good one. All right. Jenn, we will wrap it up there. Thank you so much for chatting drawing with me. Always great to talk to you and hopefully we can have you on again soon.

Jenn: For sure.

Tim: Thanks to Jenn for coming on and talking about all of that with me. Before we wrap up, just a quick read from the Art of Education University's studio drawing graduate course. Are you looking to simultaneously push the boundaries of your personal drawing practice, while attaining new strategies for teaching drawing in the art room? If you answered yes, then this course is for you. Not only will this course help you grow in your own practice, but it will address and offer solutions for the challenges students face in the art room as they explore drawing as a skill.

During this course, you will revisit your role as an artist and share your drawing evolution with the instructor and your peers, while analyzing best practices for drawing instruction. Your journey will include visual journaling using a variety of media and skill development as you work toward creating a drawing portfolio. If this conversation interests you, if this is a topic that you want to explore more, I cannot recommend the studio drawing class enough.

It'll be a deep dive into a lot of the topics we talked about. Plus, you get to create a ton of your own art, which is a fantastic thing to be able to do, especially when you're working on your own professional development. If you're interested in studio drawing, new eight-week courses are beginning every single month from April all the way through August and beyond. We will link in the show notes and you can find more details at theartofeducation.edu. Finally, I would love to hear from you.

What other great ideas do you have for drawing? What are you doing in your classroom? What are your kids finding interesting? How are your students being successful? What did Jenn and I miss? What else do we need to discuss on a future episode or what else do you want to know? I'm sure there is plenty more out there and I'm curious to know where else this discussion could go because helping kids discover and develop their talent with drawing, gives everyone involved an amazing feeling and I think that's something that we can always be working on.

Art Ed Radio is produced by The Art of Education University with audio engineering from Michael Crocker. Thank you, as always, for listening. We will see you next week.

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Exactly How Do You Teach Drawing? (Ep. 257) - The Art of Education University

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Jenn Russell is back by popular demand, and in today's episode, she and Tim dive into a long conversation about exactly how they teach drawing. It's all here, from favorite lessons to best drawing media to motivating reluctant learners. Also listen for a discussion on how skill building can lead to more choices for students.

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https://uploads.theartofeducation.edu/2022/07/SUM22_DrawingTechniques.pdf

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https://uploads.theartofeducation.edu/2022/07/SUM22_DrawingTechniquesVocabulary.pdf

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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcvU-njRi1WvzVxnzYNTRQ

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https://uploads.theartofeducation.edu/2022/07/SUM22_SilhouettesForRepetition.pdf

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https://uploads.theartofeducation.edu/2022/07/SUM22_HowToMakeMovementVisibleinArtwork.pdf

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https://theartofeducation.edu/packs/elementary-watercolor-basics/

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Elementary Watercolor Basics - The Art of Education University

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Professional Development for Art Teachers

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https://theartofeducation.edu/packs/exploring-color-theory-watercolor/

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Color Theory through Watercolor - The Art of Education University

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Professional Development for Art Teachers

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Engaging Watercolor Lesson for All Grade Levels

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Engaging Watercolor Lesson for All Grade Levels

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2018/04/30/an-engaging-watercolor-lesson-for-all-grade-levels/

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I love to teach my students the magic of watercolor painting! As a watercolor artist, it's one of my favorite lessons. I believe the success of mastering this media lies in the art of learning to trust watercolor because it's ultimately going to do what it wants to do. This is why I often call this lesson, "embracing happy accidents!"

This lesson can become as complicated or as simple as you'd like. For secondary or more advanced students, you can follow the process as it's written here. For younger students, you may want to limit the information, techniques, and artists you present.

Here's how to get started.

Step 1: Get to Know the Medium

I begin the lesson by introducing my students to watercolor terms, supplies, techniques, and artists. We learn vocabulary, discuss the different types of brushes, papers, and paints, and look at master artists. We discuss why certain paintings are so enjoyable and I demonstrate ways in which artists can creatively manipulate watercolor to play with value and color mixing.

Did you know that AOE has a Studio: Painting - Watercolor course? It's true! Learn more about this exciting medium while creating your own art and finding new ideas for your classroom. See more, including a sample assignment, right here.

Let's take a look at each of these parts in more detail.

Brushes

Watercolor brushes come in many shapes, sizes, and price points, and the choices can quickly become overwhelming. I recommend starting your students out with synthetic brushes. The quality is good, and they're much less expensive than natural brushes. A small round brush, an angled brush, and a big flat brush for washes are all your beginner students will need.

When students progress to Art II or other more advanced classes, you can begin to invest in natural bristle brushes in more shapes and sizes.
Here are 8 different brushes you might consider providing.

1. Round
Round brushes are the most popular for watercolor artists because they are versatile. They have a rounded ferrule (the metal part that holds the bristles) and rounded tip which allows them to create fine or thick lines. I recommend every student start out with a round brush.

2. Flat
Flat brushes have a flat ferrule and a straight edge. This brush can create beautiful lines and shapes.

3. Bright
Bright brushes are a type of flat brush. They often have shorter hairs and are good for controlled strokes.

4. Filbert
Filbert brushes are also a type of flat brush. Filbert brushes are oval shaped and are wonderful for painting foliage and landscape scenes.

5. Mop
Mop brushes have a lot of soft hair and can hold a lot of water. They are great for painting large wash areas.

6. Hake
Hake brushes are hand-made in Japan. They are made of goat hair and are extremely soft. These are specifically used for laying down large washes.

7. Spotter
Spotter brushes are good for painting details due to their short hair length. The bristles don't bend, so these are great for dots and tiny details.

8. Rigger
Rigger brushes were originally designed for calligraphy and lettering. I love them because they make great grass or foliage lines.

Paper

I recommend using a watercolor paper that is at least 90lb. Best practice states that if the paper is lighter than 300lb, it should be stretched. However, I've found it is just as easy to mount or mat the final piece, which saves time and stress. I also recommend purchasing the highest-quality student grade watercolor paper your budget will allow because that will ensure the most successful final pieces.
When choosing paper, consider the following 3 factors.

1. Quality
As with many art supplies, there are two main categories of watercolor paper: artist quality and student grade. While sometimes it pays to spring for artist quality materials, I've found student grade watercolor paper often works great.

2. Weight
Watercolor paper comes in both heavy and light varieties. Heavy paper can absorb more water and is often more expensive. I buy paper in the 90-140lb range for my students and have them tape it to their drawing boards.

3. Texture
Watercolor paper also comes in a variety of textures. Hot press paper has a smooth, hard surface while cold press paper has semi-bumpy or rough texture. The majority of watercolor artists prefer cold press. There is also a rough paper I seldom use but is wonderful for pure washes.

Paint

Watercolor paint is made with a pigment that is then mixed with a binder. Binders are what hold the pigment together. Different types of paint use different types of binders. Watercolor paints are more vibrant and transparent because watercolor has fewer fillers and the binder, which is usually gum Arabic, is absorbed by the paper. Therefore more color can show on the surface of the paper or board.

Watercolors contain both pigment and a binder. Pigment provides the color while binders hold the pigment together. Watercolors are more vibrant and transparent because the binder in them is weaker compared to other types of paint.
3 Types of Watercolor Paint to Explore

1. Pan or Cake
These types tend to be the choice for most art educators. They are affordable and easy-to-use. Simply add more or less water to vary the intensity. These paints are portable and come in a variety of qualities. They are great for beginners as well as seasoned watercolor artists.

2. Tube
Tube watercolors are a great choice as well, although they tend to be a bit more expensive than the pan paints. I have found when using them with students; if the lids don't get back on, they can dry out pretty quickly. Therefore, if my students choose to use tubes versus pans, I have them purchase their own set and bring them to and from class.

3. Liquid
Liquid watercolors are becoming more and more popular in art rooms across the nation for several reasons. First of all, they are beautiful and vibrant and make for a quick painting lesson. They can be diluted to create lovely washes, and they are easy to clean up. Plus, they have a relatively inexpensive price tag.

For even more information about watercolor paints and how to use them in the classroom, be sure to check out the following PRO Learning Packs! (As your administrator to purchase PRO for your school today!)

Master Artists

Watercolors have been around for ages. However, the Golden Age of Watercolor ran from the mid-1700s to the mid-1800s.
Here is a list of 20 watercolor masters through time you may want to share with your students for inspiration.

1. Albrecht Durer

2. William Blake

3. J.M.W. Turner

4. James McNeill Whistler

5. Winslow Homer

6. Thomas Moran

7. John Singer Sargent

8. Paul Klee

9. Arthur Dove

10. Edward Hopper

11. Charles Demuth

12. Georgia O'Keeffe

13. Loïs Mailou Jones

14. Morris Graves

15. Andrew Wyeth

16. Nell Blaine

17. Janet Fish

18. Eric Fischl

19. Cecily Brown

20. Eric Christensen

Step 2: Experiment

Next, I like to have students experiment with the watercolor paint to see what effects they can create. (You can find fourteen different techniques to try with your students in this article from our archives.)

Have your students fold their paper horizontally four times and vertically four times, so they have sixteen spaces to experiment and play. (Limit this number for younger students.) I give students a handout laying out several techniques, such as wet-on-dry, wet-on-wet, resist, drip, gradated values, salt, alcohol, white ink pen, saran wrap pull, paper towel prints, etc.

I have students select sixteen and practice each one in a specific rectangle on their paper. By giving students this time to experiment and play with watercolor, it frees them up for the actual art lesson. It also teaches them that watercolor "bleeds" can be very interesting and that, often, the looser they are with the paint and water the more successful and creative their final pieces will be.

Step 3: Create Final Piece

Once we complete our experimentation days, we move into the actual lesson.

Here are the 3 simple steps I use to help them complete this lesson successfully!

1. Set up still-life and sketch.
In my room, I set up plastic flower arrangements at each table and have students lightly sketch out a contour of what they see using a 2b graphite pencil on a 12" x 18" piece of white watercolor paper. While students work, I reiterate the importance of direct observational drawing. If you are doing this lesson with young students, you can have them draw a simple arrangement or single flower. You may also want to work on a smaller scale.

2. Add grid.
Once the still-life has been drawn, students add a grid on top. If using 12″ x 18″ paper, 3″ x 4″ rectangles work well. Some students like to use graphite for their grid, while others prefer thin black marker lines. I leave that choice up to them. Once again, limit the number of rectangles for young students. You may consider folding the paper in half once each way, creating four different boxes. Whatever you choose, it's time for the real fun to begin!

3. Add watercolor.
Students go back and look at their experimental papers and find the techniques they enjoyed the most. Then, they use one technique per box to add color to their drawing. Students experiment with the colors they see in their still-life flower arrangements and end up with fantastic paintings combining the art of seeing with the art of watercolor!

This lesson teaches students about the power of experimenting and playing with materials as they create unique paintings. When they are all hung in a hallway exhibit, they are simply breathtaking!
How do you teach watercolor techniques in your classroom? Do you think adding in time for experimentation with media is an important element to a successful lesson?

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An Engaging Watercolor Lesson for All Grade Levels - The Art of Education University

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I love to teach my students the magic of watercolor painting! As a watercolor artist, it's one of my favorite lessons. I believe the success of mastering this media lies in the art of learning to trust watercolor because it's ultimately going to do what it wants to do.

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https://theartofeducation.edu/podcasts/the-future-of-smart-with-ulcca-joshi-hansen-ep-291/

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The Future of Smart with Ulcca Joshi Hansen (Ep. 291) - The Art of Education University

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Author, educator, researcher, and advocate Dr. Ulcca Joshi Hansen joins Tim today to discuss her new book, The Future of Smart. Dr. Hansen is currently Chief Program Officer at Grantmakers for Education, where she works with educational philanthropists committed to ensuring that all young people hav…

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxAwul1P6xQ&ab_channel=TEDxTalks

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The Future of Smart | Ulcca Joshi Hansen | TEDxCrestmoorParkWomen

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https://www.amazon.com/Future-Smart-Education-System-Change-ebook/dp/B09BJYYB5P

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Our Education System Is Failing Because It Is Doing Exactly What It Was Designed to Do!

Our best efforts at improving education have failed to improve the lives of children, or change society for the better. This is no accident: the current system ignores our deepest knowledge about how human beings thrive.

Being "smart" today is still about sorting kids based on how well they absorb and retain knowledge. We need education to reflect a different set of values: interdependence, community, diversity, and deep, dynamic learning.

We need it to align with human development, facilitate learning for different kinds of brains, and prepare young people for a changing society and evolving workplace.

Blending history and science with stories from inside, The Future of Smart is a must read for anyone concerned about the future of education.

A passionate advocate for transformation in our education system, Dr. Ulcca Hansen explains the disconnect between what we want for our children, and what education today provides.

Dr. Hansen is Chief Program Officer at Grantmakers for Education and has worked in the education field for two decades. Her personal experiences as an English-language learner and first-generation college student inform her perspective on what it means to provide an "equitable" education for every child and meaningfully engage communities in that effort.

The Future of Smart shows how we can build an education system to nurture the unique, human capabilities of each child, and lay the groundwork for a more equitable, just and humane future.

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The Future of Smart: How Our Education System Needs to Change to Help All Young People Thrive

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Buy The Future of Smart: How Our Education System Needs to Change to Help All Young People Thrive: Read Kindle Store Reviews - Amazon.com

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https://wakelet.com/wake/2lCfzJUaaXegMqXQDczse

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7zno4iQRFA&ab_channel=TEDxTalks

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Rethinking the 3Rs: The Future of "Smart" | Ulcca Joshi Hansen | TEDxDrewUniversity

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https://www.liveyourlifept.com/

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Our Mission

Our mission is bringing innovative wellness, fitness, rehabilitative and preventive services to everyone's journey towards maximized well-being while exceeding expectations.

Our Vision

Our vision is to optimize health by transforming lifestyles.

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Live Your Life™ | Physical, Occupational, Speech Therapies, Personal Training, Acupuncture, Massage, Health Coach, Dietitian's | Minnesota

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Our mission is bringing innovative wellness, fitness, rehabilitative and preventive services to everyone's journey towards maximized well-being while exceeding expectations. Our vision is to optimize health by transforming lifestyles.

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https://uploads.theartofeducation.edu/2022/07/SUM22_ImpactofSleeponHealth.pdf

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2021/12/29/dec-creating-a-morning-routine-to-beat-the-pandemic-blues/

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A lot happens before you even step into your art room each morning. Nothing feels worse than rushing and scrambling to find your keys, only to realize the coffee maker is going bonkers and you forgot something. With the added stress of the ongoing pandemic, you may feel exhausted before you even have a chance to teach art.

Starting your morning off on a positive note sets the tone for the rest of your day. The good news is you can set yourself up for success by establishing some healthy habits as you move into the new year. Building strategies into your morning routine will help you to get the most out of your day. Choose what is best for you and your situation. You may even consider working closely with physical or mental health professionals as a good starting point.

Keep reading for five tips to create a smoother morning routine to beat the pandemic blues.

1. Prepare the night before.

Taking time to complete a few simple tasks the night before a school day can save you priceless minutes the next morning. There may also be things you can take care of over the weekend to prepare for the week ahead. Whether you are on your own or managing the morning routine of others in your household, consider checking off the following from your to-do list before the alarm sounds in the early morning hours.

Meal Prep

Planning, preparing, and packaging your snacks and meals can easily save you time when you need to head out the door. Meal prepping on Saturday or Sunday can be helpful for evenings when you come home exhausted from a tough day in the classroom studio and are not in the mood to cook.

Making the effort helps you choose healthier options to fuel your mind and body for the days to come. Why stop at just one meal to grab in the morning for your lunchbox? If you schedule ahead, think of how many meals you could have ready to go in your refrigerator for the entire week!

What to Wear

Choosing your outfit and shoes before bedtime prevents endless morning minutes staring at your wardrobe. It also stops the frantic fashion shows that steal precious morning time from you or your loved ones.

Weather Check

No matter where you are in the world, inclement weather can put a damper on your morning routine if you are not expecting it. Staying up to date with the forecast can give you ample time to dress appropriately, get to school on time, and prepare art supplies for a smoother lesson before class starts.

Inspiring Podcast

Whether you are getting ready for school or are navigating your commute, AOEU has something to motivate you for the day ahead. The podcasts, Art Ed Radio and Everyday Art Room, along with The Art of SEL, have episodes that will add value to your life and inspire you to be the best art teacher you can be. If you have listened to all the latest podcasts and are looking for another art-related one, check out the list in this article.

2. Hydrate when you wake.

Water is necessary for all of us to survive this life. To make the most of your morning routine, start every day with a tall glass of water. You can even have it filled up and ready the evening before. According to Waterlogic.com, drinking water as soon as you wake up helps to "activate your internal body organs." Not only will that morning glass of water wake up your organs, but it will also wake up your mind. Add flavor to your water with citrus or berries.

3. Sustain yourself with breakfast.

Your body and mind benefit when fueled. Guess who else benefits from your energy? Your students! Starting with a well-balanced breakfast each morning can give you the stamina you need to survive the hours until your much-needed lunch break. Healthier options can be prepared and stored so you only have to serve and enjoy when you wake up.

Just like the meal prep idea mentioned above, planning and preparing your breakfasts not only saves morning time but decreases the likelihood of grabbing foods that lack nutritional value or skipping breakfast altogether. If you often make excuses about skipping breakfast, consider waking up 10-15 minutes earlier each day to avoid a growling stomach in the middle of your first media demonstration.

Breakfast may not be the most important meal of the day for all art teachers. In an article by Cleveland Clinic, what time you begin fueling your body can vary from person to person. Listen to your body to determine whether or not a big breakfast is the best option for you.

4. Move more.

Art teachers are constantly on the move during the school day. By the time you arrive home, you may be tired and ready to rest. On top of that, many of us find that after-school activities or school work consume our evening, making it challenging to find time to focus on our physical health.

Regardless of your situation, there are benefits to starting your day with movement. According to Healthline.com, exercising in the morning can set a positive tone for your day, help you to make healthier meal choices, and keep you on your toes-both in mind and body. Dynamic stretching, brisk walking, or light cardio can boost your mood and give you the energy you need to tackle that to-do list.

5. Write for peace of mind.

When we awake from our evening slumbers, sometimes our minds are off to the races, thinking about all that awaits us for the day. If this ever happens to you, you might like to turn off the mental chatter. Challenge yourself to wake up a little earlier so that you can think and write about your thoughts.

Here are three writing activities to create a peaceful mind for your day:

1. 5-Minute Free Write
Grab a timer, paper, and something to write with. Find a comfy place to sit. For five minutes, just write. Give your mind space to empty thoughts. Allow yourself permission to let go of whatever is on your mind.

2. Gratitude Journaling
Making time to intentionally practice gratitude is a key component to well-being for Dr. Rachel Hallquist, Adjunct Instructor for AOEU and author of MEGA Morning Routine: The Secret Self-Care Morning Routine for Busy Teachers. Journaling about all of the good things that are happening in your life, despite teaching art during a pandemic, can keep you focused on what matters, and therefore keep you feeling positive.

3. Daily Goals
Sometimes, our to-do lists bog us down, and it can be all we think about first thing in the morning. Keep a small notepad handy, so you can start writing down everything that you need or want to accomplish once you enter your art room. Getting these down on paper can help you focus on what needs to be done, help you take action, and stop only thinking about it.

Discover more resources to help you express your thoughts:

If you are still craving self-care strategies beyond your morning, take a look at the following:

Whether you are searching for ways to kickstart your day or bring more happiness to your life, creating small changes to your morning routine can make a big difference. The pandemic has taken a toll on our lives, and a morning self-care routine could be the trick to beat the blues. Consider trying one or more of these tips to intentionally take care of yourself before taking care of your artists.
What does your morning routine look like? How could you more intentionally start your day with self-care?

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How to Create a Morning Routine to Beat the Pandemic Blues - The Art of Education University

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A lot happens before you even step into your art room each morning. Nothing feels worse than rushing and scrambling to find your keys, only to realize the coffee maker is going bonkers and you forgot something. With the added stress of the ongoing pandemic, you may feel exhausted before you even have a chance [...]

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5 Ways Art Teachers Can Practice Self-Care

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5 Ways Art Teachers Can Practice Self-Care

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2021/02/03/5-ways-art-teachers-can-practice-self-care/

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As teachers, we give and give. Even during a global pandemic, when expectations are higher, we continue to give. Though we have likely chosen a teaching career because we love giving to our students, it does not negate the fact that we need to make time for ourselves. We need self-care.

Self-care isn't selfish. It's quite the opposite.

Prioritizing our own self-care allows us to be strong enough to help others. Self-care is typically broken down into a few components: physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual. You may prioritize your mental health one day by talking with your therapist or friend and your physical health another day by going for a jog. Whatever your self-care looks like, it is vital.

Be sure to reflect on each of these categories regarding your self-care, as they all fill a different bucket of your health:

Physical - Take care of your body with proper sleep, healthy eating habits, and exercise.

Mental - Learn new things and practice strengthening your mental health stamina.

Emotional - Process and recharge your emotions by identifying and talking about your feelings.

Social - Nurture your relationships with friends and family through communication and safe connections.

Spiritual - Investigate your purpose and meaning, not necessarily related to religion.

Self-Care for the Art Teacher (Ep. 196)
Using the analogy from " Wait But Why," picture your day as 100 blocks of ten-minute increments. Every action is filtered through this lens. Ask yourself, " Is this action worth ten minutes of my time? " Of course, there are things we must do. We must work, eat, take care of our families, and the list goes on. But, what do you want to do with the remaining blocks? Reflecting on how you are spending your blocks might give you a little insight into how much time you are leaving to take care of yourself.

So what might self-care look like for an art teacher?

Let's keep it simple with a few of these suggestions:

1. Make art.

As art teachers and artists, we know art is naturally therapeutic. Your excitement, ideas, and emotional baggage need to be released somehow. It's simply a matter of how you release it. Try experimenting with a new art material. Do a draw-along video on YouTube. Color in some complex coloring sheets. Doodle on your tablet. No matter what you choose to create, this artmaking time is valuable self-care. If you don't feel like making art, be sure to pick a different way to get your self-care in for the day.

