How to Start an Art Program at Your Child’s School as a Parent Volunteer
If you’re wondering how to start an art program at your child’s school, you’ve come to the right place!
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 daughter started kindergarten, I was a stay-at-home mom with a degree in Art and a background in Graphic Design. It didn’t take long for her teacher to figure out what every parent had an interest in, and then enlist their help in some related area. So before I knew it I was developing and teaching the Art curriculum in her class.
This was before art ed blogs, and pre-Pinterest, so I had to find my art lessons the old-fashioned way… in books! I also created many lessons of my own during this time. But most importantly, I was hooked on teaching Art to kids! So, I went back to school to earn my K-12 Art Credential…. and a K-8 Multiple Subject Credential, just in case.
So, this post is for all you parent volunteers who’ve stepped up to fill the need for Art instruction at your child’s school. You’re my people and I applaud you!
Many schools no longer offer Art as a regular part of the school day, yet it’s so important. When there’s no funding to pay an Art teacher, parent volunteers are often called on to fill the gap. Thanks to the abundance of art lessons and teaching tips available on the internet today, parent volunteers can be very successful at teaching Art.
You don’t need to be an “artist” or have an art background yourself to teach art to kids. All you need are good lessons to follow (like following a recipe) and the willingness to have fun. Interest and passion will take you far!
So let’s say you’ve got the interest and passion, and your child’s teacher has invited you to fill this critical need. Where do you begin?
You might consider a cross-curricular approach, where you tie your Art projects to whatever topics the class is studying, such as the“Lifecycle of a Butterfly” in K, the “Solar System” in 3rd, or maybe “China” in 6th grade.
You’ll find lots of free art lessons right here on my Teach Kids Art website, organized by culture, medium, famous artist, and more. I also have some of my favorite lessons with more detailed instructions and step-by-step photos in my TPT Store.
You can also google “art lessons” and your grade level and topic to find more ideas you can try. Ask your child’s teacher for a general outline of the themes and basic concepts that will be taught each month so you’ll have some time to plan ahead.
I love to teach lessons with a focus on famous artists, creating a unique project inspired by each artist your students learn about. This gives you a framework to build on where you’ll naturally be working with a variety of mediums and techniques, while at the same time teaching art vocabulary, concepts, and art history.
Timing the study of an artist with that artist’s birthday can be especially fun… kids are always happy to celebrate a birthday! An added bonus is that learning about famous artists develops cultural literacy. When your students are out with their families and encounter some of the art they’ve learned about, they’ll be so excited to show what they’ve learned! I’ve seen this happen time after time with kids as young as kindergarten.
My favorite book series for teaching about famous artists is “Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists” by Mike Venezia. These are short stories written with a healthy dose of humor, and appropriate for grades K all the way through 5. Just familiarize yourself with the story so you can comfortably paraphrase as needed to adapt it to whatever grade level you’re working with.
These books are inexpensive, and you can buy them one at a time as you need them. Kids love learning that these famous artists were actually real people, with interesting lives. After introducing an artist to your students, you can do a project inspired by that artist…. not a “copy” of their artwork, but a project that imitates something about their style to teach a concept or technique.
Vincent Van Gogh is my favorite artist to start out with. His painting of The Starry Night is consistently popular and easily recognizable, so students will be likely to “run into it” over and over on posters, coffee mugs, tote bags, etc. This reinforces their learning each time they see it. The swirls of paint he used to capture the night sky have become a trademark of his style that can be used in a variety of fun projects!
Great lesson plans abound on the internet. You’ll find lots of project ideas on my site as well as many others. Pinterest is a another great way to find more lessons and inspiration. Keep in mind that many projects can be adapted for use with a variety of grade levels, so don’t assume something would be too easy or too hard just based on the samples you see.
When teaching Art, remember that no two students’ projects should look alike. If you end up with a room full of nearly identical projects, you’ve just done a craft project! You’ll quickly learn to spot the lessons that allow room for individual interpretation and creativity.
If you’re teaching Art as a volunteer, you most likely won’t have to worry about state standards, common core, grading, or curriculum mapping…. you can just have fun sharing the Joy of Art with kids!
Be sure to check out my TIP Vault for lots of helpful information about teaching art to kids. And don’t miss my 10 Mistakes Every Art Teacher Can Avoid. Most of all, if you’re a parent volunteer, I just want to encourage you and say, “thank you” for stepping up to fill a need that is so important. You can do this!!
Are you teaching Art as a volunteer? If so, what’s your biggest challenge or concern?
Hi Cheryl
I got into art education the very same way – as a parent volunteer docent at my son’s school. I am grateful to all the parents who have helped out in art at my school, and am so impressed by the energetic and dedicated parents who help with or provide art programs in schools everywhere. Yay volunteers!
I manage an after school art program. I grateful to the parents that can bring their kids to our classes, but I would love more arts in the schools for ALL kids. Great post and resources for parents who may not be art inclined – but the internet resources are plentiful!
I have trouble selecting age appropriate projects for the kids.
Also, what’s the difference between “crafts” and “art”?
Your second question is the easier one to answer! In my opinion, a “craft” is a project where there is little room for students to make their own choices and be creative in their work… and all the projects come out looking pretty much the same. “Art” leaves more room for creativity and individual interpretation, and results in each project being unique. Learning to select age-appropriate projects is the more difficult topic, especially if you aren’t familiar with the students’ abilities at that grade level. The standards can give you an idea of what they’re expected to know and be able to do, but keep in mind that there will always be a range of ability in every class, too. It might help to keep your projects somewhat simple at first, but leave room for the more advanced kids to take it a little further, if you can. You’ll gain a better understanding of what the kids can do each time you work with them, so hang in there… it gets easier!
Hi, I am a (currently laid off) stay at home mom with a visual communications and graphic design degree, and was wondering about how to start an art program at my sons school who is in kindergarten. What training or credentials if any would be required?
Thank you
Karla, good for you for stepping up to fill a need! The training/credentials required will vary from state to state and from school to school. But usually, if there’s no existing program and you’re volunteering your time and energy, they will be happy to have you! Your interest and passion for teaching art to kids will take you far. There is so much available on the internet now in terms of lesson plans, inspiration, and any other information you might need. You can create an excellent program, learning what you need to as you go! You are embarking on a great adventure… have FUN!!
How can I create an art program where I can get paid, and do this for a living. That would be a dream come true
That’s a great question, Shanti, and one that I bet a lot of others have, too! I think the best way to start out, if your school doesn’t already have an art program, is to volunteer. Ask the teachers and admin for feedback on the kind of lessons they would like to see offered. You could also approach the Home & School Club to see about getting a stipend or some money for supplies. Most of all, just start! You’ll gain great experience while finding out if it’s really for you. When the staff and parents see the value you’re providing, they’ll likely try to find a way to make it work for you, if they have the means to do that. And of course, there’s always the path of getting credentialed to teach Art and then pursuing that as a career. Best of luck to you in this journey!