I recently had the privilege of helping my adult daughter edit the manuscript for her first book. Her first real, published book. A book with an agent, a publisher, a release date (April 2017), and it’s own pre-order page on Amazon. A proud parenting milestone for sure! But this book of hers has been a long time in the making. In fact, we can trace its origin all the way back … [Read more...]
Your Child’s Art: What to Save, How to Save It
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about decluttering…. paring down all the stuff we've accumulated over the years and keeping only what’s truly important to us. So when one of my readers asked me what to do with the 'mountain of artwork' his kids were bringing home, it really struck a chord. After surveying friends, family, my own bookshelf, and the internet in general, I came to … [Read more...]
Why Everyone Can (and Should!)… Learn to Draw
Explaining the importance of learning to draw to art educators is like preaching to the choir. We already believe! Yet we all have people around us, school administrators, parents, and even students, who don't share our enthusiasm. We need to be proactive in our art advocacy if we’re to avoid having to defend our programs on the chopping block! One way to educate and inform … [Read more...]
Confessions of an Art Ed Snob, Part One: Cookie Cutter Art
A while back, a family emergency led me to take (what I thought would be) a temporary leave of absence from my K-8 Art position. A change like this can offer you a different perspective and teach you some surprising things. I never imagined all I'd learn about teaching by not teaching! But this time away from the classroom gave me some much needed space to reflect.... not only … [Read more...]
5 Lessons I’ve Learned from My Students
As teachers, we spend most of our time focused on what we teach our students. But sometimes it’s worthwhile to step back and reflect on what our students are teaching us. While all of my students have shaped me as a teacher and as a person, a few of my former students have left an indelible mark on my heart. The lessons they taught me are not new, but there’s something about … [Read more...]
How to Draw Out the Very Best Artwork from Your Students
I first fell in love with kids’ art long before I ever became an art teacher…. I think I’ve always been attracted to it. Truth be told, I prefer kids’ art to most of the art that adults make! I love its spontaneity, its expressiveness, and its honesty. Kids’ art is charming, original, and delightful…. except when it’s not. We’ve all seen art made by kids that looks like a … [Read more...]
10 Mistakes Every Art Teacher Can Avoid
Over the years, I've made more than my share of mistakes.... and many of them more than once! We all make mistakes, but we can learn from each other and at least avoid some of the common ones. Here are some lessons I've learned the hard way! 1. Doing for your students what they can (and should!) do for themselves. From passing out supplies to washing brushes at the end of … [Read more...]
Wishing You a “Perfectionism-Free” New Year
"As a painter I shall never really count, I can feel that absolutely." ~ Vincent Van Gogh, 1889, Arles Vincent Van Gogh never knew what a great artist he was. His paintings sell for millions today, yet in his lifetime, he only ever sold one painting. What fascinates me is that he didn't let this stop him.... he kept painting. Even when he received no outside appreciation for … [Read more...]
How to Start an Art Program at Your Child’s School
The one question my readers ask more than any other is something along the line of, "Do you have any advice for parents who want to teach Art in their child's class?" And my answer is, yes.... actually, I do! This topic is near and dear to my heart because this is exactly how I got my start in Art Education! I began my career in Art Ed as a parent volunteer. When my … [Read more...]
“Teaching with Love and Logic: Taking Control of the Classroom” by Jim Fay and David Funk
If you've ever felt stressed by classroom management, you need this book... Teaching with Love and Logic: Taking Control of the Classroom by Jim Fay and David Funk. It may sound corny to say that this book could change your life, but it very well might! When I first started out as a new teacher, I felt woefully unprepared in the area of classroom management. My credential … [Read more...]