2. Do something for someone else.

Yes, self-care should be for you. But, often, doing something for another person has the residual effect of making you feel better, especially if service acts are one of your five preferred love languages. In a world where teachers are stressed adapting to a new teaching style, be sure to share a kind note with a co-worker or administrator you have observed doing a great job.

3. Take a nap.

This seems obvious and certainly not always feasible. But, this tip will certainly fill your physical health bucket. If you can, take a break. Yes, a literal nap. If you need to, try scheduling time to close your eyes, even for just a few minutes. It can really change the way you break up your day. In fact, a business in Tokyo allows its employees to take twenty-minute naps during the workday.

4. Prepare a homemade meal.

The act of creating something gives you a sense of accomplishment. If you don't feel like sitting down to paint or draw, see if your creative juices start flowing when you're in the kitchen. Healthy or indulgent, the act of creating something to feed your body will surely give you pride over what you have created.
5 Ways to Take Care of Yourself and Avoid Burnout
5. Unplug.

This one can be hard sometimes. After all, our connection to others and their stories help us to keep building our social connections. However, it can be even more important to take a moment away from your devices. Try setting an alarm to remind you to put down your phone for the night, or be sure to get up and do a big stretch before you pick up your device for the day. Unplugging from technology helps you recognize the joy in your day-to-day life.

Give yourself permission to prioritize your own self-care. While it may not be easy, it is vital. There are so many ways to practice self-care, yet often actually doing it is the hardest part. Practicing self-care is the least you can do to build yourself up to be the very best you can be.

What does self-care look like for you?
Why is it important to teach our students about the importance of self-care?

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5 Ways Art Teachers Can Practice Self Care - The Art of Education University

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As teachers, we give and give. Even during a global pandemic, when expectations are higher, we continue to give. Though we have likely chosen a teaching career because we love giving to our students, it does not negate the fact that we need to make time for ourselves. We need self-care.

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https://uploads.theartofeducation.edu/2022/07/SUM22_HealthyEatingTipsforTeachers.pdf

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https://www.youtube.com/c/yogawithadriene

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yoga "yoga videos" "free yoga videos" "yoga for weight loss" "yoga for beginners" "morning yoga" "home yoga practice" "yoga with adriene" "at home yoga"

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WELCOME to Yoga With Adriene! Our mission is to connect as many people as possible through high-quality free yoga videos. We welcome all levels, all bodies, all genders, all souls! If you're brand-new to yoga, check out my Yoga For Beginners and Foundations of Yoga series.

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https://theartofeducation.edu/podcasts/a-view-from-my-run-with-author-illustrator-lori-richmond-ep-142/

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A View From My Run with Author/Illustrator Lori Richmond (Ep. 142) - The Art of Education University

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Author and Illustrator Lori Richmond joins Tim today to talk about running, creativity, and art. Lori’s acclaimed “View From My Run” series illustrates the scenes that she passes as she trains for the New York City Marathon. She is also a children’s book author and illustrator, and she and Tim talk…

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https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/walking/art-20050972

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2018/03/08/4-concrete-ways-modify-art-projects-students-special-needs/

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As first-year teachers, we all run into things for which we are not prepared. For me, one of those experiences was teaching an adaptive art class to 20+ students with severe and profound needs on my very first day of school. Needless to say, coming in with no formal special education training, it was a train wreck. It took many weeks of failure before I finally figured it out.

Walking into the art room is a fantastic experience because there is a place for all students to thrive. For many students with special needs, the art room might be the only inclusive part of their day. However, trying to meet the needs of all students can be difficult and time-consuming. The key is to start with the same materials and subject matter the rest of the class is using. This method will prevent you from having to start from scratch.

Here are 4 concrete examples to help you get started.

1. Use technology and transparencies to modify portrait lessons.

Creating portraits is challenging for almost all students whether they have special needs or not. Above, you can see the results of a smashed portrait project with a painted background. Here, students used the grid method to draw the portrait.

You can easily modify a portrait lesson like this one with the help of technology. Start by taking a photo of your student. Then, have them transfer that photo onto a transparency. Depending on the student's needs, they could trace their photo onto the transparency using a permanent marker, or they could print the photo directly onto the transparency using a digital printer. If they do the latter, you could have them digitally edit the photo first.

Finally, instead of painting a detailed background, students could use a Gelli plate to create a monoprint to which their transparency could be attached.

2. Use a light box and modify requirements for drawing projects.

Above you can see a drawing lesson that focuses on contour line, value, and shading. Students start by creating a contour line drawing of their subject and divide the paper into different sections to practice value techniques.

To modify the project, have your students select an image, print it out, and use a light box or transparency to aid in tracing. Students can still divide their background with a ruler. But, instead of adding value to the sections, have students use a material like markers to fill in each shape. You can see a modified version of this project in the photo below.

3. Use molds and extruders to help with clay projects.

Clay is a versatile material and is excellent for students who have trouble with motor skills. However, working with fine details can sometimes be difficult. For example, rolling coils to create a vessel might be complicated. Instead, try using a mold. Slump molds are an excellent way for students to explore clay without having to worry about creating a coil or slab.

Cover the mold with plastic wrap and let students press pieces of clay into it, making sure to smooth them together as they work. No scoring or slipping is necessary if the clay is plastic enough. Make sure to remove the clay from the mold before it is leather hard to prevent cracking.

If students can create clay coils or you have an extruder, use the coils to trace. Placing coils over the student's name or a drawing they've created is a simple way to modify the coil technique. Students will likely need assistance attaching the designs or names to another surface like a slab of clay.

4. Simplify and use templates to make lessons more accessible.

The above photo is a plaster gauze sculpture project made with recyclable materials. To modify a lesson like this for your adaptive art students, limit their materials and use templates.

To allow my students to have the experience of making something with recyclables and plaster wrap, I showed them how to make giant pencils. I gave each of my students one paper towel roll and a piece of oak tag paper. They used a template to make the point of a pencil with the oak tag paper and attached it to the paper towel roll using masking tape. I then gave students smaller pre-cut plaster gauze strips so they could apply them to their armature to complete their pieces.

No matter what projects you're modifying, having a variety of modifiers to choose from is helpful.
Here are 5 essential tools to keep on hand for easy modifications.

1. Stencils and templates

2. Light box for tracing

3. Adaptive scissors

4. Large, easy-to-hold materials

5. Transparencies for tracing

You can find even more tools and ideas in this video.

Creating effective modifications for your students does not need to be time-consuming. Remember to keep it simple by using the materials and methods already in place and finding ways to adapt them to meet the needs of your students.
What examples of project modifications can you share? What are the biggest joys and challenges that come with working with adaptive art students?

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4 Concrete Ways to Modify Art Projects for Students with Special Needs - The Art of Education University

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As first-year teachers, we all run into things for which we are not prepared. For me, one of those experiences was teaching an adaptive art class to 20+ students with severe and profound needs on my very first day of school. Needless to say, coming in with no formal special education training, it was a ...

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Create Toolkits for Students With Special Needs

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Create Toolkits for Students With Special Needs

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2017/12/07/create-tool-kit-students-special-needs/

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One aspect of teaching art I appreciate and enjoy is the inclusiveness of our subject area. Art education is a place where all students can express themselves. As a result, we're often a favorite academic area for students with special needs, and rightfully so!

We all want to do our best for our students with special needs, but it can be tricky. Meeting the diverse needs of hundreds of students in a somewhat chaotic environment isn't for the faint of heart. But it can be done! All it takes is a little forethought and preparation.

One efficient way to prepare for your students with special needs is to create an adapted artmaking toolkit.

A toolkit is a system of shelves and containers that hold things students with special needs and those who work with them may need. The system is located in your art room so you, your students, and the teaching aides can access it during class. It can include adaptive supplies, creature comforts, and essential tools for teaching aides. It is incredibly straightforward to set up. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Consider These 3 Aspects of Your Toolkit's Setup

1. Location

Begin by choosing a central location for the toolkit. It should be accessible to both students and teaching aides and located somewhere in plain sight. By making the kit readily available, you communicate a sense of welcoming and empowerment to your kids with special needs.

2. Storage

Next, select a system for holding the elements of the kit. Metal cube shelving was the ideal solution in my art room because it was affordable, accessible, and the perfect size for my existing plastic bins. Figure out the simplest solution that will work for your space, and go for it!

3. Flexibility

Finally, be sure your system is flexible. Students and teaching aides will naturally access these containers in a way that best matches their work style. Some will enjoy the kinesthetic movement of "self-serving" at the shelves, while others will prefer to take individual bins to their tables to access the supplies inside.

Either way, label each bin with text and an image. Whether you use a photograph or clipart, having the visual will help emerging readers understand what is inside.

7 Bins to Consider Including in Your Toolkit

Of course, you will need to figure out what types of items to keep in your toolkit based on your students' needs. Here are seven different ideas to get started.

1. Sensory Bin

At times, the art room can be overwhelming for students with special needs. Providing a sensory tub is a great way to offer them a break without having to leave the art room.

Noise canceling headphones

Latex-free gloves (for use with clay or paper mache)

Fidgets (Silly Putty or other simple toys)

A small container of sand or dry rice

If you would like even more strategies for working with students with special needs in your art room, AOE has you covered. The courses Autism and Art and Reaching All Artists Through Differentiation are two great places to start. You'll get the chance to engage in meaningful assignments such as creating an adaptive art tool for students, modifying an existing instructional tool, or updating an assessment to better meet your students' needs. Don't miss out!

2. Texture Bin

Adding texture to an art project is a great way to capture the imagination of students with special needs who enjoy exploring the world in a tactile way.

Plastic texture plates (to color over or press into clay)

Books of fabric/upholstery samples (for collage)

Feathers, puffballs, and sequins

Sand (for pouring onto glue, to create a raised line)

Pipe cleaners or Wikki Stix (to trace a 2D line in a 3D way)

3. Sculpture Bin

Sometimes, the abstraction of a two-dimensional drawing can be a challenge for students with special needs. Consider offering a variety of sculptural materials to allow these students to manifest their ideas in three dimensions.

4. Drawing Bin

Each child's way of making marks is uniquely beautiful. To ensure your students with special needs are successful, offer a variety of mark making tools that can help overcome basic challenges with grip and pressure.

Jumbo crayons

Plastic grippers for pencils

Paint sticks

Markers
Although these are a conventional supply, they are a good choice for those who struggle with applying pressure.

5. Painting Bin

While the painting process is good for students who have challenges applying pressure, it can offer additional difficulties. Working with small brushes, using unsteady water cups, and other motor challenges come into play. Consider creating a tub with adaptive supplies to allow your students to experience the magic of this medium.
You might consider including:

Finger paints

Sponge daubers

Bulb brushes

Dog bowls or other wide based water containers to prevent spills.
Do not use these with just a portion of your students; they are ideal for everyone!

Large palette watercolors
These palettes make it easier to access a single color while developing fine motor control.

6. Cutting and Gluing Bin

Cutting and gluing is great fine motor practice for all students, including those with special needs. Sometimes, however, alternative materials are needed. Having a tub with multiple kinds of tools is a great idea.

Hand-over-hand scissors

Table mounted scissors

Jumbo glue sticks

7. Bin for Teaching Aides

Finally, do not underestimate the positive impact a teaching aide can have on the art-making experience for your students with special needs. Your positive relationship with the school's teaching aides is the most critical aspect of the toolkit. Prepare these professionals for success by providing a bin of their own.
You might consider including:

A teaching aide handbook or letter
This is a great strategy for communicating your educational philosophy and their specific role within your classroom.

A list of potential environmental accommodations
Teaching aides often know how their students learn best. Give them a list of environmental accommodations they could request to improve their student's learning environment. You candownload a copy below this list!

Creature comforts
Think of how you respond when you feel appreciated and welcomed. Create that same feeling for your colleagues. Consider providing k-cups, chocolate, or other inexpensive tokens to demonstrate how much you value their presence, expertise, and continued help.

Download Now!

As busy art teachers, it is crucial to weigh the time cost against the potential benefits of any classroom strategy we plan to implement. The initial set up of a special needs toolkit takes a bit of time, but the payoffs in independence and increased participation will last all school year long!
What else would you include in a toolkit for students with special needs? What other adaptive supplies have you successfully used in your classroom?

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How To Create A Toolkit for Students with Special Needs - The Art of Education University

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One aspect of teaching art I appreciate and enjoy is the inclusiveness of our subject area. Art education is a place where all students can express themselves. As a result, we're often a favorite academic area for students with special needs, and rightfully so! We all want to do our best for our students with [...]

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What You Need to Know About Inclusive Education in the Art Room

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What You Need to Know About Inclusive Education in the Art Room

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2018/08/01/what-you-need-to-know-about-inclusive-education-in-the-art-room/

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Once you are released into your art room, you are in charge of the growth and learning of every student with whom you work. This can be daunting, especially if you have little to no background in special education.

Unfortunately, this is a reality for most art teachers. Whether you teach a few courses or every student in the school, it can be tricky to keep track of and implement all of those IEPs!

Today, you are in luck. We are going to walk through the basics of inclusive education in the art room. We'll go through the laws and ideas you need to know to be able to address the needs of all your student artists.

To delve into this important topic, I reached out to Jenna Gabriel, the Manager of Special Education at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Together, we outline the big ideas behind inclusive education as well as how they specifically relate to art education and provide you with resources to support you in this work.

Here are 3 tips to help you understand inclusion in the art room.

1. Make sure you have a basic understanding of special education laws.

To begin, I asked Jenna to outline the special education laws and how they impact art teachers. Here is what she shared with me. (Italics denote text contributed by Jenna.)
Four federal laws intersect to support educational access for students with disabilities. Two of these address discrimination. The other two address education specifically.
Laws 1 and 2: The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 are civil rights laws. These laws are intended to prevent discrimination on the basis of disability in all walks of life-which means they apply in our schools, though the laws themselves are not education-specific. These laws prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities who require support from the physical, programmatic, or communication environment in order to access activities provided by the school and the well-rounded education to which students are entitled. This includes access to the general education curriculum. These laws define disability quite broadly to ensure students with disabilities receive the full protection of the law. Because this definition of disability is broader than that in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, described in full below), students with disabilities who do not receive special education services on an IEP plan may still receive appropriate accommodations under a 504 plan. Regardless of any accommodations put in place by the school on a 504 or IEP plan, the rights of any student with a disability to access the educational environment free from discrimination are still protected under these laws. It's important to note, though, that these two laws do not provide dedicated financial support to schools for implementation, and funds schools receive under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) can only be used to serve students with IEPs.
Law 3: ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act)
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is the primary federal education law. It provides funds to the states to support educational achievement for all students in K-12 public education. Signed into law by President Obama in 2015, ESSA touches on a few interesting aspects that affect students with disabilities in the arts. First, ESSA offers a definition of "well-rounded education" that is extraordinarily arts-friendly. By acknowledging all students must have access to a well-rounded education, the definition of which includes the arts, the law affirms the right of students with disabilities to participate in arts learning, just as their typically developing peers do. It does not go so far as to require arts education, (that's up to the states!) but it does support the claim that if a state includes the arts in their plan to provide a well-rounded education to all students, students with disabilities have an equal right to receive that instruction.

ESSA also acknowledges the importance of adequately prepared teachers, which is important in this work, as we know students with disabilities require specialized instruction and supports. For art teachers who often have students with disabilities included in their classrooms, this preparation is critical to providing equal access to meaningful arts engagement. Yet, statistics that have remained disproportionately static over the last thirty years show us that less than 25% of practicing art teachers received even one course in special education while in college. Furthermore, nearly two-thirds don't feel equipped to meaningfully engage their students with disabilities in art instruction.

Law 4: IDEA (The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is the federal law that most specifically addresses the needs of students with disabilities. This law outlines thirteen disability categories; a student must be diagnosed with one of these in order to receive services, and the disability must affect a student's educational performance. This is a key difference between the definition of disability under IDEA and the broader definition under ADA and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504. Under IDEA, specially designed instruction is mandated. This includes adaptations to methodology and content that far exceed accommodations for access a student would receive on a 504 plan. It also calls on educators to provide that individualized instruction in the least restrictive environment-which the law tells us is alongside a students' nondisabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate.
If you are looking for some streamlined information about IDEA, check out the handy download below. It will take you through the six core tenets and what they mean for you and your students in the art room.
Download Now!
Because we know art teachers see most students in a school, including those with significant learning needs, the thirty-year trends in art teacher preparedness Jenna describes are alarming. We must work to change this! It's why I believe so passionately in the importance of supporting arts teachers in developing these skills.
1. Take a course.
If you're looking for an opportunity to grow your foundational knowledge and connect with other art teachers, consider one of AOE's courses. Autism and Art and Reaching All Artists Through Differentiation are two great choices. These courses will help you develop strategies and techniques for meeting the needs of all learners in the art room.
2. Attend in-person professional development specifically designed to support you in developing these skills-and connect with others from across the country while you're at it!
The Kennedy Center's annual VSA Intersections: Arts and Special Education Conference brings together educators, administrators, researchers and teaching artists to learn, network, and develop strategies that support students with disabilities learning in and through the arts. Through a blend of experiential demonstrations, plenary sessions, artmaking opportunities, and lectures, this exciting event provides attendees with evidence-based strategies they can implement in classrooms immediately! Attendees are eligible to receive certificates of professional development or graduate course credit, and the Kennedy Center staff provides additional resources to support you in making the case to your administration to support your attendance.
3. Seek out other PD that specifically addresses your knowledge gaps.

VSA Webinars
The Kennedy Center offers free webinars where experts in the field tackle topics relevant to the arts and special education. In addition to opportunities to engage live with presenters, all webinars are archived and available for viewing at your convenience.

VSA Resources for Educators and Parents
Here you can check out lesson plans, tip sheets, white papers, and other academic publications that build capacity in the arts and special education field

2. Learn the difference between differentiation, accommodations, and modifications.

After Jenna explained the legal side of things, I asked her to talk about different ways art teachers can work with students with special needs. She told me, to start, it was important to lay out the differences between differentiation, accommodations, and modifications.

According to Jenna, differentiation in the art room is key when we look at meeting the needs of all learners. She describes differentiated instruction as a proactive approach to lesson design that responds to students' varying interests, readiness levels, and learning styles. For most students in a room, this flexible and responsive approach will be enough to engage students in instruction.

We know, though, some students will require additional supports or adjusted approaches. These, Jenna shared, are called adaptations. Adaptations include both modifications and accommodations. Although we often use these terms interchangeably, they are actually different! I asked Jenna to provide an outline of these differences, and examples of how they might look in an art room.

Here is what she shared with me. (Italics denote text contributed by Jenna to this piece.)

Accommodations
Accommodations are adaptations we make to the educational environment that allow students with disabilities to participate in the same activity as their peers. They can include classroom setup, tools, and materials-anything that works to remove a barrier to participation in the activity.

1. A specialized grip to make cutting paper easier, or an adapted grip for a paintbrush.
Adaptive tools are often low-to-no cost or can be made yourself-like inexpensive adaptive scissors or pushing a tennis ball onto a paintbrush so a student with fine motor deficits can hold his paintbrush. For many students, these tools may be all that a student needs in order to take part in an art activity such as collage or painting exactly as you designed it.

2. A pair of gloves or alternate material during a clay unit
Some students struggle to participate in certain art activities because of sensory aversions to the feel of materials like clay. Offering students a pair of gloves, allowing them to manipulate clay inside a plastic bag, or providing alternate material like Model Magic, might be enough for that student to participate fully in a sculpture lesson in which your primary learning goal is about clay as a medium.

Modifications
Students with more significant needs might need a modification-an adaptation to instruction or content that, unlike with an accommodation, necessitates modifying the activity itself.

1. Allowing a student to collage instead of paint.
Let's say your lesson asks students to imagine a symbol and paint it. In that assignment are myriad complex cognitive skills-flexible thinking, planning, translating an idea into a design-in addition to the artistic skills related to paint as a medium. For some students, the cognitive leap of understanding what a symbol is and how to communicate it may be too challenging, for others the challenge may lie in the cognitive act of imagining something new and communicating it. Collage can offer students struggling with this part of the process a visual vocabulary to draw from, reducing the complexity of the assignment while still supporting participation in the creative process.

2. Allowing a student to demonstrate individual clay sculpting skills instead of combining skills in an intricate sculpture.
An intricate sculpture assignment also combines multiple skills: perhaps you've asked students to slip and score to construct a free-standing structure or to coil clay to create a vase or pencil holder. For students still struggling with foundational skills as their peers progress into complex sculpting, you might offer the alternate activity of demonstrating the individual skill-for example, creating a simple coil of clay. In both of the above examples, it's important to note the modified activity is still tied to the learning goal of the lesson: students doing collage are still utilizing visual symbols in their artwork, and students demonstrating foundational clay skills are still demonstrating their understanding of clay as an artistic medium. For situations in which you might consider offering an alternate activity, it's important the proposed activity remain aligned to the learning goal you're exploring with the rest of the class. This helps promote inclusion and full participation, even when the activity has been significantly modified.

3. Concentrate on what is most important.

It's important to keep the focus on your learning objectives. Determine exactly what you want your students to learn from each lesson and then modify accordingly.

For example, consider a lesson where you're asking students to create coiled creatures. Depending on the target learning objective, your modifications may vary.

Jenna explains, "If the most important content is related to skill in the medium, a student who does not create a creature from their coiled clay has still worked toward your learning objectives. They have participated in a pottery lesson alongside their peers." In this case, a student could use coils to build a simple cylinder.

However, if the objective is to use clay to depict an animal, you can modify your instructional approach by providing scaffolds that will allow a student to participate. In this case, Jenna suggests you might provide a pre-assembled coiled base or a selection of pre-made animal features a student could choose from to assemble their sculpture.

In each of these instances, you've made significant modifications but ensured the student is still engaging with the same content.

Remember, the goal is inclusion. Your students with disabilities may need some adaptations or supports, but they should always feel like they are a part of the class!

