AME 153: Creative Thinkers
Art Made Easy
The Coronavirus is certainly shaking things up. It’s early on in the cycle of school closures, social distancing and home-based learning and people are just plain confused. Folks deal with these types of events differently. There is a tremendous amount of pressure to stay put, not travel, hoard toilet paper and stock up on Chardonnay. So I thought it might be helpful to offer you a permission slip to slow down, calm down and take this pandemic day by day. There are so many opportunities lurking behind every bored moment, teaching challenge and frustrations. You never really know when...
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AME 152: Your Communication Plan (and Why it’s Never Too Late to Create One)
Art Made Easy
Do you struggle to find the right response when parents complain about your cancellation policy, how you’re grading children in art class, or why your art looks the way it does. You’re not alone. One of the biggest challenges for many art teachers, classroom teachers, and art volunteers is setting expectations for your art program. This is an often overlooked part of your program and if not addressed early on, can lead to some very uncomfortable conversations. And believe me, I’ve had a few. If you struggle with any of the above then I’m happy to say that the solution easy....
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AME 151: The Secret Benefits of Make-Up Art Days
Art Made Easy
As art teachers we have BIG goals for our art programs. Extensive year-long themes and curriculums require many class sessions to complete. And the more classes a project requires, the more likely it is that kids will fall behind. And that means a portfolio of unfinished work. One of the most effective ways to tackle unfinished work is to schedule a make-up art day for your students. Not only are they helpful in building the confidence level of your young artists but they’ll have more finished art to choose from for your annual art show. It’s a win-win! Why you should schedule a Make-up...
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AME 150: 5 unconventional ways to connect with your students
Art Made Easy
Do you sometimes feel that there is a spark missing from your art room? Maybe your students are acting bored, apathetic or disruptive? Don’t throw out your behavior management plan just yet. All you might need is a change in how you engage with your students. Here are my favorite — and slightly unconventional ways— to connect with your students so your art room is engaging, happy and fun.
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AME 149: How to Embrace Your Role as a Non-Credentialed Art Teacher
Art Made Easy
Are you a credentialed art teacher? Or are you teaching art without an art related degree? I'm curious because this topic has been a HOT one in our Facebook groups. And truthfully, if I get any hate mail at all, it's usually because of two things: selling art lessons or saying you can teach art even if you’re not an artist. I do both because I believe in both. Especially the latter. In this episode of Art Made Easy, I talk about the friction that can happen when these two types of art educators collide. I’ll go over my strategies that can help you adjust your mindset in order to...
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AME 148: How to Prepare for Your School Art Show
Art Made Easy
Hosting an art show is undeniably the best way to celebrate your student’s year long efforts in art education. But the logistics of an art show can be overwhelming. Whether you’re excited to put this together (or expected to) it’s always a good idea to plan ahead. In this episode, I’ll take you through each step to prepare yourself and what you can do make sure your art show is a success. Download my Art Show Checklist below: WHAT YOU’LL LEARN -How to select the right projects for display - Who you should contact to help coordinate your event - Why student...
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AME 147: Nailing Your Art Demo
Art Made Easy
When you demonstrate a project your goal is to communicate the process in a way that connects to the students what they need to do to finish successfully. The question is how do you do that? In this episode, I’ll go over my experiences with different tools and technology that are useful for art demos and classroom management tips that will really help you nail your art demo. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: - Answers to the most common questions I get about art demos - How you can switch up your demos for different grade levels - What you can do to command their attention during a demo - How to teach a...
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AME 146:The Art of Slowing Things Down
Art Made Easy
I read so many comments from teachers in our Facebook Groups expressing how their students behavior has changed. Some teachers feel like kids aren’t able to work on the same project for extended periods of time — even as little as 30 minutes. They get bored or anxious, so they rush through the project in a haphazard way just to get to the next activity. If this is the reality then perhaps we can reconsider how we engage with our students. To hold a child’s attention, a new strategy might be the best way to get them excited to participate in the lesson. In this episode, I’ll offer my...
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AME 145: 5 Stages of Art Teacher Growth
Art Made Easy
When I was getting started as an art teacher, I was excited. But, I didn’t really know what I was doing. I had little to no experience — a few sessions in my kid’s classroom crafting quilt squares, but no elaborate art projects. I felt like I was pushed into the deep end without any preparation… But what I did have was a vision for what I wanted to accomplish. I knew I had a unique opportunity to inspire these kids. I knew it could be fun, exciting, and I knew I wanted to make an impact. I decided to dedicate myself to making it feel special. I backed my ideas up with lessons,...
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AME 144: How to Think Your Way to a Happy Year
Art Made Easy
My word of the year for 2020 is: clarity. For most of us, January is all about change: being a healthier, happier version of yourself. But that isn’t always the case. We don’t have to radically reinvent ourselves in order to find happiness. To quote one of my favorite authors, “the primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it.”―Eckhart Tolle The most important thing that you can do for yourself, to live a happy life is to be present. Don’t worry too much on what will be in the future. Don’t dwell on what was in the past… But be happy in the...
info_outlineIt’s 5 minutes before the end of art class, the room is a mess. Some kids are finishing up their projects, others are not. The clock is ticking and you know what comes next…clean-up time.
What do you do next? That depends on you…today on art made easy, I help you outline the best clean-up routine for YOU.
That little phrase always puts me in panic mode. Why? Because I didn’t have a system…at least one in which I identified as sound.
By the end of my class, the area by my sink I’ve always been honest about this failing of mine. I like to create not clean! This use to worry me and make me feel like a fraud..real art teachers know what to do. They have their classroom procedures under control.
What I know now that I didn’t know then…
But lucky for you, I have a few strategies that will help YOU identify the best clean-up routine for your art room.