So what does inclusion really mean for art teachers? Here are 4 ways to support inclusion in the art room.

As you've probably already gathered, Jenna is a wealth of information when it comes to this topic. Here are four more insights to keep in mind as you support students with disabilities in your classroom.

1. Consider the physical space.

Students with disabilities who come to your art room should be sitting among their peers! However, don't forget to consider their IEP requirements for preferential seating or limited distractions.

Furthermore, if a student attends art with a teacher's aide and can work somewhat independently, let them! Suggest the aide circulates the classroom or makes modifications to materials rather than work with one child in isolation. Inclusive settings promote meaningful social relationships and positive behavioral outcomes as much as academic ones.

2. Recognize your students as individuals.

It's imperative to remember all students have areas of strength and opportunities for growth. Your students with disabilities are no exception! Build relationships with your students to learn what they are interested in and harness their strengths in the art room.

3. Ensure all students have access.

A third important point is there should not be a separate curriculum for students with disabilities. As you can see from Jenna's suggestions above, meaningful inclusion is about more than welcoming students with disabilities into the art room. It's about utilizing best practices and evidence-based strategies to respond to students' individual needs so they can be involved in all aspects of learning-work that, at the end of the day, improves instruction for all your students! Rely on principles of differentiated instruction and the use of specific adaptations to ensure all students have access to the same learning opportunities in your art room.

4. Be both teacher and learner.

Finally, as with any aspect of teaching, teachers are lifelong learners. We are reflective and look for new ways to solve the same problems. For students with disabilities, there is a team of educators and specialists dedicated to their educational success. If you are not sure who is available to help, ask!

Look for opportunities to learn and grow right along with your students and celebrate even the smallest of victories. Jenna reminded me that as art teachers, we often see our students in a unique light and see growth that has perhaps eluded educators working in other classrooms. This offers a fuller picture of who our students with disabilities are! Celebrate your students' success in the art room by sharing it with other members of their team, and you can become an advocate for creative approaches to instruction across the curriculum.

Thank you so much, Jenna for sharing your incredible expertise with us. If you'd like to read more about Jenna, please see her bio below. And, don't forget to check out more about resources and programs for your students from The Kennedy Center's Office of VSA and Accessibility here!

_____________________________________
Jenna Gabriel is the Manager of Special Education at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She oversees education initiatives affecting students with disabilities and their teachers, including the annual VSA Intersections: Arts and Special Education Conference. Prior to joining the Center, Ms. Gabriel was based in Boston at IBA-Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción, where she directed all K-12 youth development programs. In this capacity, she designed and supervised out-of-school-time programs for ELLs and struggling readers-programming that was awarded the 2016 National Arts and Humanities Youth Programs Award, presented by Former First Lady Michelle Obama. Ms. Gabriel is the Founding Executive Director of Daytime Moon Creations, an NYC-based nonprofit offering arts programs to children with disabilities, and has led arts-based special education programming throughout NYC. Ms. Gabriel holds a BFA with honors in Drama from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and studied Intellectual Disabilities and Autism at Teachers College, Columbia University before completing her Masters in Education at Harvard University.

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What You Need to Know About Inclusive Education in the Art Room - The Art of Education University

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Once you are released into your art room, you are in charge of the growth and learning of every student with whom you work. This can be daunting, especially if you have little to no background in special education. Unfortunately, this is a reality for most art teachers.

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https://uploads.theartofeducation.edu/2022/07/GoalsandAssessments-1.pdf

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Royal Brush brand Brushes for adaptation

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Royal Brush brand Brushes for adaptation

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Kris.bakke@royalbrush.com

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https://uploads.theartofeducation.edu/2022/07/StudentLearningGoalTracker-1.pdf

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https://uploads.theartofeducation.edu/2022/07/FirstNextThenLast-1.pdf

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https://uploads.theartofeducation.edu/2022/07/ArtMaterialsSignLanguageCards-1.pdf

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Getting Started with Gel Printing Plates

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Getting Started with Gel Printing Plates

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https://theartofeducation.edu/packs/getting-started-with-gel-printing-plates/

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About

Discussion

Resources

Links

Creating with Gel Printing Plates

2 PD Hours

1 Learn how to get started with gel printing plates

2 Apply these strategies and techniques for any age/grade level

3 Bring these ideas into your classroom immediately

Using gel printing plates in the classroom is a memorable and exciting experience for your students. However, you might have a lot of questions. How do I get started? How do I use them? What supplies do I need? In this Learning Pack, you will explore answers to all of these questions and more. Learn what it takes to get started with gel printing plates in your classroom!

Connected K-12 Art Educator Framework Competencies
STUDIO PRACTICES
7. Media and Techniques
A. Selects best practices when teaching media and techniques to students
B. Scaffolds media and technique skills for students according to age and ability level
C. Designs opportunities for students to experiment with materials and skills

Connected National Visual Arts Standards
Anchor Standard #1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
Anchor Standard #2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
Anchor Standard #3: Refine and complete artistic work.

Theresa Gillespie

Adjunct Graduate Instructor and Academic Advisor at AOEU and PRO Facilitator

Theresa Gillespie is an Art educator with over 20 years experience in a very diverse school district. She has been teaching at the graduate level since 2013. She is well versed in teaching to a diverse student population which includes English language learners, accelerated learners, and those needing differentiated instruction. She also has expertise in curriculum development, behavior interventions, arts integration, and technology integration.

Discussion

Links

How to Take Monoprinting to the Next Level in the Art Room

7 Innovative Ways to Use Up Old Transparencies

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Creating with Gel Printing Plates - The Art of Education University

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About Discussion Resources Links 2 PD Hours 1 Learn how to get started with gel printing plates 2 Apply these strategies and techniques for any age/grade level 3 Bring these ideas into your classroom immediately Using gel printing plates in the classroom is a memorable and exciting experience for your students.

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https://www.juanameneses.com/

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Contact me at: meneses.info (at) gmail (dot) com Palimpsest studies

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https://theartofeducation.edu/podcasts/rediscovering-your-artistic-identity-ep-272/

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Rediscovering Your Artistic Identity (Ep. 272) - The Art of Education University

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The summer is finally here, and with it, perhaps the time you need to create some art. But do you have the inspiration? In today’s episode, Tim welcomes on artist and educator Juana Meneses to talk about how you can rediscover your artistic identity. Listen as they discuss finding inspiration, how y…

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https://uploads.theartofeducation.edu/2022/07/SUM22_NatureJournalingTemplates.pdf

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https://www.journalingwithnature.com/podcast

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Journaling With Nature is a podcast for those who want to turn curiosity into wonder, a pencil sketch into a rabbit hole of discovery, a moment of stillness into a life full of joy.

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10 Ways to Reconnect with Your Inner Artist

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10 Ways to Reconnect with Your Inner Artist

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2017/06/12/10-ways-reconnect-inner-artist-summer/

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If you're like me, you're having daydreams of sleeping in, laying by a pool, and having lunch dates with friends. Don't get me wrong, I love my young artists and helping shape their creative paths, but it's time for summer!

It's easy to lose focus of your own artistic outlets when managing life and work each day. But with summer right around the corner, it's a great time to think about how you plan to reconnect with your inner artist.

Here is a list of 10 things you can do to get your personal creative juices flowing again.

1. Revive your sketchbook practice.

Grab your sketchbook and favorite drawing tools and get sketching. There is something therapeutic about the way a sharpened pencil touches a blank sheet of paper. It is an open canvas awaiting your creativity. One of those sketches could become your next masterpiece!

2. Take local classes.

How about being the student instead of the teacher for once? Check your local museums, community art studios and local shops for various classes. These classes can be so much fun and a great way to connect to a medium you enjoy or to try something new.

3. Try a new medium or technique.

The summer is a great time to experiment and explore. If we expect our students to learn new things, it is important for us to maintain a growth mindset, too. Personally, I love just walking into an art supply store and wandering around. It's instant inspiration! There are also many great resources in the forms of classes, books, and online tutorials. In fact, AOE has a growing list of Studio Courses where you can learn new techniques and earn credit at the same time. You can check them all out here! Whatever you choose, learning new techniques is a great way to use your creativity and do something that will impact your future teaching.

4. Dig into a good book.

Books are a great way to unwind and learn a wide array of new information. There are several books related to visual arts and creativity that are beneficial to our growth as educators but are also enjoyable reads. I recommend Creative Confidence by Tom Kelley and David Kelley. You should also check out Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World by Tony Wagner.
If you're looking for even more reading inspiration, you can check out these recommendations from our archives.
5. Visit a museum.

Do you have a local museum you have been meaning to visit or is there a new exhibit that piques your interest. Go check it out! The school year gets busy, so make some time this summer to be inspired by the works of art at a museum. Check out small galleries for fresh and new exhibits as well.

6. Experiment with technology and art.

Have you wanted to try a certain technology app to use in the art studio? Summer is the perfect time to get started. I love a variety of apps and they are also fun to use with traditional artistic methods. Taking a work of art and digitally editing it can be loads of fun.
Here are 10 of my favorites to explore.
7. Join a PLN on Twitter.

Twitter is a great way to connect with other art teachers from around the world. Join a professional learning network (also known as a PLN) to chat, share ideas, and get inspired.

Here are a few different PLNs to check out:

There is also an art challenge called #K12ArtChallenge. It has daily drawing prompts and is a great way to get inspired to create, especially if you are having artist's block. Go ahead and search the challenge hashtag on Twitter and Facebook to see all the fun.

8. Get out and see the world.

Traveling is not only good for your soul but it is a great way to expand your horizons. It also provides time to learn about the local culture. While traveling, set aside time to visit local museums and cultural events to gain a new perspective. Indulging in local food, exploring, and setting aside time for these opportunities will be invaluable. Local artists' work can be great resources and shared with students.

9. Find fun professional development.

Teachers do not always get a choice about their professional development. Take the summer to find professional development opportunities of interest to you. You can find online professional development such as the relevant courses from AOE or the upcoming Summer 'Art Ed Now' Conference, or see what your district has to offer.

10. Relax!

While this article lists several things you can do to reconnect with your inner artist, don't forget to relax. Whether you are on vacation or at home, it is important to unwind and recharge during the summer. Try to make an intentional effort to not plan out each day. Go with the flow, sleep in when you can, take naps, eat great food, and enjoy your family and friends.

Personally, I plan to relax as well as do many of the listed activities. I already have a museum visit and lunch planned with my art teacher bestie to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art. No matter what you do, have a great summer and reconnect with your inner artist!
What are you looking forward to this summer? Which item on this list is your top pick for the summer and why?

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10 Ways to Reconnect With Your Inner Artist This Summer - The Art of Education University

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If you're like me, you're having daydreams of sleeping in, laying by a pool, and having lunch dates with friends. Don't get me wrong, I love my young artists and helping shape their creative paths, but it's time for summer! It's easy to lose focus of your own artistic outlets when managing life and work [...]

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Do You Really Have to Choose Between Being an Artist or Being An Art Teacher?

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Do You Really Have to Choose Between Being an Artist or Being An Art Teacher?

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" Which one are you? Are you an artist or teacher? "

When I interviewed for my teaching position, I was asked this exact question. What a complicated question! How do you answer it without considering the stigmas that come from either side?

Have you ever felt like these stereotypes apply when you're asked to choose between the role of artist or art teacher?

Artist all the way: If you are an artist, then you are too focused on your own art to understand how to break it down for students. You are conceptual in your thinking. Students will either pull a fast one on you, or they will have no idea what you're talking about. Artists only teach about wacky ideas. Their students never become skilled at anything.

Teacher, through and through: On the flip side, maybe you are a teacher at heart. If that's true, then you have zero clue how to actually make art. You are not skilled in any particular media and let's hope you can draw a stick figure better than your principal. Each lesson you develop has detailed steps. Students create the same projects with prescribed outcomes. You obviously signed on to be an art teacher to play with clay and have your summers off, right?

Do we really have to choose?

Were you able to choose between artist or art teacher? If you are like me, you will be relieved to know you don't have to be one or the other. As with anything in life, our creative practices also lie in the muddy gray area of in-between.

Identifying as an artist or an art teacher ebbs and flows based on many factors. You might be too tired, too busy, or not in the mood to create. Maybe you enjoy the process of composing lesson plans or are inspired by dissecting an artist's work. One day you might enjoy a "sip and paint" class while designing a prototype from scratch meets your creative urge on another.
The truth of the matter is you don't have to choose.
In fact, don't feel guilty if you don't identify as an artist at all! Some of the best teachers don't create their own unique artwork. Instead, these teachers pour their creative juices into teaching-an art form in and of itself!

There shouldn't be guilt for not creating consistently. Nobody expects biology teachers to be practicing botanists or English teachers to be writing novels. Just because you are a stellar teacher does not mean you must also be a phenomenal exhibiting artist. Creating art is a personal choice. There are many other ways to tap into your creative mindset.

If you are looking for ways to integrate artmaking into your teaching practice, here are some ways to combine the best of both worlds.

The Art of Lesson Writing

Let's not sell our teaching practice short. Researching artists and creating lessons is an art form in itself. Analyzing artwork and breaking it down takes a lot of critical thinking. Then, you synthesize all the pieces back together. Making structured, scaffolded, aligned, and meaningful lessons is nothing short of a miracle!

And don't forget your teaching exemplar. You experiment with materials and carefully consider each step as you go along. You practice your own authentic artistic process as you integrate technical and conceptual skills. The final work has a clear message for its intended audience-your students.

The Art of Balance

Sometimes we want to teach, and sometimes we want to make art. And to be honest, sometimes we don't want to do either. Creating when you can or want to is very different than feeling the pressure to always create.

Creating for yourself doesn't make you less of an artist. You might feel that if you aren't making art to sell or to show in galleries, then you aren't a "real artist." This is not true. Plenty of artists enjoy the act of creating without the pressure of putting it out there. Not all art needs to be shared with the masses. If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear, does it not make a sound?
To stave off the pressure of time, try balancing artmaking with your teaching throughout the day.

Model your artistic practice by working on your own art during studio time or art club.

Practice mindfulness through visual journaling during lunch.

Implement sketchnoting during your next professional development or department meeting.

Brainstorm your next artworks before you drive home for the day.

Find artists who inspire you and place their artwork around the classroom.

Integrate new media into your lessons as you explore these ideas for your own artwork.

The Art of Finding You

Your art is defined by you and only you. When we aren't in teacher mode, we often feel the need to use our artmaking to make a statement or make some extra cash. In reality, what makes you an artist is your art!

What if you don't create in your "free time"? Does that make you less of an art teacher? Heck no! Whose expectations are those? Think about how you would encourage a student who loves art but doesn't spend time creating a body of work on a controversial topic or marketing their work for sale. You probably would still call them an artist, so don't judge yourself any differently.

Where do you land on the artist/teacher spectrum?

Remember, your artist/art teacher identity will shift from day to day, month to month, and through the years. Don't pressure yourself to create art just because you think it's what you're supposed to do. Consider all the other ways you are creative and let go of any expectations. If you have personal goals to make, show, and sell artwork, by all means, work toward them! Only you get to decide how to spend your time when you are away from the classroom.
Where do you land on the artist/art teacher continuum? What expectations do you feel about being an artist/art teacher? How do you like to be creative both in and out of the classroom?

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Do You Really Have to Choose Between Being an Artist or Art Teacher? - The Art of Education University

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"Which one are you? Are you an artist or teacher?" When I interviewed for my teaching position, I was asked this exact question. What a complicated question! How do you answer it without considering the stigmas that come from either side? Have you ever felt like these stereotypes apply when you're asked to choose between [...]

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Don't Miss These 3 Fun Art Techniques and Mediums To Explore

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Don't Miss These 3 Fun Art Techniques and Mediums To Explore

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2022/06/29/jun-dont-miss-these-3-fun-art-techniques-mediums-to-explore-this-summer/

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While summer can be great for recharging our batteries and kicking it poolside, it can also be a fantastic time for making some of our own art. Let's face it, we try to squeeze in some personal artmaking time after school, but it gets pushed down on the list. Sometimes folding that basket of laundry or prepping those meals for tomorrow takes precedence over our artmaking time. Indulge your creative side by using June, July, and August to your advantage! After all, you can be a better art teacher by practicing your craft and learning new techniques and mediums.

Keep scrolling to discover three fun art techniques and mediums to explore this summer!

1. Madonnari Chalk Art

Madonnari chalk art is artwork made outside on a street surface. It involves more than just getting a pack of sidewalk chalk and drawing on the driveway. This is an art form all its own and with deep-rooted tradition. It started all the way back in 16th century Europe when artists would create religious imagery outside of churches or cathedrals. This drew crowds and made religious iconography more accessible to the general public.

These types of street art events became increasingly popular, and artists would even travel from town to town, much like a rock band tours different cities to play their music. Eventually, it transformed into what we now know as street art, where artists create magnificent masterpieces and mind-boggling illusions. Many artists still nod to the 16th-century religious icons of its foundations.

1. Practice on paper first.

2. Consider making a traceable cutout to assist with planning.

3. Use a mid-level chalk pastel set, like Reeves or Sargent.

4. Fill in the pavements' nooks and crannies with chalk dust.

5. Use a piece of cardboard or a gardener's foam mat to save your knees.

Here are five tips for making your own Madonnari chalk art:
If you feel super confident about your street art skills, search up some local art festivals near you and give it a go in front of the public. You may surprise yourself and find a Madonnari street artist behind all that chalk dust.

2. En Plein Aire Sketching

En plein aire is French for "in the open air." An artist goes outside and draws or paints, typically from observation. Many artists, especially the Impressionists, created works of art en plein aire. The artmaking experience from observation and being out in the open allowed them to capture an immediacy within the artwork. It also enabled them to seize the essence or emotion behind a piece. Artists like Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent, Mary Cassatt, and Claude Monet made countless works en plein aire. Some were pencil sketches, and others were watercolor or oil paintings. The advent of tubed paints and mobile easels made creating these masterpieces much more feasible than they were in earlier decades.

1. Start simple, and sketch in your backyard or on your balcony.

2. Go on a nature walk with your favorite materials.

3. Make it easy with a field easel or pocket watercolor kit.

4. Carry items that serve a dual purpose.

5. Bring a backpack with two separate containers of water one to sip and one to rinse your brushes!

Instead of catching up on that book or getting a suntan on the next nice day, go out and make some art!
To get started with en plein air, try these five things:
3. Ink Wash

With so many other art materials out there, it can be easy to overlook painting with ink. But ink wash paintings can be rich and full of deep tones ranging from black to light grey. Seeing its birth in the Tang dynasty of 7 th century China, ink painting became a traditional art form for calligraphy and monochromatic works. The Chinese developed a spiritual and philosophical method for using this medium.

While the 21st-century has seen an expansion of the art form, it does not seem to get much notoriety in the art world. Spending a summer engaging in this tradition or discovering your own path with ink wash can be a great way to rejuvenate the medium and put it back in the limelight.

1. Gather your supplies, including ink (India or sumi), watercolor brushes, plastic palette, eye dropper, water cup, and watercolor paper.

2. Use the eye dropper to fill each pod of the palette with various amounts of water and ink.

3. Use scrap paper to determine values.

4. Use watercolor techniques to paint with the ink washes.

5. Mix watercolors and inks for more possibilities!

However you spend your summer days, the most important thing to remember is to take time for yourself and engage in something creative. Challenge yourself and have fun! Remove the pressure of needing to make completed artworks and just dive in and experiment. Chalk art, en plein aire, or ink washes are all great places to start. Try to put yourself in a learning mindset to refresh yourself on what it is like to be a student. Then, use that insight in your classroom this fall to empathize with your young artists who are also trying new artmaking experiences!
Using ink wash can take some practice, so try these five things to make it a fun medium to explore: What artmaking plans do you have this summer? What other art techniques or mediums would you add to this list?

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Don't Miss These 3 Fun Art Techniques and Mediums to Explore This Summer - The Art of Education University

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While summer can be great for recharging our batteries and kicking it poolside, it can also be a fantastic time for making some of our own art. Let's face it, we try to squeeze in some personal artmaking time after school, but it gets pushed down on the list.

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https://ekownimako.com/

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Ekow Nimako is a Ghanaian-Canadian internationally exhibiting LEGO artist whose work explores enchanting Black futuristic narratives.

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https://theartofeducation.edu/podcasts/inside-the-studio-with-ekow-nimako-ep-318/

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Inside the Studio with Ekow Nimako (Ep. 319) - The Art of Education University

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In this episode of Art Ed Radio, Tim is in the Toronto studio of artist Ekow Nimako. Ekow is best known for his elaborate, monochromatic sculptures created with LEGO® elements. During this discussion, Ekow talks about how he found and developed his artistic style, the importance of storytelling and…

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https://uploads.theartofeducation.edu/2022/07/SUM22_LEGOSculptureChallenge.pdf

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https://www.bricklink.com/v2/main.page

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Break it down and build it back up

Want to change up the element combinations in your build? Split and Merge tools are here to help! Right click to split a large element into smaller pieces, or merge small elements into a new one.

Give it a try before anyone else

Download Studio Early Access to try it out!

Planning to realize your MOC? Use the Color Validator in Studio Early Access to check for invalid elements.

Less work, more fun

Download Studio Early Access to try it out!

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BrickLink - Buy and sell LEGO Parts, Sets and Minifigures

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Bricklink® is the world's largest online marketplace to buy and sell LEGO® parts, Minifigures and sets, both new or used. Search the complete LEGO catalog & create your own BrickLink store.

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https://nnedi.com/

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Nnedi's works include WHO FEARS DEATH (in development at HBO into a TV series), the BINTI novella trilogy (optioned and in development with Media Res), THE BOOK OF PHOENIX, the NSIBIDI SCRIPTS SERIES and LAGOON. She is the winner of Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, Locus and Lodestar Awards and her debut novel ZAHRAH THE WINDSEEKER won the prestigious Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature.

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https://www.neilgaiman.com/

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https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Kwaku_Anansi_(Earth-616)

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Place of Birth

Lake Bosumtwi (modern-day Ghana)

Occupation

God of wisdom, trickery[1] and culture[5]

Education

Extensively self-educated

First

Anansi is one of the Vodū, a race of extra-dimensional beings still worshiped as gods by the tribes of Africa and by modern-day practitioners of Alton tradition.

According to Ezekiel Sims and the Ashanti tribe in Ghana, Anansi was the first Spider-Man, using his spider-powers to traverse Africa and see all there was to see. Desiring further enlightenment, Anansi struck a bargain with the sky god Nyame, offering his eternal service in return for enlightenment and vanished from the mortal world, his power and knowledge transmitted into spiders everywhere across a Great Web.

Anansi's temple in Ghana was used by Spider-Man to defeat the totemic wasp entity Shathra, and was later the site of a duel between Ezekiel Sims and Peter Parker in order to appease the totemic spider deity called the Gatekeeper.

One day Anansi, disguised as pest specialist A. Nancy, visited the bar & grill that Hercules worked at. They talked for awhile -- about Nancy's blind dog Coltrane and his job. Without revealing his true name Nancy even told Herc about how Anansi once tricked Nyambe into telling Anansi all his stories.

Hercules later helped Nancy to sneak into Arachne's apartment so he could steal Arachne's Tapestry. Once outside Nancy was attacked by Elektra, who immediately stole the tapestry, but spared Nancy's life even though Baba Yaga told her to kill him.

Attributes

Anansi possesses the conventional attributes of the African gods. He can also tap into and manipulate ambient magical energies for a variety of effects, including shapeshifting.

Anansi is also the name of the arachnoid race that was part of the Originators, group of species that inhabited Wakanda before humans and was expelled by humans and Gods of Wakanda, apparently there is no relationship between Kwaku Anansi and that race.

Links and References

References

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Anansi is one of the Vodū, a race of extra-dimensional beings still worshiped as gods by the tribes of Africa and by modern-day practitioners of Alton tradition.[citation needed] According to Ezekiel Sims and the Ashanti tribe in Ghana, Anansi was the first Spider-Man, using his spider-powers to traverse Africa and see all there was to see.

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https://philippullman.com/

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Philip Pullman is the award winning author of the His Dark Materials series. Born in Norwich, England, the son of Audrey Evelyn Pullman and Royal Air Force pilot Alfred Outram Pullman. His family travelled with his father's job, including to Southern Rhodesia, though most of his formative years were spent in Llanbedr in Ardudwy, Wales.

Pullman attended Taverham Hall and Eaton House in his early years, and from 1957 he was educated at Ysgol Ardudwy in Harlech, Gwynedd, and spent time in Norfolk with his grandfather, a clergyman. Around this time Pullman discovered John Milton's 17th century epic poem Paradise Lost, which would become a major influence for His Dark Materials.

From 1965, Pullman attended Exeter College, Oxford, receiving a Third class BA in 1968. In an interview with the Oxford Student he stated that he "did not really enjoy the English course" and that "I thought I was doing quite well until I came out with my third class degree and then I realised that I wasn't - it was the year they stopped giving fourth class degrees otherwise I'd have got one of those". He discovered William Blake's illustrations around 1970, which would also later influence him greatly.

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Philip Pullman - "Everything has a meaning, if only we could read it"

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Philip Pullman is the award winning author of the His Dark Materials series. Born in Norwich, England, the son of Audrey Evelyn Pullman and Royal Air Force pilot Alfred Outram Pullman. His family travelled with his father's job, including to Southern Rhodesia, though most of his formative years were spent in Llanbedr in Ardudwy, Wales.

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https://www.rachelhowzell.com/

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They All Fall Down
It was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime.
Delighted by a surprise invitation, Miriam Macy sails off to a luxurious private island off the coast of Mexico with six other strangers. Surrounded by miles of open water in the gloriously green Sea of Cortez, Miriam is soon shocked to discover that she and the rest of her companions have been brought to the remote island under false pretenses-and all seven strangers harbor a secret.

Danger lurks in the lush forest and in the halls and bedrooms of the lonely mansion. Sporadic cell-phone coverage and miles of ocean keeps the group trapped in paradise. And strange accidents stir suspicions, as one by one . . .
They all fall down

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It was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime. Delighted by a surprise invitation, Miriam Macy sails off to a luxurious private island off the coast of Mexico with six other strangers.

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https://www.octaviabutler.com/

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Octavia's Work Resources Publications Scholarships and Grants Network Foreign Publishers Frequently Asked Questions All Books Kindred Xenogenesis Series Parable Series Patternist Series Fledgling Short Stories and Novellas

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https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1uiaxSaQMQW0sJJVABtkMSbriWabHqX6_DTXDxeBJjFw/edit#slide=id.g6ae26aa3b4_1_48

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http://www.andreabeaty.com/ada-twist-scientist.html

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https://ekownimako.com/workshops/

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EKOW NIMAKO STUDIOS PRESENTS Workshops an afrofuturistic lego® workshop an afrofuturistic lego® workshop What is Building Beyond? Building Beyond is a fun and educational LEGO® activity for all people aged 5 years old and up. Participants get to imagine -and build- their own distant futuristic descendants, while visual artist and creator Ekow Nimako shares critical ...

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https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/a/afrofuturism

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The term afrofuturism has its origins in African-American science fiction. Today it is generally used to refer to literature music and visual art that explores the African-American experience and in particular the role of slavery in that experience.

Central to the concept of afrofuturism are the science-fiction writers Octavia Butler and Samuel R. Delany and the Jazz musician Sun Ra, who created a mythical persona that merged science fiction with Egyptian mysticism. It is this otherness that is at the heart of afrofuturism.

Those inspired by afrofuturism include the musician George Clinton, the artist Ellen Gallagher and the film director Wanuri Kahiu.

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The term afrofuturism has its origins in African-American science fiction. Today it is generally used to refer to literature music and visual art that explores the African-American experience and in particular the role of slavery in that experience. Central to the concept of afrofuturism are the science-fiction writers Octavia Butler and Samuel R.

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https://www.ruthecarter.com/bio

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Ruth E. Carter is a costume designer who works across genres and has brought her skills to more than 60 diverse film and television projects. Carter's deep understanding of character, combined with her nuanced use of color and texture, has made her an essential storyteller committed to sharing the past, present, and future of Black culture. Carter was born in Springfield, Mass. She attended the historically black college Hampton University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Theater Arts. Initially, Carter pursued acting, but her work in the college wardrobe department led her to discover the art of costume design. Carter apprenticed at the Santa Fe Opera before relocating to Los Angeles where she designed costumes for stage productions and dance studios. In 1988, Spike Lee recruited Carter to design the costumes for his film School Daze. She has since worked with Lee on 14 films and has designed for many other directors including Ryan Coogler, Lee Daniels, Ava DuVernay, John Singleton, and Steven Spielberg. In 2019, Carter was the subject of an episode of Abstract, a Netflix documentary series highlighting artists working in the field of design. The same year, she was honored by the Costume Designers Guild with a Career Achievement Award and by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science who awarded her the Academy Award for Best Costume Design.

Brandon Sadler is a multidisciplinary artist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design where he earned a B.F.A. in illustration.

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Ruth E. Carter is a costume designer who works across genres and has brought her skills to more than 60 diverse film and television projects. Carter's deep understanding of character, combined with her nuanced use of color and texture, has made her an essential storyteller committed to sharing the past, present, and future of Black culture.

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https://www.kingkofi.com/

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https://www.theresafontana.com/

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Theresa Fontana children's author and illustrator of books that teach life lessons. The Secret Series for children ages 2-13.

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https://www.tinkercad.com/

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Tinkercad | From mind to design in minutes

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Tinkercad is a free, easy-to-use app for 3D design, electronics, and coding.

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2017/02/20/beginners-guide-3d-printing-art-room/

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As art teachers, we are continually looking for ways to challenge our students. Within the last couple of years, 3D printing has become a leading tool in innovation, especially in classrooms that explore STEAM and Project Based Learning. If you don't have a 3D printer and have been thinking about getting one, you should do it! I've seen some of the most authentic, engaging, and explorative learning take place when students are creating their 3D designs.

Do you have a 3D printer and just don't know how to get started? I'm certainly not an expert when it comes to 3D printing, but the following tips helped diminish the angst of using my 3D printer!

6 Tips for Getting Started

1. Get to Know Your Printer

There are many different models and brands of 3D printers. Unfortunately, this means there's not a simple way to say, "This is how your 3D printer will work." When you get your 3D printer, go through everything in the manual - and I mean EVERYTHING! This will allow you to familiarize yourself with each setting.

It is also very important to properly calibrate your printer. This might seem like a step you'd want to skip - but don't. This will ensure a more accurate print with fewer problems down the road.

2. Test Print

Once your printer is up and running you will want to print something. There are many kinds of filament that can be used to print objects. I recommend starting with PLA filament, as it's one of the easier materials to use when you're beginning. Different types of filament require calibration at different temperatures, PLA filament will allow you to print at a lower temperature.

I would recommend printing a simple cube shape. This will allow you to see if your calibration is accurate by measuring and comparing the X, Y, and Z axes of the printed design to the 3D design. Thingiverse is a great platform to print already made designs.

3. Getting Started with Students

When you begin working with students, the key to success is simplicity.
Here are a few tips.

Work in groups or with a small class of students.

Limit the scale of designs.

Only work with one extruder (that means only allow one color of filament).

Encourage mistakes through trial and error.

4. Choosing a Software for Design

There are countless options when it comes to design software for 3D printing. Your printer will come with a program, but you aren't limited to just that! There are many free, web-based design platforms to use. Check out this list to find out what might work best for your students. Allow students to choose a platform they feel comfortable using. If you need a program to get started with right away, Tinkercad is a great design tool that meets students where they are.

5. Make Mistakes

One of the most frustrating and exciting parts about using a 3D printer is the number of mistakes that are made. As you get started, there will be countless errors you will come across. Most of the time these errors come about through bad design. Each time you print an object that doesn't come out as planned, make sure to use it as a teaching moment to discuss how the design could be improved. The amount of critical and design thinking that goes into 3D printing is immeasurable and your students will constantly work to get it just right!

Most of my success using a 3D printer has come through trial and error. Even now, each time something is printed I learn something new. One of the most common problems when using a 3D printer is not getting the design to stick to the printing plate. This can often be solved with a little painter's tape and glue stick added right before the object begins printing. For more common problems and how to solve them, check out this website.

6. Try Creating Functional Objects

3D printers are certainly amazing, but even I find myself occasionally thinking, "What's the point?" Sure, maybe a student designed an amazing Yoda head figurine, but now what? To keep my students and myself from asking these questions, the way I approach 3D printing in my art room is through functionality. I challenge students to create objects that have a purpose and can be used.
Here are a few of my favorite ideas:

Check out this AOE Lesson for a functional 3D printing lesson plan.

These 40 3D printed objects are actually useful!

Create objects that can be used in your art classes. For example, 3D printed stamps for clay!

As you begin your journey of 3D printing you will come across problems and errors. But, the amount of critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving that comes from the use of a 3D printer will make it all worth it!
Do you have a 3D printer? How do you use it in your art room? What's your favorite lesson plan for 3D printing?

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The Beginner's Guide to 3D Printing in the Art Room - The Art of Education University

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As art teachers, we are continually looking for ways to challenge our students. Within the last couple of years, 3D printing has become a leading tool in innovation, especially in classrooms that explore STEAM and Project Based Learning. If you don't have a 3D printer and have been thinking about getting one, you should do it!

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2017/12/13/using-morphi-transform-3d-design-classroom/

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Doing 3D rendering with students can be intimidating. There are so many apps out there, but few are user-friendly for both teachers and students. While you may believe in challenging students to stretch their brains by designing in three dimensions, the reality is that there are a lot of cumbersome choices out there that don't fit well in a school setting.

I recently learned about a 3D design program working to change all of that, and I'd love to tell you about it today.

Introducing Morphi

The motto at Morphi is "3-D Design for All," and it's evident they work hard to live up to that statement. I had the chance to speak with the app's Chief Designer, Sophie Georgiou, who explained more.

"Morphi is very user-friendly but also has robust features and tools. It allows students to quickly go from 2D to 3D, and they find it fun and engaging to use. They can design inside and outside of the classroom and even outside of the iPad with Augmented Reality."

Plus, she added, "Students as young as pre-kindergarten through 2nd are actively using the app as well as grades 3-5, middle school, high school, university level and professional designers."

If you've been on the fence about trying 3D design with your students, I encourage you to give Morphi a shot!

3D Rendering in the Classroom

Before we dive into how Morphi works, let's talk a little bit about why you might use this technology in the classroom in the first place.

3D rendering allows students to see the connections between two-dimensional and three-dimensional work. For example, students can take a two-dimensional sketch and, using a program like Morphi, learn how it might translate into a three-dimensional object on the screen.

Furthermore, using these types of programs, students can design objects that are three-dimensional and bring them to life using a 3D printer.

Here are 6 Ways To Use this App in Your Classroom
1. As an extension of any lesson you teach
You can use this type of software to encourage students to create 3D designs related to almost any lesson you teach. For example, maybe students are working on one-point perspective city drawings. Why not have them render one of their buildings in three dimensions? Or, perhaps you are working with a theme like "the future." Why not ask your students to design a piece of furniture for 2075?
2. As a sketching or envisioning tool for sculpture projects
3D design programs are a great way for students to visualize what they might be able to create with actual three-dimensional objects. Instead of having them sketch on paper, you can have them use the software.
3. As a way to practice observational drawing
You can also have students do just the opposite. Have them design a 3D object on the screen and then sketch it on paper!
4. As an introduction to augmented reality
With Morphi, you can place your 3D designs into other spaces to see how they might actually look. Challenge your students to create their own sculpture for a specific area in your community! (To see more about Morphi and augmented reality check out this video.)
5. To create actual objects
As mentioned above, students can use 3D design in conjunction with a 3D printer to create their own objects. Check out these helpful articles from our archives to get started:
6. To explore symmetry
One cool thing about Morphi is that it has a feature that helps your students explore symmetry. Challenge your students to create a symmetrical 3D design and watch them become enthralled with the process!

Let's Take a Closer Look at How it Works

There are a few different 3D design programs that are good for classroom use. Tinkercad and Google SketchUp are two amazing free options. However, I don't mind paying for Morphi because it has some features I appreciate for classroom use.

It's available on Windows and Mac (including on the iPad).

You don't need to be connected to Wi-Fi to use it.

There is no login required, making it quick and easy for my young students to use it.

Morphi offers a free, 15-minute Google Hangout with any school using the app and has a friendly and responsive support team.

In addition, Sophie told me they purposely created basic, intermediate, and advanced tools so people of all skill levels can be successful.

If you have limited funds, but still want to try Morphi, try buying it for just a few devices and have your students rotate through.

If you're interested in diving into some of the nitty-gritty details, check out the 2 tutorials below.

If you decide to give Morphi a try, you can find a variety of helpful instructional videos on the Morphi website and in the Morphi app under "Tutorials." If you'd like to get creating right away, you can follow the two simple tutorials below!

Tutorial 1: How to Create a 3D Design

1. Once you are logged into the Morphi app, click the "+" sign to create a new grid.

2. Once you enter the grid, you will notice panels on the top and along the righthand side that will allow you to begin creating.

3. The panel on the right consists of a squiggle line, geometric cube, an M, and a color grid. The squiggle allows you to draw, the geometric cube allows you to add a geometric form, the M adds any letter from the alphabet, and the color grid lets you change the colors of 3D objects placed on the grid.

4. To begin creating a 3D design, click any geometric form.

5. Tap the geometric form on the grid.

6. An arrow will appear. Depending on the form, you can change the size of the diameter or the x, y, z-axes. You can also make the form rise up or go back down on the grid by moving the arrow.

7. When you tap your geometric form, a panel on the right will pop up on the screen to let you manipulate the design and forms. A few of the options include group, ungroup, delete, merge, and grid snap, which places any form in an upright position.

8. The panel along the top allows you to save your work, undo and redo, select all when manipulating your design, and take a photo of your work. You can also place your 3D design in augmented reality which is a fun feature to explore.

9. You can continue to add geometric forms to create a 3D design.

10. To change the color, tap the form and use the color options on the panel on the right.

11. Save your design using the save button in the panel at the top.

Tutorial 2: How to Transform a 2D Design into a 3D Design

1. On the panel on the righthand side, there is a squiggle line.

2. Click the squiggle line and begin to draw in 2D.

3. Draw normally or click "Mirror" to create symmetrical designs.

4. The panel along the bottom allows users to make the line thin or thick with the stroke of a finger.

5. Click "3-D, " and the drawing will turn into a three-dimensional form.

6. On the grid, you can view the drawing in 3D. Adding geometric forms to complete the design is a great option. Or, you can simply save the design as it is.

As you and your students explore the app, you will begin to become more comfortable and familiar with all of the design options. You can even upload a jpeg image and turn it into a 3D design! Through exploration, true learning occurs.

As technology becomes a natural part of classrooms everywhere, Morphi is a great addition to your art studio. Sophie told me, "We recognize and celebrate the power of art educators as leaders in the maker education and ed tech movements. We believe art educators are uniquely positioned in schools because they can often be more experimental and progressive in their approach to teaching - bridging the many academic disciplines including STEAM." I couldn't have said it better myself.

Thanks so much to Sophie for giving us insight into this cool app!
Do you use 3D design apps in the classroom? How do you think you could use Morphi to expand your curriculum?

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How to Easily Incorporate 3D Design at Any Grade Level - The Art of Education University

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Doing 3D rendering with students can be intimidating. There are so many apps out there, but few are user-friendly for both teachers and students. While you may believe in challenging students to stretch their brains by designing in three dimensions, the reality is that there are a lot of cumbersome choices out there that don't [...]

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2017/11/20/4-projects-3d-printer/

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One of the exciting things about the artmaking process is that your students can bring their ideas to life. There's no greater way to explore this concept than by using a 3D printer. Setting up your 3D printer takes some time, but the payoff is enormous. After you're up and running, you might wonder what to have your students make. It is possible to start out too complicated. I've certainly made this mistake and learned to tone it down until my students understand the basics.

Here are 4 easy projects your students can try using a 3D printer.

1. Clay Stamps

One exciting thing about 3D printing is being able to use the objects you create. Creating texture tools, like stamps, to use with clay is a fun project for students. It allows them to experiment with the functionality of an object. They can learn which designs work best through trial and error.

If you create an account with the program Tinkercad, you'll be able to log in and see a lesson that will help get students get started with designing a stamp.

2. Name Design

It can take time for students to familiarize themselves with the concepts of designing in three dimensions. Creating a basic name design with connecting letters is a simple first project. This activity will allow your students to get to know the program you plan to use while exploring fundamental design concepts.

Again, if you've made an account and would like to see the project in Tinkercad, you can head here. Regardless of the program you use, this project will enable students to focus on size, depth, and connecting letters. Students can turn their finished designs into name tags or keychains.

3. Functional Inventions

A fascinating thing about 3D printing is the opportunity it creates to challenge and push your students' creativity. In this lesson, students will explore 3D design on a deeper level as they are challenged to create a functional object that doesn't already exist in that form. This is a wonderful opportunity to explore form vs. function. Design thinking and problem-solving will play a huge part in this lesson as students create with the mentality of an engineer or architect. You can download a full version of this lesson plan right here.

4. 3D Work Inspired by 2D Work

Students often can't wait to bring their inventions to life. But, what's even more amazing is when they bring a drawing or 2D digital image to life. This is a simple, yet rewarding process for students. By taking a photo of a drawing, students can import it into an editing platform like Photoshop. Before the object can be printed, it must be converted to an SVG file which can be done in Illustrator. From here, students can import the file into the 3D design program with which they are familiar.

Using a 3D printer can be intimidating. One of the best things about the process is learning alongside your students. Together, you can explore the fascinating world of 3D design!
What additional questions do you have about using a 3D printer in your art room? What are your favorite 3D printing projects?
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

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4 Easy 3D Printer Projects for Beginners - The Art of Education University

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One of the exciting things about the artmaking process is that your students can bring their ideas to life. There's no greater way to explore this concept than by using a 3D printer. Setting up your 3D printer takes some time, but the payoff is enormous.

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https://theartofeducation.edu/packs/3-d-printing-basics/

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3-D Printing Basics

3 PD Hours

1 Gain an overview of the 3-D printing process, from initial sketches to the finished product.

2 Learn tips for organization and classroom management of this complex, multi-step process.

3 Walk away with classroom proven 3-D printing project ideas.

3-D printing is an exciting, design focused application of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) within the art classroom. The 3-D printing process allows students to explore sculptural design using current technologies and art making materials. However, for many teachers, this technology can seem overwhelming. In this PRO Pack, you will gain a foundational understanding of process, learn how to overcome the technological and financial hurdles of starting a printing program, and see several dynamic examples, including low-budget 3-D scanning. If you have ever considered implementing 3-D printing in your art room, this is the place to start!
Connected K-12 Art Educator Framework Competencies
STUDIO PRACTICES
7. Media and Techniques
A. Selects best practices when teaching media and techniques to students
B. Scaffolds media and technique skills for students according to age and ability level
C. Designs opportunities for students to experiment with materials and skills

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
5. Engagement
E. Selects technology resources to supplement instructional strategies

Connected National Visual Arts Standards
Anchor Standard #1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
Anchor Standard #2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
Anchor Standard #3: Refine and complete artistic work.

Rich Stachon

Middle School Art Teacher and PRO Facilitator

Rich Stachon is a middle school art teacher in Glen Ellyn, IL. He believes in providing students with a safe environment where they can confidently create by merging traditional and digital art-making techniques. Rich earned a master's degree in education media design and technology from Full Sail University.

Discussion

Links

The Beginner's Guide to 3D Printing in the Art Room

How to Easily Incorporate 3D Design at Any Grade Level

4 Easy 3D Printer Projects for Beginners

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3-D Printing Basics - The Art of Education University

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About Discussion Resources Links 3 PD Hours 1 Gain an overview of the 3-D printing process, from initial sketches to the finished product. 2 Learn tips for organization and classroom management of this complex, multi-step process. 3 Walk away with classroom proven 3-D printing project ideas.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL7SrQpRRVc&ab_channel=TheArtofEducationUniversity

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Art Room Hacks | Art Supply and Organization Ideas (Ep. 1)

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Design a Building - Architecture Lesson: 1 day for research, 1 day for design, 2-3 days for 2D drawing, 1 day to learn tinkercad, 2-3 days to develop in tinkercad, 1 day to present to each other

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Design a Building - Architecture Lesson: 1 day for research, 1 day for design, 2-3 days for 2D drawing, 1 day to learn tinkercad, 2-3 days to develop in tinkercad, 1 day to present to each other

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https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-4FqAfUf9RC_daeQK-_g-6bYopJMUNxjTJv2KkqVQ18/edit#slide=id.p

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Strategies for Defusing and De-escalating

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Strategies for Defusing and De-escalating

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https://theartofeducation.edu/podcasts/strategies-for-defusing-and-de-escalating-behaviors-ep-288/

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Strategies for Defusing and De-escalating Behaviors (Ep. 288) - The Art of Education University

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This school year has seen an increase across the board when it comes to behavior issues-both in frequency and severity. So how can we help our students (and ourselves) with these issues? Today, Tim talks to Janet Taylor and Christine Cusack about strategies to defuse and de-escalate behaviors when students become dysregulated.

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https://theartofeducation.edu/packs/supporting-students-experiencing-trauma/

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Supporting Students Experiencing Trauma

3 PD Hours

1 Identify the signs and symptoms of trauma in students.

2 Organize a trauma-sensitive classroom environment and management system.

3 Develop effective communication strategies and classroom activities to support students who have experienced trauma.

Trauma responses are playing an increasing role in the everyday behaviors of K-12 art students. Helping these students find success within our art programs requires adjusting our instructional practices to meet their needs. In this PRO Learning Pack, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional Chris Cusak will broaden your understanding of trauma. She will explain how to recognize possible signs of trauma in your students and explore specific trauma-informed strategies that you can immediately implement in your art classroom.
Connected K-12 Art Educator Framework Competencies
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
10. Expectations
A. Creates and communicates clear expectations and consequences
B. Creates and communicates clear routines and procedures
11. Relationship Building
A. Builds rapport and positive relationships with students
B. Creates and maintains an environment of respect

Chris Cusack

School Social Worker and Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Christine Cusack works full-time as an elementary school social worker in the near west suburbs of Chicago. She has a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Northeastern Illinois University, a master's degree in Social Work (clinical concentration) from The University of Chicago, and an education specialist (EdS) degree in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) from National Louis University. She is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), and provides clinical supervision to social workers working towards their clinical license. Chris also has experience in adult inpatient behavioral health. Many children face obstacles and barriers to their success; as a school social worker, she dedicates herself to removing those barriers so that every student can maximize their potential. Her combined social work and behavior analysis training gives her a unique lens through which to view behavior and provide social-emotional and behavioral support to students, parents, and educators.

Discussion

Links

Introducing The Art of SEL

Why Building Relationships Should Be at the Center of Everyt...

11 Ways to Build Personal Relationships When You See 500 Stu...

Communication and Collaboration (Ep. 177)

Centering Student Voice (Ep. 216)

22 Ways to Make Your Classroom Welcoming for All Students

Everything You Need to Know About Classroom Management in th...

What Do New Teachers Need to Know About Classroom Management...

Collective Trauma: Why You're Not Alone

5 Ways Art Teachers Can Practice Self Care

Self-Care for the Art Teacher (Ep. 196)

The Power of Art to Heal Trauma

5 Ideas to Help You Bring SEL Into Your Teaching

Strategies to Support Social and Emotional Learning (Ep. 188...

Rethinking Units With Trauma-Informed Teaching In Mind

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Supporting Students Experiencing Trauma - The Art of Education University

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About Discussion Resources Links 3 PD Hours 1 Identify the signs and symptoms of trauma in students. 2 Organize a trauma-sensitive classroom environment and management system. 3 Develop effective communication strategies and classroom activities to support students who have experienced trauma. Trauma responses are playing an increasing role in the everyday behaviors of K-12 art students.

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https://theartofeducation.edu/packs/de-escalation-strategies-for-challenging-behaviors/

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De-escalation Strategies for Challenging Behaviors

3 PD Hours

1 Identify how student behaviors are a means of communication.

2 Anticipate crisis scenarios in the art room and develop strategies for preventing escalation.

3 Plan and implement a variety of de-escalation strategies to facilitate emotional regulation and collaborative problem-solving with students in crisis.

It can feel like students are intentionally giving us a hard time when they are exhibiting challenging, disruptive behaviors. Outbursts disrupt the learning environment and can bring the entire class to a halt. Learn how to reframe challenging behavior as communication, engage students in collaborative problem-solving, and teach appropriate behaviors for expressing needs and emotions in the future with this comprehensive PRO Pack. Facilitator Chris Cusak, school social worker and licensed clinical social worker, shares actionable strategies to prevent crisis situations in the classroom while presenting solutions for de-escalating them when they do occur.
Connected K-12 Art Educator Framework Competencies
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
10. Expectations
A. Creates and communicates clear expectations and consequences
B. Creates and communicates clear routines and procedures
11. Relationship Building
A. Builds rapport and positive relationships with students
C. Maintains self-control in challenging situations

Chris Cusack

School Social Worker and Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Christine Cusack works full-time as an elementary school social worker in the near west suburbs of Chicago. She has a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Northeastern Illinois University, a master's degree in Social Work (clinical concentration) from The University of Chicago, and an education specialist (EdS) degree in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) from National Louis University. She is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), and provides clinical supervision to social workers working towards their clinical license. Chris also has experience in adult inpatient behavioral health. Many children face obstacles and barriers to their success; as a school social worker, she dedicates herself to removing those barriers so that every student can maximize their potential. Her combined social work and behavior analysis training gives her a unique lens through which to view behavior and provide social-emotional and behavioral support to students, parents, and educators.

Discussion

Links

The Power of Art to Heal Trauma

6 Classroom Management Strategies to Prompt Social-Emotional...

Creating a Welcoming Environment (Ep. 250)

5 Ways to Avoid Power Struggles and Defiance in the Art Room

Managing Behaviors and Avoiding Escalation (Ep. 186)

Strategies for Defusing and De-escalating Behaviors (Ep. 288...

4 Practical De-escalation Strategies to Support SEL in the A...

An Art Teacher's Guide to Understanding IEPs

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De-escalation Strategies for Challenging Behaviors - The Art of Education University

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About Discussion Resources Links 3 PD Hours 1 Identify how student behaviors are a means of communication. 2 Anticipate crisis scenarios in the art room and develop strategies for preventing escalation. 3 Plan and implement a variety of de-escalation strategies to facilitate emotional regulation and collaborative problem-solving with students in crisis.

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8 proactive ways to prevent misbehavior 

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8 proactive ways to prevent misbehavior 

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https://uploads.theartofeducation.edu/2022/07/SUM22_8ProactiveWaystoPreventMisbehavior.pdf

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https://theartofeducation.edu/podcasts/the-art-of-sel-episode-5-relationship-skills/

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In the fifth episode of The Art of SEL, Jonathan explores relationship skills. Relationship skills are important because they allow us to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and navigate settings with new people. Jonathan brings on art teachers Lauren Suveges and Pilar Biller to discuss their ideas and beliefs about relationships and how those skills can be developed in the art room. Full Episode Transcript Below.

Resources and Links

Transcript

Jonathan: How do you make friends? This was what was swirling around in my daughter's head one summer when she was five years old. She was going to start kindergarten in the fall. And one night on a walk in our neighborhood, she turned to me and said, "How do you make friends?" It took me a minute to consider her question and the trepidation in her voice. She again started, "I mean, how do you even begin?"

I told her about meeting people that like the same things you do, or those people that are kind and welcoming. Then there are people that make your whole face smile. And you will find people you just enjoy laughing with. And then there are those that you want to stand up for and will stand up for you. I assured her, you will make friends.

Sometimes it happens when we least expect it, where we turn around one day and realize we found a friend on a random Tuesday in October, and didn't even notice it at the time. She again stopped in our walk. "Dad, do you still make new friends?"

I thought back over the friendships that have stood the test of time, those friendships that were situational, the new friendships that feel like they've always been a part of who I am. And yes, even those friendships that have somehow ended in pain. What was she doing to me? I smiled as we headed up the sidewalk to the house. See, for all of these friendships, there is most certainly a story.

Hi, I'm Jonathan Juravich. And today we'll be diving into relationship skills on this episode of The Art of SEL.

Like that summer night, it can be hard to put into words the skills necessary to forge new relationships, but let's start with a definition. An adapted definition from CASEL states that, "Relationship skills include the ability to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and navigate settings with diverse individuals and groups."

I think that when most people hear the term relationship, they think of a romantic connection or a close friendship. But in fact, there are so many different kinds of relationships that we navigate, even on a daily basis.

Besides our personal family and friends, as art teachers, we establish connections with our students and our colleagues, with the parents of our students, with that guy who can get us some really good cardboard, the barista we see first thing every morning.

Well, now I'm actually just describing my relationships. But our students, they are also navigating just as many wonderful and complicated connections to other people. Providing students, and honestly ourselves, the space and opportunity to support others and be supported is essential to our human development.

Today, I'm going to talk with two art teachers about their strategies and beliefs about relationships. Lauren Suveges works with middle-schoolers and Pilar Biller is a high school art teacher.

First, Lauren Suveges. She is the art teacher at Siuslaw Middle School in Florence, Oregon. And honestly, Lauren was the very first person I met on my very first day of undergrad. When she enrolled in graduate school, we famously took a cross-country trip from Pittsburgh to Eugene, Oregon in a Ford Focus with a goldfish named Gulp who happened to live for many glorious years afterward.

Well, if you could choose a single descriptive word to explain how you are feeling right now, what would that be?

Lauren: At this moment, hopeful.

Jonathan: Yeah?

Lauren: Yeah.

Jonathan: Let's just lay it out there. We've been friends for like, oh gosh, 20 years. Whoa, 20 years.

Lauren: I was thinking about doing this and I did the math and I was like, oh my gosh, I met you when I was 18. And here we are, 20 years later.

Jonathan: Yeah. And who knew we'd both end up in art education though,

Lauren: I know, right? It was like the furthest thing from what I thought I would, I didn't even think of it as an option for myself. And so, yeah, it's funny that here we are.

Jonathan: Here we are. And it's the importance of those relationships that may change, that may be different than how they started. But why is it important that art teachers focus on those relationships with their students in their classrooms?

Lauren: I mean, if you just think back to our teachers, right? We had such strong relationships with our instructors at the college level. And those are people that have changed my life. I would be a different person without them. And I think that as art teachers in particular, we get the good fortune of teaching in a subject that has so much heart to it, that has so much emotion to it. I mean, I love my math teachers. I have been supporting sixth grade math this whole year. I love to answer a statistical question correctly, it gives me great joy. But it's like a different kind of joy, right? When you get the right answer in math and you love that concept, it's different than putting yourself, like your self into a piece of art. And so I think that we just have this unique role with our students to help them be self-expressive. And if we don't build the relationships with them, they're not going to get to that space for themselves. And so as an art teacher, it's crucial to build relationships with them. So they feel safe to be themselves with you.

Jonathan: That's safety. Because I think about the fact that, yeah, there's some art rooms where I bet there's some absolutely beautiful work happening, but maybe it is just surface level work because they don't have that trust with their teacher.

Lauren: Absolutely. And any teacher of course can create that safe space. But I do think, I mean, obviously I'm biased to that. We are particularly inclined to provide that for our students. And especially now, this year, this time, all of our students need that space to feel safe and comfortable. And so, creating those bonds with them is of the most importance.

Jonathan: So then, we understand it's important, right? We're here for it. But how can art teachers really and authentically support students as they learn about relationship skills? Right?

Lauren: Yeah, absolutely. I think, I mean, my biggest thing, I provide them with a lot of choice. And so, I think the more that you provide choice in your art space, the more you get to know your students, because at every angle, at every level, at every project, they're able to interject something of themselves. And then you remember that, right? You can ask them how their dog is doing or what happened yesterday with their grandma. You start to understand their lives in a different way, because they're getting the opportunity to put that personalization into their work. And so you can build off of that. And that knowledge of them.

Jonathan: I had a group of kindergartners and we were talking about grandparents and creating these family portraits. And I shared that my grandparents were no longer with us, but I was still going to include my grandparents in this image. And a kid raised his hand and talked about how his dog died. And I was like, this is real life for them. They understand it. Well, what I wasn't prepared for is the next kid that raised his hand and shared about their dog that passed away. And then the next hand that raised and shared about the neighbor's dog that passed away.

And at that moment, normally I would have shut it down and be like, let's get back to work. But for some reason, on this particular day, I was like, every kid wants to share something and you know what? Every kid did share a story about a dog dying, including the kid that talked about visiting the grandfather and the farm dog needed to be put down. Graphic detail to the point where all kids eyes were wide, the kindergarten teacher pick them up. And I was like, I don't know what just happened. We talked about life, death, and dogs. Here we are. Right? And it was about those relationships. They felt like this was a space where they could authentically share their story, no matter how graphic.

Lauren: I had that the other day, my sixth graders, they were in need of a therapy session. They did not give a hoot about my PowerPoint presentation on color theory. That was not what we were doing that day. They had to share. And what did they share? I mean, we covered some stuff in that. We have a small, rural, low socioeconomic population. There's a lot of trauma in our community. And that day we were doing that. Like, we had to. I mean, they just needed it, you know. And I do think that it shows the power of the relationships of the art room to give them that safe space to talk about it. And you know, some days, yeah, you got to wrap it up and move along because that's in the best interest of the whole group. And then some days you have to talk about everybody's dead dog.

Jonathan: I know. And you realize-

Lauren: Like you do.

Jonathan: You do, and you realize that Okay, color theory can wait until the next time.

Lauren: Absolutely.

Jonathan: It's okay. Even though we may see them for a limited amount of time, we'll get to it next time.

Lauren: Absolutely. One of the other things, and this was brought on more so because of online learning, I give them a lot of surveys this year or forms because one of my biggest things with online learning has tried to be to meet every kid where they're at and where they're at comfortably communicating. And so of course, you know, there's this huge debate. Do we make them turn on the cameras? We can't make them turn on their camera. You know, all that kind of stuff. Hello, have you tried to teach 30 people on a camera looking at you? It's hard. So, one of the things that I've tried to offer more so this year, our surveys where they can communicate with me privately. And so, asking things about their preferred pronouns, their nicknames, why they are here, what they want to do, what do they want to learn about all that kind of stuff has really helped me get to know them.

I'll have to go back and look through them again and kind of think about them in relationship to my students' personalities. But I do hope that it offered the space to my students that don't want to share more publicly in front of the class, a way to communicate with me. Because I think that's really important to give them those ways of communicating with you without making it awkward for them, or just giving them that level of that they might need. So survey communication has been big for me.

Jonathan: And I think about this research they did recently was on collecting data, right. It holds true that if we want to know about our students' experiences, we have to ask them.

Lauren: Absolutely.

Jonathan: We can't just be like, meh, let's move on. Like, this is not what I had planned.

Lauren: No, my first year I just, I mean, I know we're not in college, but I just gave them evaluations of me. I made an evaluation form, I asked them what I did right, what I did wrong, what could I change, what would you tell a student that was interested in taking art? I posted this on my Instagram awhile ago. Sometimes we just forget to ask them. Right? If you want to know how your class is going, I need to ask them. So, again, it goes back to those things that are sometimes so simple that they're so simple that we forget to do them. Right? Or maybe we don't want to know.

Jonathan: Oh yes. Oh, so true.

Lauren: Right? But I mean, I'm the facilitator of their experience. Right? I am not the sage on the stage, although I like it sometimes. I'm the facilitator of their experience here. And so if they're not having a good experience that is also on me. It's not always on me, but it is the space that I'm creating. So yeah, I think one of the big things is if you want to know how they're feeling about stuff, you just have to ask them.

Jonathan: Right. Well, and I think immediately, like us, right? I think about immediately, we think of friends when we think of relationships. But it's not always about friendships. Sometimes it's just about functioning with other humans.

Lauren: Yeah. Like today who's going to rinse the Breyer while the other person wipes down the mono print plate?

Jonathan: Right. Right.

Lauren: You have to figure that out. And if Susie Q is not washing her Breyer correctly, the next kid is going to hear it inappropriately. I mean, building relationships in the art room is also about building a functioning workspace. Which is why teaching art is so complex because you're trying to inspire them, you're trying to offer them ways to self-express, but you're also teaching them, how do I cooperatively clean up a space when I may never do this at my own house or apartment or wherever, you know? So it is like building and fostering relationships on so many levels. They're like a little art team.

Jonathan: You're right. We don't often think about those responsibility with like taking care of materials as part of relationships. But as you said, rinsing the Breyer correctly is also being thoughtful and mindful that other people share this space and we have to be thoughtful about them and their work, [crosstalk 00:14:58] what they're going to create. And you know, why create chaos for other humans when you could put things back where they belong. I mean, we don't think about those as relationship skills, but they really are.

Lauren: They absolutely are. I think that those little things add up to big things and it affects how you are in a group meeting when you're out of college, out of high school. I think all of those types of skills are so transferable and important to sort of build into them while they're younger.

Jonathan: I know that you do things with a classroom mascot and some of these, I don't even want to call them tricks, but these strategies that you have for your students. So, can you explain some of those things that you do that is building relationships?

Lauren: Absolutely. I mean, I think as a teacher, you have to do stuff authentic to you, right? So you can't just go do these things if this isn't how you are. Right? Because they know, they know when you are not being authentic. We have our beloved Swampy who is a screen print or a paste up of this animal creature character that I got from a friends who also collect street art. I love street art and murals and stuff. And so we study that a lot in my classes. And so, Swampy has kind of become our unofficial mascot. And so, in my room Swampy is thinking thought bubbles of the Studio Habits of Mind. So I incorporate the Studio Habits of Mind in my teaching a lot. And we talk a lot about how Swampy utilizes those. So like, what's Swampy thinking about today?

Oh, he's observing. Right? But then I have ridiculous stuff like cats. I like cats, I don't love cats. Right? I do, but I don't have 12 cats. I think they must think I have 12 cats because they just like that that's this quirky thing about me. And so I just play it up, you know? So for COVID stuff, I have cats printed all around the room. And at the end, when I have to clean, while they're still in the room, I'm like go to your cat and they pick their favorite cat. We go stand at it. So while I'm scrubbing the tables, they're at their cats and I'm asking them questions from the day. So, I think it's just, when you find something that works for you and it feels very natural and the kids respond, how do you play with that?

And then I have bad day cat day. If you're having a bad day, you can have this little cat at your desk that's just ridiculous looking. I have recently implemented the No drama llama. Like if you are starting to cause some drama in my chat bar or my room, you are getting the No drama llama. It's just a way to diffuse relationship issues that arise in a way that isn't confrontational, but they know what I mean.

Jonathan: It's so interesting how much you use humor to build these relationships. I love the fact that it's like, yeah, you like cats, but you don't have a house full of them. Right? And yet you build off of these thoughts of middle-schoolers. It's now created, I don't know, transitions, it's created procedures all because of these quirky fun.

Lauren: Yes. Fun. You want them to have fun sometimes. I mean, we get serious of course, but I think especially middle schoolers, the year I first started teaching, I thought they were older than they were, you know? And so I definitely have interjected more silliness and more fun, more so than I did at the beginning because they're still young.

Jonathan: Yeah. Yeah. And honestly, building off those relationships, if they see an adult having fun and being playful and just being authentically humorously themselves, hopefully they'll see like, oh, this it's okay. Right? It's okay to not play it off cool all the time. Well, and we've kind of alluded to the fact that our kids are going to grow up to be adults, much like us. And they're going to have relationships. But do you think us, as adults, as art teachers specifically, that we need to work on our own relationship skills as well?

Lauren: Oh, absolutely. I mean, I think they're pretty much... I mean, have you been to a staff meeting? They're basically like being in a class. We're the worst. We are not the worst, teachers are the worst. But yeah I mean, of course, if you are not building and honing your personal relationship skills, you are not being the most successful teacher that you can be. If you are not working on how to work with people that you don't necessarily get along with, you are not approaching your life or job to the best of your ability. So I do think that, well, we talked about it a little earlier. There's so many transferable skills that we learn at school and in particular the art room, that translate to adulthood and we're not exempt from that.

Jonathan: Pilar Biller is the art teacher at Damonte Ranch High School in Reno, Nevada. She shares some unique considerations about relationships that aren't based on friendships necessarily, but prepare students to receive feedback and for a world outside of high school.

So Pilar, if you could choose one descriptive word to express how you're feeling right now, what would that word be?

Pilar: Well, I'm very happy to be here with you. So there's that. But I feel like there's just a lot of mixed emotions right now. And so, I am feeling hopeful as we get through the end of this school year and I'm looking at next year. But I'm also really tired and I feel spinning my wheels, I guess, a little bit. And as we, as we were trying to get through the end of it. So I'm feeling a lot of things.

Jonathan: Hmm. I know it's hard to just pinpoint it to one. Hey, what's one emotion you're experiencing? Right? Because all of them.

Pilar: Because all of them. Feeling a lot of different emotions. Yes.

Jonathan: I think so often when we think of relationships, we think of friendships, right? Like, I'm your friend. I mean, you're my friend, right Pilar? So I think about these relationships we have, but it's not always about just everyone being friends with one another. Right? I mean, it's about how we interact with everyone.

Pilar: Very much so. And I think a lot of it is, and especially in the older grades too, it's a little different because with the little ones, you've kind of focused on that. We're all friends, you know. In the upper grades it's more about cooperation and collaboration. And so, I think through some of the unique things that we have in art, such as giving peer feedback, critique, I tend to call it feedback.

So as far as modeling goes, with peer feedback, it's a perfect opportunity because you need to teach the students how to give feedback that is helpful. And so in order for it to be helpful, it can't just be, yeah, I like it or I don't like it. It's really about the why. And thinking about the goals of the artists, the goals of the assignment, and then sharing your opinion or sharing what you see with the artist in a way that is compassionate and helpful. We always go back to that. Is this helpful? You know? And did you elaborate on what you mean by that? And so, those communication skills become very important and that's something that our students will benefit from their entire life.

Jonathan: Okay. So this is crazy, but I have never thought about relationship skills and critique or peer feedback in this way before, but that is exactly what it is.

Pilar: It is. When the students have to share their work through exhibition or through, we do a portfolio review, they have to learn how to talk to people that they don't know about their work and get the feedback from people that they don't know. And that's really important skill to develop as well. And so, the portfolio review is where people in the community, so our school board members or we have had people from the library association, parents, they come in and the students are all set up in the room with their art that they've created over the year. And they have prepared sort of answers ahead of time for it. We've all talked about the questions that the portfolio reviewers might ask and they prepare their responses. And then we talk also about shaking hands and about nerves and how you navigate all of those things when you pretty much put your heart out there on the table for someone else to respond to. And those experiences are amazing. The students come out of there with such a high and feeling really successful while learning how to start a relationship with someone else, I think.

Jonathan: Hmm. But do you have any other specific lessons or creative experiences that you do that focus on relationships? Like really intentionally?

Pilar: Love, love doing Humans of New York and we call it Humans of Damonte Ranch or well, we switched it to Artists of Damonte Ranch. But it's along the same lines because the Humans of New York is a web site that you can go to and they've actually published some books as well, just on interviewing people that you don't know. And so, starting out this idea what the intermediate art class. So they've had a little experience and their art skills are a little stronger and teaching them how to interview someone where it's not a conversation, but you're simply listening and recording and then prompting. So, you ask questions, but we're not sharing. So, really talking about how you don't turn their story into your story, where you respond and say, oh yeah, my brother did that too. And that's a conversation right? Where you are doing an interview and really listening, what does it look like to be an active listener?

And so, teaching those things, even to sophomores and juniors in high school, those are really helpful. Because they're still nervous, maybe even more so as adolescents, to sit down and share their story with someone that they don't know. And so, how do you make that person feel comfortable enough to tell you about it? And students have done incredible with these interviews.

And then they create a work of art based on their partner's story. So there's a new kind of level of pressure there where they feel like I really want to do it for them. Going through that process of having those feelings about someone who you don't know, is builds those... What is it?Because it's empathy, but it's also just this wanting to do good for someone. You know? Building that idea of wanting to do something well for someone else. I think that builds that kindness. And so then they share their works of art and it kind of builds a little bit of community within the classroom because we put them all out at the same time together at the end. And we look at them and say, what is it that you see here? And this is us, this is our class and these are our stories.

Jonathan: And we did this with the art teachers I work with. Currently we have 17 elementary art teachers in our district, in our department. And we're like a family, but like a family whenever we'd get together for meetings, everyone talks over each other, no one waits for like uncle Bob at like a big dinner to stop talking before they talk. Right? So it's just like that with this group of teachers. And I did the same practice you did where I paired them up, they interviewed one another, listening and then they create a piece of artwork.

And we were laughing, we were crying, even though we feel like we're so close to one another we had learned things that day, that we didn't know. Like the person who is a twin that had never had her own birthday party, even as an adult. And so we threw her a surprise birthday party that year. Or like the person we learned who was really struggling with her own kids at home while being here with kids at school. I mean, it was beautiful and the work was beautiful too. But I mean the whole experience, we grew together in our, in our relationships.

Pilar: And just kind of drives home the point that, because we have this freedom to create the curriculum, there's no reason why they can't be making art around these ideas while building these relationship skills. It really is just something that has to be made a priority. The teacher needs to make that choice that this is how I'm going to bring art to the students, but in a way that helps them grow in different areas of social and emotional competency. Well, that portfolio review is one of the ways, as far as maybe relationships, again, that aren't about being friends, but about sitting down with someone and communicating with them. So, it's part of my curriculum that I developed is how to do a solo exhibition. And sometimes they'll do them together so they'rE maybe duo exhibition. But they're very nervous.

They know it's coming. And so I say, it's all right, I'm going to teach you everything you need to know. And we will brainstorm ideas, what are different places. So there's a series of lessons that teaches them how to plan for this. And there's a packet that they fill out for their planning. And when they decide on the venue, there is an agreement in this packet between the artist and the contact at the venue. And it sounds very fancy this venue thing, but really it's a doctor's office, or it's at the library.

Or sometimes when students are especially concerned, we will do it in our school library, but they still have to follow the whole process about going and sharing their portfolio first, here's the work I do. I want the kids to think about it. Is this a good match? Is my art appropriate for this venue? And so we go through a lot of conversations about how to accomplish this. Oh, and part of it too is they have to set up some way of getting feedback from the viewers. And sometimes they're really creative with it. Some of the times they'll put out a guest book where people can jot things down, but sometimes they have little notes that people can put in a jar. We had one that was just kind of recorded because it was a one-night thing. And so they are really creative in the ways that they get to the end, that they solve the problems, that they do to fulfill for the assignment.

Jonathan: It's amazing because I think when we stop and think about it, relationships are throughout that entire process. I mean, their relationship with you, their educator, and then the things that we don't often think about as adults within the art world is like, okay, I have to be brave enough to reach out to somebody. I mean, some of us still don't even like ordering pizza on our own. Right? But like, reaching out to a venue that, you're right, matches the type of art they create when they feel comfortable showing their work in, inviting people to attend, all of those skills are, yeah, they're very personal individual skills, but they're about engaging with other people. I mean, Pilar, this is awesome. I'm like, Hmm, how can I do this with fifth graders? Maybe not, but, you know.

Pilar: Well, you could actually-

Jonathan: You could, right?

Pilar: Like in the school thinking about where would you want your art to be placed and you have to go ask permission and, you know, setting it up. It can happen. It's just about finding the opportunities.

Jonathan: Well, okay. So now my mind is all over the place and I'm thinking about the little tiny art shows that my students do-

Pilar: That's so great.

Jonathan: How amazing would it be to have fifth graders create their own little tiny art shows? But maybe they talk to different teachers in the building about putting their tiny art show up and display in their classroom or talk to the recess aid about putting it outside or in the cafeteria. I mean, there are such possibilities, even with a large number of kids to pull something like that off.

Pilar: And if they're working on them together too. If you have them in groups and then they have to go do that together, they have to navigate those relationships as well as the relationships with the people in the building. And so, I think that's a great idea.

Jonathan: So what now? What do you do with this information? Well, here are three things to consider

One. You know that person you're thinking about right now? Call or text them. As soon as this episode is over call or text them just to say hi and make it a practice to do the same thing as other people pop into your head throughout the day.

Two. How do your procedures and expectations foster relationships within your classroom? Is it in the seating arrangement, the cleanup plan or time to reflect and learn from one another? What is one modification you can make to focus on relationships in this way?

Three. Make it authentic. Relationships can't be forced as hard as we may try. We have to be fully ourselves. How can you use your humor, your love of cats, your own unique self to invite students to a space of trust and support?

And how am I feeling right now? Grateful. I am full of gratitude for the friends and family that continue to support, encourage, challenge and love me and who also remind me to laugh. I'm also grateful for those challenging relationships that have taught me about loss, forgiveness and the need to move forward. As we navigate relationships and our own self-awareness we strive to make responsible decisions. I hope you'll join me next time for a conversation about responsible decision-making.

This has been The Art of SEL, part of the Art of Education University Podcast Network. Tim Bogatz is our producer and Amanda Heyn is our executive producer, and all of our episodes are engineered by the loyal Amy Juravich. Thank you so much for listening. If you like what you hear, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you want more information on art and social-emotional learning or anything art education-related, please check out theartofeducation.edu.

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The Art of SEL, Episode 5: Relationship Skills - The Art of Education University

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In the fifth episode of The Art of SEL, Jonathan explores relationship skills. Relationship skills are important because they allow us to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and navigate settings with new people. Jonathan brings on art teachers Lauren Suveges and Pilar Biller to discuss their ideas and beliefs about relationships and how [...]

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About

Discussion

Resources

Links

Building Positive Relationships

1 PD Hours

1 Explore a variety of activities for building trust and engagement.

2 Learn how to blend song and movement for routines and transitions.

3 Discover how to use art processes to build positive social and emotional skills.

Building strong, meaningful relationships with students is a critical part of teaching. Many students will not invest in your teaching philosophy if they do not believe you truly care about them. In this PRO Pack, you will discover a number of strategies to help you build relationships with your students through a variety of activities, routines, and procedures. Whether you need to establish new routines or tune up what you are currently doing, you'll be able to develop a plan for success.
Connected K-12 Art Educator Framework Competencies
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
11. Relationship Building
A. Builds rapport and positive relationships with students
B. Creates and maintains an environment of respect
C. Maintains self-control in challenging situations

Rhonda Spight

Elementary Art Teacher and PRO Facilitator

Rhonda teaches Pre-K through 5th grade Visual Art in Memphis, TN. She believes her role as an educator is to ignite the passion for art in her students, as her teachers did for her. For Rhonda, teaching and learning begin by creating a safe, interactive, and collaborative environment for students which promotes problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Discussion

Links

Why Building Relationships Should Be at the Center of Everyt...

Should You Care What Your Students Think? (Ep. 065)

Using Music as a Teaching Tool (Ep. 084)

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Building Positive Relationships - The Art of Education University

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About Discussion Resources Links 1 PD Hours 1 Explore a variety of activities for building trust and engagement. 2 Learn how to blend song and movement for routines and transitions. 3 Discover how to use art processes to build positive social and emotional skills. Building strong, meaningful relationships with students is a critical part of teaching.

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The Perfect Game to Build Relationships 

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The Perfect Game to Build Relationships 

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2018/05/10/the-perfect-game-to-build-relationships-with-your-students/

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I've never been one for icebreakers. They always seem a little bit awkward to me, and I know many of my students feel the same. At the same time, I've witnessed a classroom of students going an entire semester without learning each other's names. It's shocking! I decided there must be a middle ground.

The first step in getting to know your students and building community is learning each other's names. If you're looking for a game to help you do this, all you need is a pool noodle and a little energy!

The Pool Noodle Name Game

What's the Purpose?

This is a great activity to do at the beginning of the year or the beginning of a new class rotation or semester. The Pool Noodle Game can be used as an icebreaker activity and a way to memorize your students' names easily. By the end of one class period, you will know your students' names!

How to Play

Similar to tag, the goal of this game is not to be "it."

To start, have your students stand in a circle. Go around the circle and have each student say their name one time.

Select a student to stand in the center of the circle with the pool noodle. This student is "it."

To start the game, a student from the circle calls out someone else's name. The student in the center must find that person and gently tap them with the pool noodle. But, there's a catch.

To avoid being "it," the person whose name was called can call out someone else's name. If they do so before getting tapped, they can stay in the circle. Then, the student in the center must try to find the newest target before they call out someone else's name.

Adding a Challenge

To make the game a bit more challenging, you can include a few more rules. For example, you might say that students can't call the name of anyone standing directly next to them. Or, they can't keep calling the same two names back and forth. In this case, anyone not following the rules must go to the center.

Once students get comfortable with the names of their classmates, have the students in the circle move to a new spot. This changes up the order and forces students to remember who's who.

Finding an engaging icebreaker activity can be difficult. The Pool Noodle Game is a fun yet simple way to start building relationships with your students. Don't be afraid to step into the game and play yourself; it will help in the first step of getting to know your students by learning their names!
What's your favorite icebreaker activity or game to play in the art room? What other activities do you do on the first day of class?
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

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The Perfect Game to Learn Your Students' Names - The Art of Education University

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I've never been one for icebreakers. They always seem a little bit awkward to me, and I know many of my students feel the same. At the same time, I've witnessed a classroom of students going an entire semester without learning each other's names. It's shocking! I decided there must be a middle ground.

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2018/08/07/name-designs-the-perfect-lesson-to-start-your-year/

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After working at the elementary level for fourteen years, I moved to the high school arena. From day one, I realized my high school kiddos were very similar to my elementary kiddos. I began to wonder if their art lessons could be similar as well. Here's what I found out.

First, I realized all kids love stickers, candy, and positive affirmations for a job well done. Second, I realized the key to the success of an art program often lies in the first few lessons. It's our job to guide our students and teach them the tools and techniques necessary to help them become the artists they aspire to be.

The Name Design Lesson is the perfect lesson for all grade levels and can start the year off right!

This lesson is wonderful on many levels. To start, it will help you learn your students' names. At one point, I taught over 1300 students. That is a lot of names to remember! Being a visual learner, this lesson helped me recall many of those names early on.

This lesson also helps you get to know each student's preferences, hobbies, and personalities. Perhaps most importantly, it gives you the opportunity to teach your students the many tools of art right from the start and to see where their individual strengths lie.

Here are 8 steps to teaching the Name Design Lesson and what students will learn along the way.

Materials

Before we jump into the steps, here is what your students will need for this lesson.

6″ x 12″ drawing paper

Pencils

A variety of wet and dry media

Magazines

Scissors

Glue

Computer and printer (optional)

1. Create a mind map.

Teach students to brainstorm and think creatively by having them create a simple mind map about themselves. Have them start with their name in the middle. Then, have them map things like hobbies, interests, and passions. Once they've written down their words, have them come up with an interesting symbol for each.

2. Using the mind map as a starting point, begin to create the name.

Once students have come up with symbols to describe their interests and likes, have them creatively incorporate these symbols into their name. They can create the actual letters or use the negative space to create the letters. In this way, they must think about the importance of composition.

3. Highlight helpful tools.

This lesson is a perfect time to teach students about the media and tools needed to be successful artists. For example, if students are worried their handwriting is sloppy or messy, show them how they can print out enlarged fonts from the computer to trace or collage onto their piece.

4. Demonstrate collage techniques.

You can also teach students about the value of the images found within the pages of everyday magazines. Be sure to emphasize the importance of cutting and gluing neatly when collaging. When students have the freedom to collage, they don't feel as pressured to draw perfectly.

5. Have students practice drawing from life.

Teach students about the importance of drawing from life and researching the images in which they are interested. This takes their art to a whole new level.

6. Encourage students to use a variety of media.

This lesson is also a great way to teach students how to experiment with various mediums. For example, I show them how to paint with markers, layer colors with crayons or colored pencils, and create a variety of line quality with drawing pens. I model how to use gradation in their graphite drawings, adding value and showcasing light sources.

7. Emphasize craft.

In my mind, one of the most important things this lesson teaches students is how to care about their art and the marks they make. It's a great reminder that craftsmanship is an important part of the creative process.

8. Mount finished pieces for display.

To finish this lesson, I teach students how to mount their pieces and label them for exhibition. Then, we hang every piece in class exhibits that introduce our students to the school!

At the end of this lesson, students have experienced and learned how to manipulate a wide variety of wet and dry media. In addition, they have made artistic decisions based on their experimentation to create a cohesive, composed name design. They are always amazed at how well their first art project turned out because they learned the value of planning and taking the time to create and experiment. In the end, this lesson teaches students the power of their artistic voices.
Do you think the first art lesson of the school year is important? What lessons do you teach your students early on and why are they successful in setting your students up for a successful year of art?

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Name Art Design - The Art of Education University

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After working at the elementary level for fourteen years, I moved to the high school arena. From day one, I realized my high school kiddos were very similar to my elementary kiddos. I began to wonder if their art lessons could be similar as well. Here's what I found out.

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Visual Journaling Artmaking and Creativity

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Visual Journaling Artmaking and Creativity

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https://theartofeducation.edu/podcasts/visual-journaling-artmaking-and-creativity-ep-266/

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Visual Journaling, Artmaking, and Creativity (Ep. 266) - The Art of Education University

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In today’s episode, Eric Scott joins Tim for a long conversation on visual journaling, artmaking, and creativity. They discuss Eric’s art practice, how things have changed for him during the pandemic, and why Tim maybe needs to give glue sticks another look. Stay until the end of the episode to list…

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2019/12/11/does-visual-journaling-really-work-in-middle-school/

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Visual journaling is a practice shared by many artists and creatives that allows them to experience and document discoveries. Think of it like taking notes the creator wants to remember-but visually. A visual journal might also act as a safe space for students to plan, express, and try new things without the pressure of creating a finalized artwork. It becomes an artifact students can look back on to see their progress and growth.

However, for most middle school students, visual journaling is not going to come as second nature. Students are still learning skills, finding their artistic voice, and haven't identified why documenting their process is essential in artmaking. Throwing a sketchbook at a student and asking them to create a visual journal isn't realistic. They wouldn't know where to start. But, the visual journaling process can work with your students with proper guidance and support.

3 Steps to Scaffold A Visual Journal Practice

1. Start with a Template

For students to buy into the journaling process, they must first understand its purpose. Since visual journals serve as a way to document new learning, showing its worth can be done in a variety of ways. An easy way to do this is by conducting an artist study. Let's say your students are studying watercolor. They've learned about watercolor techniques and are now ready to start applying their learning. Instead of having students jump right into creating an artwork, try conducting an artist study with a provided template. You can use the below.

Even though your students are using a provided template, they will still be able to document new learning by having a framework to jumpstart their journaling practice. For those students who are ready to start journaling, let them create without the template. They might use it as a guide for the information they might need but can begin documenting their creative process independently.

2. Do Guided Practice

Once your students are more familiar with the visual journal practice, it's time to loosen the reigns. Forget the template, and let students start constructing their own pages with the new information and content you are teaching. To do this, you might first incorporate a little guided sketchnoting that includes notetaking with visual images. At first, students might mimic some of your notetaking, but as they get more comfortable with the process, they will start recording information creatively on their own.

Another approach to this is to create a flipped video of yourself teaching a new concept. If you are showing a new process, have students start and stop the video to document their learning at a self-guided pace. You might tell your students they have one or two class periods to watch the demonstration and record their findings. For those students who need extra guidance, consider giving them a list of prompts, questions, or ideas directly related to the content. Doing this will guide students to look for the specific content of importance.

3. Give Students Time

Once students have explored visual journaling with guidance, they should be ready to try the practice independently. If you truly want your students to take advantage of the process, you must give them time to practice their craft. To explore the process in an in-depth, meaningful way, consider offering your students an entire week to create in a visual journal. During this week, show your students how they might use different techniques like a collage in their journal. Provide them with requirements and themes to jumpstart their creating. Some students will be able to self-start, while others will need more support. In this case, give your students a checklist to complete. Here is a list you might give your students to help guide their visual journal creations.

This short list will jumpstart your students' practice, and you'll be delighted to see how your students will come to love their journals. Teaching students to document their learning at a young age is crucial to the artmaking process. Keeping a visual journal goes beyond an ordinary sketchbook. It allows students to reflect on their practice and to see how their craft has developed over time.

Do you teach visual journaling to your students?
What value do you see in keeping a visual journal?

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

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So, Does Visual Journaling Really Work in Middle School? - The Art of Education University

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Visual journaling is a practice shared by many artists and creatives that allows them to experience and document discoveries. Think of it like taking notes the creator wants to remember-but visually. A visual journal might also act as a safe space for students to plan, express, and try new things without the pressure of creating [...]

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https://theartofeducation.edu/videos/packaging-tape-transfers/

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Packaging Tape Transfers - The Art of Education University

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Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2020/11/18/4-ways-to-use-visual-journaling-to-support-advanced-artists/

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Visual Journaling is a great way to support our students' social-emotional needs while connecting with our curriculum. Students can safely practice and explore both media and ideas in their sketchbooks and decompress from the day. When it comes to our advanced artists, visual journaling helps students whether they are just starting an artwork, stuck in the middle, or struggling to finish. Make time in your routine and space in their journals for this creative thinking routine.

What is visual journaling?

Visual journaling is like keeping an artistic diary. Whether you call it a visual journal or a sketchbook, this is a space to create, explore, meditate, and practice. It is a space where no one without judgment where nothing needs to be complete. Your visual journal is just for you-some artists journal every morning to start their day, while others journal when they feel the need.
The 10 Best Supplies for Visual Journaling
Unlike a sketchbook where you teach students to plan out their artwork, a visual journal is more organic. It could absolutely contain sketches for artwork, but it also could not. When using a visual journal with advanced students, it's important to explain the purpose and differences. By making this sketchbook intimately theirs, students will take ownership of their work and their journaling habits.

However, one thing to be mindful of is the content that a student creates in a sketchbook is still under your supervision. As a mandatory reporter, students need to know that any concerning content in the book will be discussed with parents and school team members. Remind students you are there to support them and will notify appropriate resources when needed.

How often should you use a visual journal?

Visual journaling takes practice and routine. If you only ask students to do this once a month, they won't get into good habits. Build time into your lessons to teach visual journaling. Then, make sure to set a routine for students to practice their art exploration. Whether you take ten minutes a day or designate a specific day of the week, students look forward to their journaling time.

Visual journaling can be extra helpful during long stretches of studio time. Students who struggle with surface-level ideas or muddy concepts benefit from practicing in a safe place, away from their high-risk artwork. Sometimes we need a break in the middle to step away from our work. Journaling can also help us with revision when we're unsure of what our nearly completed artwork is missing. When in doubt, students can always pull out their sketchbooks and journal to support their creative process.

How can you use visual journaling?

Safe Space

Students can use this safe space to jot down ideas, ruminate, and explore concepts. They can let loose and explore media without fear. Provide a prompt for students to consider or leave it up to them. Students can make their own journals from scratch, they can purchase on their own, or you can provide a journal for them.

Not all students love to draw or feel confident in their drawing skills. Support students with a range of media to explore. When students start their visual journal, remind them that this is an open world of possibilities; nothing is a failure, and everything is simply an exercise or exploration.
Exploring Visual Journals at the Secondary Level PRO Learning Pack
Collect and Organize

Another way to use visual journaling for ideation is to create an inspiration board. An inspiration board is a collection of materials, ideas, and research to help you find your interests. Students research artists they are drawn to, find color palette swatches from the hardware store, clip examples of media techniques, practice some hatching. Whatever they are interested in exploring, the inspiration board helps students define their interests and find common threads.

Visual journaling to create an inspiration board is about collecting and arranging materials to tell a story. It's through the time spent organizing and creating that students get into their creative flow.

Brain Dump

Dumping ideas and thoughts down in writing or visually can help students sift through their daily stressors and relax. Start with a stream of consciousness writing exercise or simply have students write down their to-do list. The idea behind a brain dump is to get rid of all those nagging thoughts that interfere when we're trying to focus on our specific artistic goal. Sometimes those thoughts can be used to fuel your creative thinking, but mostly you just need to clear the weeds from the path. Taking time to do a brain dump also helps our nervous system stay grounded and present in the moment.

Focus and Direction

After working on artwork for a month or longer, we often lose our vision and purpose. Our original ideas become muddled, and we aren't exactly sure where we are going. This especially happens in advanced classes when students work on multiple artworks over a much longer length of time.

When students seem stuck or veering on the wrong path, take a day to refocus through visual journaling. Turn out the lights and guide students with targeted questions. To start, students write down their concept, theme, or idea in a "cool font." As they draw this out, talk to your students about the benefits of visual journaling. When we take our time to write something out, re-write, or design words, we are practicing mindfulness and focusing our thoughts. Encourage students to doodle, draw, or jot down thoughts as they are highly focused on their idea or theme.

While visual journaling supports artists at any level, advanced students benefit from consistent practice as they build their artistic habits. Whether students are in the planning or completing phases of their process, visual journaling is an easy way to encourage exploration and provide a safe place for practice.
6 Easy Ways to Incorporate Text in Your Visual Journal How do you use visual journaling in your advanced classes? How can you support consistent visual journaling habits at any level?

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4 Ways to Use Visual Journaling to Support Advanced Artists - The Art of Education University

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Visual Journaling is a great way to support our students' social-emotional needs while connecting with our curriculum. Students can safely practice and explore both media and ideas in their sketchbooks and decompress from the day. When it comes to our advanced artists, visual journaling helps students whether they are just starting an artwork, stuck in [...]

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2018/04/27/50-visual-journal-prompts-to-promote-drawing-and-creative-thinking-skills/

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When I started at the secondary level, I quickly realized my students needed to be encouraged to practice their drawing and composition skills. Telling them to practice wasn't cutting it, but I wasn't sure what the best solution might be.

I wanted to hold my kiddos accountable for their learning in an enjoyable way. I came up with prompt-based weekly visual journal assignments. These assignments not only gave students inspiration to work on their technical skills, but also became important creative outlets. Plus, it allowed me to see how they were developing as artists. It was a win-win-win experience!

Let's take a closer look at how visual journals promote drawing and creative thinking skills in an incredible way.

Introducing the Concept

In my room, my students and I started early in the year by discussing why artists keep journals. I focused on how my students' journals could become a storehouse of ideas to pull from throughout the class. I told them the work they do in these journals could push their class projects to the next level.

Explaining the Rules

Then, I provided students with a handout that told them exactly how their journals would be assessed.

There were no hard and fast rules on how much collage or text needed to be incorporated. However, I did encourage students to make at least 50 percent of the work drawing. This way, I knew they were practicing drawing from life. I also wanted them to work on arranging the work into creative compositions.

If you're looking for ways to help students incorporate text into their work, you may want to check out the PRO Learning Pack, Implementing Sketchnotes in the Art Room. There is an entire section devoted to the art of typography!

Giving the Prompts

In my intro classes, I gave open-ended prompts such as, "Who Am I?" "Invent a New Object," "When I Was Younger," or "Kitchen Items." I also made sure to build in a "Free Choice" week. I required all of their works be on a single page.

You can see how two students responded to the prompt, "Draw a chair," below.

In contrast to my beginning students, my Art II students received single-word prompts. These were things like, "Me," "Rip," "See," "Joy," "Eat" or "Spirit." I also required a two-page spread for each entry. The added challenge of making the work unified even with a spiral or binding holding the pages together is something that helped them when considering their class projects as well.

Here is how a few students handled the prompt, "Me."

If you'd like to get started with visual journals in your room, download the list of 50 prompts below! Download Now!
The Power of Modeling

I made sure I was working on my visual journals with the same prompt as often as possible. I think it's important for our students to see us as artists, and working alongside them is a great way to model your expectations for your students.

Every few weeks we had a "Journal Day." On these days, my students and I grabbed our journals and spent the class period working and chatting. It's a great way to get to know students better!

The Logistics

If you're working on a semester schedule, I suggest giving twelve to fourteen journal assignments. With my beginning students, each entry stood on its own. However, with older students you can take things to the next level by having them work with a theme. A theme adds another layer of critical thinking as they must figure out how to make the prompts connect. This is the type of divergent thinking experience we should be giving our students as often as possible!

You can also assign visual journals in courses where most of the work is 3-D. In my case, I implemented Art History Visual Journals so students could research and learn about the 3-D master artists that were on their county assessment final exam. These research-based journals were beautifully done, and when student test scores improved I knew we were onto something big!

How to Handle Grading

I was often asked, "How do you grade 188 visual journals a week?" I love this question because it's one of the most fun aspects of this assignment.

I called students up to my stool every Monday during their studio class time, and we had a one-on-one conversation as we graded the work together using the rubric! If a student did an outstanding job, I snapped a photo and added it to a special Visual Journal Pinterest page.
You can check out a few links below!
We had wonderful chats about their progress. These quick meetings held students accountable, and I saw their work grow tremendously. They wanted good grades, they wanted to get better at their art skills, and they wanted me to snap a photo and put it on Pinterest! Each week, I found myself pinning more and more as students got stronger, which is the ultimate goal!

I used to love my Mondays because Mondays meant I had the opportunity to connect with my students as they shared their hard work with me via their visual journals. As I said, it's a win-win-WIN activity!
How are you teaching visual journaling to your students? Do you think using sketchbooks or journals is an important part of our student's visual art education?

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50 Visual Journal Prompts to Promote Drawing and Creative Thinking Skills - The Art of Education University

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When I started at the secondary level, I quickly realized my students needed to be encouraged to practice their drawing and composition skills. Telling them to practice wasn't cutting it, but I wasn't sure what the best solution might be. I wanted to hold my kiddos accountable for their learning in an enjoyable way.

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https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RIyzoBOJxAPgQDLEo3CQnfnXltsrTFZM/view?usp=drivesdk

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https://theartofeducation.edu/packs/getting-started-watercolor-painting/

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Watercolor Painting Basics - The Art of Education University

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Professional Development for Art Teachers

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https://theartofeducation.edu/packs/elementary-watercolor-basics/

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Elementary Watercolor Basics - The Art of Education University

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Professional Development for Art Teachers

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2018/07/12/a-better-way-to-teach-watercolor-techniques/

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A Better Way to Teach Watercolor Techniques - The Art of Education University

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If you’ve ever taught watercolor in your classroom, you’ve undoubtedly practiced watercolor techniques. Chances are you’ve had students create rectangles on a piece of paper and label each one with a corresponding technique. Sounds exciting, right? Exploring watercolor techniques is important, but t…

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2018/05/17/5-ideas-to-improve-how-you-teach-watercolor/

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I hate teaching watercolor. I want to love it, but I just can't get there. My biggest frustration is that I feel like I just can't teach it as well as I want to. I don't love the medium enough to be excited about it, and I don't have the right ideas to make it exciting for my kids.

Everyone teaches the same exercises with watercolor. You divide your paper into little squares; you do the wash, the resist, the dry brush, and everything else that goes with it. But then what?

What comes after those exercises? How do we transfer what kids learn from those exercises into actual paintings? If we manage to do that right, how do we make those paintings personal and meaningful?

And above all else: how do you get kids excited about working with a material you don't enjoy working with yourself?

Embracing the growth mindset we all love so much, I decided to find out what I was missing when it comes to working with watercolors. I reached out to Andrea Slusarski, awesome Colorado art teacher and plein air painter extraordinaire, to see if she could convince me to love this medium as much as she does. We had a great conversation on Art Ed Radio, and though I'm not all the way sold, she did have some tips that may have me looking at teaching watercolor in a new way.

Below are 5 ideas that can take your watercolor teaching to the next level.

1. Use watercolor to get kids out of their comfort zones.

"To paint and engage with watercolors - to me - is this immediate feeling of letting go and engaging," Slusarski said. "Especially with my sketchbooks, the medium brings me to the moment and present where I am creating." It may seem difficult for kids to let go, especially if they are always focused on creating their best end product. But it's an incredible way for them to approach artmaking; great things come when you step outside of where you're comfortable. If they can let go, and create watercolors without worrying about mistakes, you never know when they may stumble onto something spectacular.

If you're also feeling unsure about where to start with teaching watercolor, be sure to take a peek at the AOE course Studio: Painting - Watercolor. You'll gain a solid understanding of the media while trying out exciting techniques for yourself. You can see more, including a sample assignment, right here.

2. Show the kids you're learning, too.

Every year, I try to get better at a particular medium-it's always one of my summer goals. Andrea was on board with this goal and offered the following advice: "Connect [watercolor] to something you're best at. This way you can still feel confident as you explore new territory. Or take it easy and let your students know you're also learning. Learning alongside your students is a fun experience, and it models to them how learning never stops."

3. Allow kids to experiment and explore.

Some mediums just lend themselves to experimentation and exploration, and watercolor is undoubtedly one of those mediums. It sometimes seems to have a mind of its own; the more you work with it, however, the more comfortable you become with its tendencies and how you can use those to your advantage. For that reason, it can really help your kids to go through a lot of practice repetitions without a lot of pressure-the more experience they have, the more confident they will be. The best way to build confidence is by giving kids more chances to paint.

4. Bring In Smaller Projects (and More Opportunities)

Slusarski believes quantity, not quality, can help kids improve their skill with watercolors. She laid out her plan like this: "I cut a ton of 6 x 9-inch papers and tell students to have at it. Because I find students work at such different watercolor paces, I open this project up for kids to paint as many or as few paintings as they want in our time frame."

Throughout that time frame, she moves around the room to help her kids by critiquing, reteaching techniques, and emphasizing points of interest. Those opportunities to connect techniques and actual paintings are invaluable when it comes to improving their painting skills.

5. Do Something Special to Make it Enjoyable

This is maybe Andrea's best idea: "This year, I wanted to add more to my landscapes. I also wanted to spice them up a bit, so I created "Landscape Element" days. Each day I demonstrated and discussed how to create various elements of landscapes using watercolors; clouds, trees, plants, grasses, rocks, etc. I turned it into a contest of who could paint the truest to real life - Bob Ross painting using watercolors. Winners get their very own Bob Ross official socks, and the competition is hot in my classroom."

And here is where I think Andrea is on to something: Students already practiced those elements. They know what techniques to use, as well as how to mix the various colors and values-they have already practiced them individually. Their final work is being able to piece all of those elements and techniques together in one final painting.

Whether you struggle with watercolors, begrudgingly teach them, or love them like no other, hopefully, these ideas will help you improve how you use them in your classroom. Having the right mindset, encouraging students, and allowing them to explore the medium will lead to engagement and some exciting results!

If you liked Andrea's advice here, you will love learning even more from her in her two Art Ed PRO packs about watercolor.

(P.S. Don't forget you can ask your administrator to purchase PRO for your school!)
How do you feel about teaching watercolor? What is your favorite watercolor lesson?

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5 Ideas to Improve How You Teach Watercolor - The Art of Education University

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I hate teaching watercolor. I want to love it, but I just can't get there. My biggest frustration is that I feel like I just can't teach it as well as I want to. I don't love the medium enough to be excited about it, and I don't have the right ideas to make it [...]

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Stretch your budget - paint with markers 

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Stretch your budget - paint with markers 

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2018/05/30/how-to-stretch-your-budget-by-painting-with-markers/

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The end of the school year is rapidly approaching. If your art room is anything like mine, you are currently scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to supplies. Your budget is spent for the year, and you simply have to make do with what you have.

In my case, my clay is long gone, I've used a spatula on the last of the printing ink, and the watercolor pans are non-existent. Add in the "Summer is so soon!" excitement, and a supply shortage can derail your already distractible students.

Stretch your supplies with recycled marker painting!

How does it work?

This technique can pair with almost any drawing assignment you or your students can dream up, making it a perfect fit for a traditional or choice-based classroom.

Once the initial drawing is completed, students choose sections to color with any water-based marker. Then, using a brush and a small cup of water, they activate the marker pigment, causing it to run and blend similar to paint.

Students can choose to color the entire composition, or strategically color individual sections to create value, color mixing, patterning, or invent their own techniques.

Embedded Skills

While painting with markers is just plain fun, it also has lots of potential for reinforcing concepts you have been emphasizing throughout the school year.

1. The difference between water-soluble and permanent pigments
Consider providing students with a mixture of permanent and water-soluble markers. Encourage them to experiment, and then discuss the similarities and differences. How could both types of markers be used to an artist's advantage on the same artwork?

2. How to create a value scale
Demonstrate how a value scale can be produced by varying the amounts of ink and water used. Challenge your students to develop as many different values as possible, using just a single marker, brush, and cup of water.

3. A review of color mixing
Help your students solidify their color mixing knowledge. Encourage them to use combinations of markers near one another. Then, mix the colors by lightly brushing water over the top of both. Be aware that sometimes marker pigments react differently than paint pigments. This fact can offer even more topics for discovery-based discussion.

3 Tips for Student Success

1. Consider using a variety of marker brands.

My classroom marker collection is the result of family donations, so my students are fortunate to have access to a variety of brands. While all water soluble marker brands work, my students developed opinions about which they prefer. Some students believed the pigments seem to separate or blend differently, depending on the type of marker. This could be great fodder for an inquiry-based STEAM lesson!

2. Recycle older markers.

Marker painting works best with free-flowing ink, but it can also be used to squeak a little extra life out of markers that are on their "last legs." If a marker is no longer coloring efficiently and is leaving a dry, spotty mark on the paper, it can still be used for this technique! As long as SOME pigment makes it onto the paper, SOME paint will be produced.

3. Work on one section at a time.

Remind your students this process has some similarities to working with traditional watercolors. If they do not want their pigments to mix, they should strategically work on opposite portions of the artwork. This gives adjacent areas the chance to dry.

Advancing Equity for our Students

As summer approaches, art teachers are acutely aware of the disparate art experiences their students will have over the coming months. Some fortunate students can attend enriching camps and are given high-quality supplies by highly-invested parents. And, sadly, many students are from a socioeconomic situation that doesn't make summer art experiences affordable.

This is another reason why I love teaching this technique during the last days of school; it provides an art opportunity for kids who might otherwise not have one.

Almost every kid in the building has access to worn out markers they are preparing to throw away as they clean out their desk for the fall. If you teach this technique, suddenly every student has access to "paint" over the summer, just by being resourceful.

As with so many aspects of teaching, your best ideas for this technique will come from your students. Demonstration of this simple idea will take only minutes. Then, you can watch students invent and create new ways to incorporate this into their artwork. In my classroom, a resourceful second grader commented, "Hey, we could make our own paint with water books for the kindergarten classes by outlining the picture and leaving it dry!" It sounds like our next steps for this technique will be collaborative!
What techniques do you have for using up supplies at the end of the school year? How do you stretch your supply budget during the last months of school?

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How to Stretch Your Budget by Painting With Markers - The Art of Education University

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The end of the school year is rapidly approaching. If your art room is anything like mine, you are currently scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to supplies. Your budget is spent for the year, and you simply have to make do with what you have.

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https://www.panoramaed.com/blog/2x10-relationship-building-strategy#:~:text=At%20its%20core%2C%20the%202x10,for%2010%20consecutive%20school%20days

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In this Intervention Brief, we explore 2x10 Relationship Building, an intervention that empowers educators to build authentic relationships with students and increase their sense of belonging. You can find the 2x10 Relationship Building strategy in the intervention library of Student Success, Panorama's MTSS intervention management platform for school districts.
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Quick Summary
Intervention Name: 2x10 Relationship Building (or Two-by-Ten Relationship Building)

Tier(s): 2

Grade Levels: K-12

Description: Support students by spending two minutes per day (for 10 consecutive school days in a row) connecting with a student individually and offering extra social-emotional support.

[Free Download] 15 SEL Intervention Ideas for School and District Teams

2x10 Relationship Building Intervention Overview

2x10 Relationship Building-originally coined the "two-minute intervention" by researcher Raymond Wlodkowski and popularized in Allen Mendler's Connecting with Students-is a Tier 2 intervention that helps build teacher-student relationships, reinforce positive behaviors, and convey genuine support to an individual who might be typecast as a "challenging student."

At its core, the 2x10 strategy is about consistently building relationships with students. Educators (or school leaders) select a particular student and set a goal to engage in a 2-minute conversation with that student for 10 consecutive school days. These conversations might happen at the beginning or end of a class period.

Research shows that implementing the 2x10 intervention can lead to significant improvements in individual student behavior and the broader classroom climate.

Not only can the 2x10 strategy create a positive connection between an adult and an individual student, but adults can also use it to model core SEL competencies such as social awareness, self-awareness, and relationship skills through empathy and active listening.

Who Does the 2x10 Strategy Work For?
The 2x10 Relationship Building intervention works best for students who are having a hard time maintaining positive relationships in the classroom, exhibiting disruptive behaviors, or are in need of extra emotional support. It provides students with a safe outlet to communicate their feelings, emotions, and needs to a trusted adult. This targeted intervention can be used as a behavior support for individual students in elementary school, middle school, or high school.

Consider the following criteria when identifying students who will benefit from the 2x10 strategy:

Students who respond positively to adult attention and connection

Students who are struggling to connect with peers (or adults) in the school community

Student who struggle with emotion regulation, social awareness, and disruptive behavior

How to Implement the 2x10 Strategy

1. Choose one student whom you would like to strengthen your relationship with.

2. Select when you are going to approach the student (e.g., at the beginning of a class period).

3. Find the student and start a conversation with them. To build a productive relationship with a student, adults will likely have to initiate the connection.

4. The focus of these conversations should be:

Brevity.These conversations should last two minutes or under.

Student Voice.Invite them to share something non-academic with you about their day or life. Here are some great get-to-know-you question prompts.

Honesty.Model transparency and authenticity by sharing something personal/non-academic with the student.

If you use Panorama: You can select the "2x10 relationship building" strategy when creating an intervention plan for a student. Monitor the student's progress over time by logging notes. Everything will be saved to the student's profile and visible to other educators with access to Panorama.

Example of a student intervention plan in Panorama (mock data pictured)

"After implementing 2x10 relationship building in response to Panorama survey data, we had an increase of over 6 percent of students who felt a favorable sense of belonging and connection to adults. That's about 75 to 80 kids. Those students also improved their attendance, academics, overall sense of well-being, and SEL strengths."
-Luke Rasmussen, Executive Director of Secondary Education (Read the full story)

Tips for Effective 2x10 Strategy Implementation

Keep the content of the conversation focused on the student's personal interests, not their schoolwork or behavior. Use an interest inventory to ask questions, or use context clues (e.g., what the student is wearing or likes to talk about in class) to help drive the conversations. Find out what their favorite food is or what their hobbies are. The goal is to get to know the child outside of school in an authentic manner.

Consistency is key. Even if the conversations are shorter than ten minutes, they can be beneficial if they occur every school day. Holding a 30-second conversation for 10 days in a row with a student conveys more care than having just one 30-minute conversation.

Ask open-ended questions, and don't be afraid to probe if students start to open up.

Be a persistent, positive role model.

Keep the momentum going after the 10 days and continue to engage the student on a regular basis.

Additional Resources on the 2x10 Strategy and Other Behavior Interventions

Download this packet of 15 evidence-based SEL interventions [includes instructions and templates for use].

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2x10 Relationship Building: How to Do It (and Why It Works!)

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The 2x10 Relationship Building strategy is a Tier 2 behavioral intervention that empowers educators to ritualize a classroom management technique to create a personal connection with students

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https://uploads.theartofeducation.edu/2022/07/SUM22_8IdeasForUsingVisualJournals.pdf

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https://create-abilities.com/wow-board-classroom-management-tool/

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I have to share with you something that I absolutely love: The WOW board! This beautiful piece of poster board was introduced to me by my friend and colleague. I used it throughout the year but found it especially helpful near the end of the school year.

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https://theartofeducation.edu/podcasts/utilizing-digital-portfolios-ep-325/

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In today's episode, Tim welcomes on new guest and future NOW Conference presenter Sejal Vaywala to talk about how she uses digital portfolios in her classroom. Listen as they discuss the best sites for creating portfolios, the benefits for students and teachers, and how to keep kids on track with reflections and submissions throughout the year. Full Episode Transcript Below.

Resources and Links

Transcript

Tim: Welcome to Art Ed Radio, the podcast for art teachers. This show is produced by The Art of Education University. And I'm your host, Tim Bogatz.

Now, I am welcoming a new guest on the podcast today, and I am eager to talk to her. Sejal Vaywala is a secondary art teacher from Virginia, and she does a lot in her classroom with digital portfolios. So, today, we're going to dive into that topic and talk about the what, when, why and how of creating digital portfolios with your students, which I think is an incredibly worthwhile endeavor for both students and teachers alike. I hope our discussion today covers some of the reasons why.

Sejal will also be talking about this topic and showing you a lot more at the NOW Conference at the end of this month. Now, her presentation will be part of the main event on Thursday, July 28th. As I keep telling you, every week, it feels like, if you want to be part of the conference, check out all the information that you can find, everything that you need on the AOEU website. But while you are waiting for the conference to come around, and I think this discussion might pique your interest in portfolios, and get you thinking about how you can use them in your classroom.

All right, Sejal Vaywala is here with me. Sejal, how are you?

Sejal: I'm doing great. How are you?

Tim: Very well. I'm looking forward to talking all about digital portfolios. But before we start there, can we begin with just an introduction? Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and about your teaching?

Sejal: Yes, absolutely. So, first of all, thanks for having me on here. I have taught art for 10 years and I started my career teaching art at a middle school, but for most of my career, I've taught high school at this really small school in Richmond, Virginia. I'm the only high school studio art teacher at the school. So, that means I have many of the same students year after year from all grades in mixed classes. So, I love to take a student-centered choice-based approach, which is one of the reasons why I got into portfolios in the first place. They give a deeper picture into the students art practice just beyond their finished products. So, I'm looking forward to sharing all about those digital portfolios today.

Tim: Oh, awesome. I feel like we could have a whole different conversation to a whole different podcast on what it's like to be the only art teacher at a secondary school. I did that for a few years and there are definitely some challenges. But like you said, there are a lot of rewards, too, being able to work with the same kids for multiple years and watching them grow. It's a wonderful thing. But, anyway, we can save that for another time. We are here to talk about portfolios. So, I guess I'll begin with just the most simple question. What do you love about digital portfolios? Why are you so passionate about digital portfolios?

Sejal: Oh my gosh. There's so many reasons. I know there's a time limit, so I'll try to keep it to the main ones. So, they're, first of all, a means for more authentic assessment of the student learning and performance beyond the numerical grade. As a teacher, I'm able to understand them and their process. So, their thoughts and their growth, all of that, so much better on a regular basis. This is as I'm reading their blog reflections, which they post on their portfolios, which they do regularly. This is also when I see their completed work and their artist statements on there. So, that's one reason I would say. As the students post on there, they are able to understand their process better as well. So, they are able to gain better awareness about things such as their goals moving forward, what they're doing well, what they could improve on, ways they can improve, et cetera, et cetera.

One of the best part is that you get to see all of their work, their growth, their progress over time in one place that doesn't take up any room. So, there also developing presentation skills, they learn to organize and store their work. You can be a better advocate for your art program by sharing these with the community, with administrators, families, and school members. I know I do that all the time and just get a lot of just compliments on those. One last reason for now, so there's more and more colleges and jobs and internships that are recommending portfolios now. So, if the students have a portfolio, especially at the high school level, it gives them the edge. I have a student who was applying for engineering school and she included in her art portfolio and her interviewer basically told her that her portfolio made her stand out above other applicants.

Tim: They have. Awesome.

Sejal: Yeah. So, she wasn't even applying in art and her portfolio helped her get accepted. So, there's just so many benefits to doing them beyond their own learning as well.

Tim: Yeah, that's really cool. I want to talk a little bit about logistics and how you put them together and all that kind of stuff. But before we get to that, I would love to know just how you first got started with digital portfolios. Just thinking back, what was the impetus that made you want to have your kids start creating those portfolios?

Sejal: Yeah, sure. So, it all started when I was looking for a much more well-rounded way to assess the students, the ways that students would be able to share their process and not just their product. So, I was looking for a place where they could regularly reflect, like a blog, where they shared what they've been working on, thinking about learning in class. Then, at the same time, I saw that there was also a need for students to learn presentation skills. So, just to be able to properly showcase the work they've done over the year, taking quality pictures, editing them, learning that they need to crop out the background, little things like that before posting them, writing an artist statement to better explain what their work is about and all of that. So, presentation skills like that.

I'd seen that the students just had a tendency to just tuck their work in their cubbies when they were done and just jump to the next thing without properly reflecting on what they did and communicating about their work. So, at first, I had them reflect and write artist statements and post their work, but it was all in separate places. The reflections, they turned it on Google Docs and finished artworks on a slide show that they turned in. That was frankly just hard to keep track of. So, I started to use websites like Weebly at first and then now Google Sites. These work well, because we were able to put both their blog posts and final artwork on there. So, their blog posts from the year are on one of the web pages on their site and then their art gallery is on a different page within the same site.

So, it's just so much easier to keep track of all of their artwork in one place, while the students also learned presentation and organization and web design technology skills as they build their site. So, it took me some trial and error to get there, but website portfolios are my thing, they work best for me. And they're just now so ingrained in our classroom culture. So, when they finish their work, they know to post it on there with an artist statement and they are working on something interesting, they know to take a process picture, so later on they can add it in their reflection blogs. So, it's just a habit now. And I can't imagine not using them anymore.

Tim: Yeah. That's really cool. I love what you said about just having everything together in one place, because I feel like a lot of times teachers think, "Oh, we should be doing process photos and talking about process and we should be doing reflections and we should have our final artworks and talk about those." But it's very tough to keep it organized, very tough to keep it all in one place. So, I really like the idea of how you tie that all together. And I think that's a worthwhile goal for teachers and a good reason to put these together. Now, you also mentioned Wix, you mentioned Google Sites. Are those your favorites? Can you recommend for teachers? Are those, in your opinion, the best sites to use for digital portfolios? Can you maybe talk a little bit about the benefits and drawbacks of some of the various sites you've used?

Sejal: Yeah, sure. So, I find, at least, for me, at the high school level, my favorite sites are Google Sites and Weebly and Wix, because those are some of the best sites, in my opinion, to build websites on. You have a lot of freedom. Then building them, the students have a lot of freedom. But here are my personal opinions on [inaudible 00:10:59] there's, of course, tons of them out there. But these are the ones that I think teachers, it might be easier for teachers to use in a classroom. So, first of all, Google Sites, I like it because my school does use the G Suite. I know my school recommended that I use that, even though I used Weebly before. Google Sites does not have a built-in blog option, but we can still use it to create a blog post quite easily, which I'll show at the conference.

It's good for the absolute beginner for websites. I think it's easy to add images on there and you can add images on there from your Google Drive too, which makes it easy to use for everybody who has the G Suite. So, definitely a good one to start with. Then there's Weebly. I know at my last school, that's what I ended up using the most. I find that it's easy to create a great looking site without too much technical knowledge. They do have a built-in blog option as part of their free plan. It's great for a teacher site, too. So, I know I had a personal Weebly site where I actually shared happenings in my classrooms just at student work. So, I like that, but that could once again be a whole other podcast. So, I won't talk too much about that.

I find that Wix is also another great option for some of the similar reasons as Weebly. It's another way to create a great looking, yet free and easy site. I like to say. You can actually drag and drop backgrounds from a library of images and videos that they provide. I've started to use one myself. I know I'm working on a personal website, but it's easy to make it look really nice and professional without any hassle. So, those three are my top three. But I think there's some other ones that also work really well for other level teachers, like elementary school teachers.

I know Artsonia is something that a lot of elementary school teachers that I know use. I think Artsonia is good because students can add images on there and parents can purchase mugs and T-shirts and magnets and all other kinds of items with their kids' work on it. It's good for a completed work. Maybe not so much for the reflection blogs. So, if that's what you're going for, then that might be a good option. Then another one that I've seen a lot of elementary school teachers use is Seesaw. Because you can post all kinds of things on their photos, video clips, audio clips, drawings, and teachers can assign activities on there. There's a whole library of activities that they can actually choose from and assign just from the Seesaw website, it's geared towards elementary-age kids, like I mentioned. So, another great option for that level.

Then there's others like Padlet, I've used before. I tend to use it now more for collaboration. So, it's good for that, because many students can add a work to the same Padlet page. But you could also make a quick portfolio, if you would like. I know one year, in 2020, when we had just all moved remote. I had all my AP students create quick end-of-the-year Padlet sites with their AP portfolio. And I shared them at the school community. It was great. It was quick. It was easy. So, those are great for that. You can, once again, add multiple web pages, it will all be on that one Padlet page.

Then there's one last one I wanted to talk about, which is good, which I've seen is good. I know the middle school teacher that I work with, she used that for all of her eighth graders. So, the Adobe Express for Education, which is formerly Adobe Spark, that's a great one. Students can easily sign up for free with the school email, create a page, add their work and writing from the year. It's a really beginner-friendly, user-friendly, has visually appealing themes to choose from. It's easy to add images, text, videos, and more. Once again, they would be limited to the page that they're designing, unless they're creating a whole other site on there, a whole other page. So, yeah, those are some great and easy-to-use options for teachers. There's some more sophisticated ones, but I prefer these for quick and get them done kind of websites.

Tim: Yeah, for sure. No, that's a lot of good suggestions and a good rundown. So, thank you for that. Then, a cool thing that I'll just add about the conference really quickly is we're doing your portfolio's presentation during the main event on Thursday. Then the next day, on Friday, with the asynchronous learning day, where everybody can just come in and learn at their own pace, we actually have Artsonia talking about elementary portfolios. So, sort of as a nice counterpart to what you're doing. So, it was cool to hear you shout them out. And I think that'll be a good tie in, a good companion piece to your presentation.

So, I wanted to ask you, I guess, about the logistics, because you've talked through a lot of the different things that you have your kids do, but I'd love to help teachers envision how they might be able to put things together in their own classrooms. So, can you just give us a quick summary, I guess, of what you've talked about here, as far as how portfolios are set up, what they look like and all the things that you have kids put into the portfolios as they're assembling them?

Sejal: Sure. Yeah. So, with our Google Sites, we built them early in the year, I'm talking the first or second week of school, usually when their schedules are finalized and I know who's definitely going to be in the class that's going to be built on. At that time, I first walk them through the initial steps of the creating the new Google Site. So, naming it, creating a homepage with a picture and about me section, adjusting the themes and background images, some of the basic stuff, which they usually pick up faster than me. But they also create two main pages on their site right at the beginning, when they're setting them up. So, they create a reflection blog page. I mentioned a little bit about that, but that's the page where they do regular reflections at a set time. I can talk a little bit more about that later.

But they do them regularly wherever they are in the art process. We have set aside time to do those either depending on your school situation, you could do them at week, every other week, depending on how frequently you see the students. There's a finished artwork section, that's a different page. So, that's where only when they finish their artwork, they add to that page. So, that's where they do their artist statements that explain their artwork and they put polished photos, really well-cropped and presentable photos of their artwork. But the reflection blog is just giving the people a glimpse into their daily art practice. So, those are the two main pages that we start with in the beginning of the year. So, we made the pages, we just create the pages, then we're setting them up. But at that point, they're not adding anything to it, that'll be later on.

So, they publish it, which they have to remember to do every time they make a change and they'll have to be reminded, especially in the beginning, but then they'll get used to it. So, then I have them turn in their URL in the comments of a Google Classroom assignment. So, I have everybody's in that class, in one place, and I can go back to that assignment every time I'm checking that they're doing their entries. So, that's one way you can keep them organized. You could also have them just simply add theirs on a Google Doc, if you prefer it that way. I would just recommend organizing each classes separately, just so that will just make it easier to track them later on class by class.

So, I do these steps with each class in those first couple weeks just to set up the portfolios. They can, of course, add more pages if they want. So, if they later want to add a CV page, especially for the high school teachers or just older high school students that might want to add that, if they want to create a whole other page for a different kind of art. I know I had a student who took a photography class outside of the school and she wanted to have a whole other page for her photography that she did in that class. So, if there's anything like that, they can create a new page. But those are some of the basic things that I include on the portfolios. Of course, it's going to be different for every teacher and their situation, but I found that this works best for me.

Tim: Okay. That's awesome. Now, let me ask you, though, because you mentioned about having kids post regularly, you mentioned about needing to give them reminders, because I think this is right along the lines of what a lot of teachers are worried about. So, let me ask you, how do you keep students on track and make sure that they're submitting what they need to in that portfolio? How do you do that on a regular basis?

Sejal: Yeah. Yeah. So, the reflection blog posts are something that we all do at a set time regularly as I mentioned a little bit. But I would just set a specific time to do them, whether you're doing them every week, every couple weeks. I know my school has an eight day rotation, so we just do them at the last day of the rotation. So, that's day eight of the rotation is that when we do portfolios. What happens on those days is they come in, they pull up their site on their computers, but it is possible to do it on other devices too, with the Google Sites. So, whatever devices they have, they do that and they take 10 to 15 minutes to do that reflection blog post.

They can write about what they have been doing. They can choose from a list of questions I provide them. They can take pictures of their process and upload them along with, of course, their writing. I tell them that as soon as they're done, they have to publish their post. Once they do that, they can continue on whatever they have been working on, their art projects. So, I know that can be a lot of reflections to read at a time, but I make it a point to go through them while they're submitting them in the beginning and during that same period. So, I'm reading them as they're quietly doing their reflections, because at that time, that's something that we do quietly. I sometimes wish I could do that every day, because they come in and when they write them, they're so [inaudible 00:24:27], but when they're doing them, that's a perfect time to just go through the ones that are coming in early.

So, I do that, check them while they're doing them. Any that they don't get through at the start of class, I'm usually able to just do that in the windows of time that I'm not helping students. Usually, in that same period. So, it's definitely possible to do all of that without adding an extra chunk of grading to your schedule. As for the finished work, I make it a required step to upload their artwork and art statement for that piece as soon as they finish each piece. So, they're doing that throughout the year as well, not just at the end of the year.

Although, I do know some teachers who like to just have them work on portfolios at the end and it works well for them. So, just to think about what you prefer when you're choosing how they're going to post on there. But they do that as they're finishing each artwork and that is how they officially turn in their work to me, just there, by having that on their art portfolio. I do not grade it until it is on the portfolio. So, their piece is not considered completed until it's on the portfolio. That helps me keep track of their work and make sure it's just all on there when they complete it. Yeah.

Tim: All right. That is great. No, I appreciate the rundown there and I just want to ask you one last really quick question. I feel like I'm convinced that this is something that most teachers should be doing, but can you just give us one last sales pitch? Can you convince everybody listening just how digital portfolios have made your life easier as a teacher?

Sejal: Yeah. Yeah. So, just imagine having one place that captures and shows a detailed version of each student's yearlong worth of artwork, their blog posts and all types of learning. So, that's their growth, their mistakes, their experimentation, their just breakthroughs and all of that in one place that does not take up any room. So, I'm just going to keep emphasizing that, because it's just so much better to have it all in one place. It's also a place that you can easily go back to for reference. Or if you ever want to share examples with other students and families, administrators, other members of the school community, all their work is documented in one place. That's what online portfolios are.

It might take some time on the front-end to get them all set up in the beginning and used to using them. But after their first few posts, they'll get used to it and you'll start seeing a difference. So, in the long run, they will save you so much more time, because you'll be able just to more easily find and keep track of each of your students' work from anywhere with internet. So, you are teaching them important skills while making life easier for you. It's a win-win. And once you do it, you'll just be wondering why you didn't do it before. That's what happens to me.

Tim: Nice. I love it. Thank you so much. I appreciate all the advice, the rundown on different sites, suggestions on how to keep kids working. I really feel like you're giving everybody the tools they need to put this together. Then, for those that are interested, they can really check out all the details at your presentation at the conference, which I know we're looking forward to. So, Sejal, thank you so much. I appreciate the conversation and, like I said, all of your words of wisdom when it comes to digital portfolios.

Sejal: Wonderful. Thank you for having me again.

Tim: I appreciate Sejal sharing all of that information. She is great to listen to because she has so much experience and has been doing these portfolios for so long. We always talk about how we want kids to reflect on their work and document their process and see how they progress and put things together with a comprehensive portfolio at the end. It's obvious that digital portfolios can help us with so many of those goals. As she said during the conversation, it might be a little bit of work on the front-end, it might be a difficult beginning, and there might be a learning curve for you and for your students. But in the end, all of that is worth it, because you can do so many things with those digital portfolios.

Now, I also mentioned while we were talking that we have two different presentations at the conference dealing with digital portfolios. So, Sejal's, which you just heard a lot about, will be part of the main event on Thursday, July 28th. Then if you are interested in the elementary perspective, Danielle Matousek from Artsonia will have a presentation available on Friday during the asynchronous day of learning about how you can have your students create portfolios at the elementary level, with Artsonia and all of the other opportunities that are available through Artsonia.

And as I always tell you, I told you at the beginning of the show, and for the last month, you can find all of the information you need about the conference on the AOEU website. It's going to be an incredible three days of learning, art making and connecting. I really hope we see you there. Art Ed Radio is produced by The Art of Education University with audio engineering from Michael Crocker. Thank you for listening as always and we'll talk to you next week.

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Utilizing Digital Portfolios (Ep. 325) - The Art of Education University

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In today's episode, Tim welcomes on new guest and future NOW Conference presenter Sejal Vaywala to talk about how she uses digital portfolios in her classroom. Listen as they discuss the best sites for creating portfolios, the benefits for students and teachers, and how to keep kids on track with reflections and submissions throughout the [...]

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Celebrate Learning with a growth portfolio

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Celebrate Learning with a growth portfolio

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https://theartofeducation.edu/2020/11/27/celebrate-learning-with-a-growth-portfolio/

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Creating a portfolio is one of the most meaningful ways to assess learning. The idea of building and assessing a portfolio for each student feels daunting, but it doesn't have to be. Not only do you get to see the growth of a student over time, but they do, too.

What is a growth portfolio?

Students often think of a portfolio as a body of their best, completed works. Most students don't even build a portfolio until they are ready to apply for college. A growth portfolio, however, is a little different. This type of portfolio contains a little bit of everything throughout your student's class time with you. Instead of only showing off their finished artwork, students document and present artifacts to demonstrate their learning over time. While these portfolios sometimes feel like additional work, growth portfolios have many benefits that make them an invaluable part of the artistic process.
Growth portfolios...

Demonstrate clear evidence of learning

Build student confidence

Collect visible data

Monitor students' needs

Support literacy goals

Celebrate progress

What does a growth portfolio look like?

Growth portfolios are a great tool to assess learning and directly align with the National Visual Arts Standards. Students as young as kindergarten can curate their work to create a meaningful portfolio.

Just as you would teach media skills through modeling and practice, students also need to learn how to document their process, curate important evidence, and present their final work. Students might take time to collect their final artworks, some planning sketches, and maybe a written statement in the younger years. As the years progress, students need to be taught how to take quality photos of their work and how to choose the best evidence of work to share.
Digital Portfolios and So Much More . . . (Ep. 112)
Throughout middle and early high school, expose students to different ways in which artists document their work. Video and audio recordings, visual annotations, and various types of written examples are all valid forms of documentation. High school students continue to develop their literacy and reflection skills throughout multiple classes and levels. By the end of their high school career, advanced students will be able to curate their best works along with their most clear evidence of process, create an artist statement for their entire body of work, and defend their choices.

How can students build a digital growth portfolio?

Step 1: Choose your platform.

Digital portfolios have become the new norm. With so many different digital platforms at our disposal, where do you start? Some are more user-friendly than others, some allow you to download and save, and some might not be accessible through your district. Try a few out before introducing them to students so you can find the right fit. Some teacher and student favorites are:

Step 2: Decide on essential content.

As students begin, provide a framework or template for what evidence they should collect and present. Later in their career, students can determine which artifacts best represent their learning and why. Here are some ideas of what to include as essential content:

Practice: Including key foundational concepts such as composition, paper weaving, shading a sphere, or photographing leading lines is a great way to check for understanding. Students can include a quick exercise or identify the concept in more developed artwork.

Finished Artwork: Teach students how to photograph their work in good lighting with appropriate angles. Once students have a quality image of their work, teach them how to display it on their digital platform. This might include a title, media, dimensions, a possible artist statement and layout, and ease of reading.

Process: Not only should students show off their final product, but also how they got there. Students can provide artifacts throughout their process to make their thinking visible. Here are some ideas of what types of artifacts students can include.

Planning: Ideation including lists, mind mapping, word webs, visual journaling, developing ideas through sketches and maquettes, and artist research are all important parts of the planning process worth documenting.

Artmaking: Taking note of technique practice, media exploration, photographs of daily progress, photos or videos of problem-solving and revision will help showcase an artist's process.

Critique and Refinement: Questions students asked for specific peer feedback, annotations on how they refined based on this feedback, further development, and thinking revision offer opportunities for reflection.

Step 3: Reflect.

Students should reflect throughout their entire process; this is an opportunity to ask targeted questions at the end of an artwork. Reflection questions might include:

What successes or ah-ha moments did you have?

How did you take risks in your process?

What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome those obstacles?

If you could do this over again, what would you do differently?

How will you take what you learned from this work into how you approach your next artwork?

How do I assess a growth portfolio?

Assessing growth might seem tricky. Decide what key concepts you value and how important each of those are to assess. If you value risk-taking and exploration in your art room, for example, then make sure it's part of your rubric. Teach students how to identify what risk-taking and exploration look like, so they can collect and include that evidence. In a growth portfolio, you are not assessing each artwork, but rather the learning and development as a whole.

Risk-taking, exploration

Creative problem-solving

Development of technical skills

Concept and visual meaning-making

Reflection

Foundational concepts (Elements of Art and the Principles of Design)

Students can also identify what growth looks like to them. This is a key component to reviewing work over a long period of time (quarter, semester, year, etc.). Students curate only a few artifacts from all of their documented evidence that best speaks to their growth in their later high school years. Students' insights will help you see pieces you might have missed otherwise.
Key concepts for a growth portfolio rubric often include:

What trends do I see both in technical and conceptual growth?

What continues to be challenging; how have I overcome my obstacles?

What areas could I continue to develop?

What have I learned from this class that I will take with me into the next course level, other classes, and in my life in general?

Combining your rubric expectations alongside your student's voices is an exciting way to assess. Students will take ownership of their work from start to finish and bask in their own growth. Help your students visualize their learning and celebrate their achievements.

However you decide to assemble a portfolio, don't wait until the last week of school. Help students build their portfolios over time with routine practice and checkpoints. By the time students complete the semester, they will have an amazing portfolio of both process and product. How can you not celebrate that visual growth?
Consider questions like: Do your students create a growth portfolio? If not, what's been an obstacle to starting? What are your favorite digital platforms for portfolio creation? What are your assessment criteria for a growth portfolio?

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Celebrate Learning With a Growth Portfolio - The Art of Education University

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Creating a portfolio is one of the most meaningful ways to assess learning. The idea of building and assessing a portfolio for each student feels daunting, but it doesn't have to be. Not only do you get to see the growth of a student over time, but they do, too.