Most everyone has heard the inspiring education statistic, "We remember 10% of what we hear, 20% of what we read, 50% of what we do, 75% of what we discuss and 90% of what we teach." Well surprisingly, I learned there is actually no scientific basis for these percentages! (For one example, check out the article: "Debunk This: People Remember 10% of What They Read".) Even so, … [Read more...]
Pink Gold – Sketching with Erasers!
Did you know that the simple pink eraser at the tip of your #2 pencil is worth its weight in gold?? (Or maybe even more, since erasers don't weigh much!) Well, it is, and here's why... I don't use these erasers for erasing (I save that for my trusty Magic Rub Eraser). I use them for DRAWING. It's a little known secret that you can sketch on almost any kind of paper using the … [Read more...]
Read Your Labels!
While it's always a good idea to be safe about the products we use as consumers, it's even more important when kids are involved. And in schools, this is not an option.... non-toxic is the only way to go! To ensure the quality and safety of the art materials your students use, be sure the product label contains this statement: "Conforms To ASTM D-4236".In addition to that, … [Read more...]
Scissor Tips
Using scissors is a skill that we adults have been comfortable with for so long that we forget how tricky this can be for small hands! By teaching kids a few basic rules for working with scissors, we can help them gain the skills to be both effective and safe when using this important tool!1. Always point the scissors away from you when cutting. 2. Turn the paper when … [Read more...]
Art Speak 101
Tempera paint, colored pencils and markers are examples of art "media".Do you ever feel confused (or maybe even intimidated?) by some of the lingo used in the Art world?? We do have some terms that are specific to our industry and could be unfamiliar to someone without a background in Art. I'll try to offer some insight on some of these lesser known terms that you may run … [Read more...]
Artists in 60 Seconds
Claude Monet (French, 1840-1926). Shadows on the Sea, the Cliffs at Pourville, 1882.No, this isn’t about how to turn your students into artists in just one minute, but rather how to get one minute’s worth of information about an already well-known artist! Sometimes all you need is a quick summary of an artist’s life and work, yet when you search the internet you can easily end … [Read more...]
Don’t Toss Those Old Calendars!
It's a new year, and that means it's time to get the word out to your friends, co-workers and parents of your students to bring you their old calendars!There are two types of calendars that I save.... fine art calendars (like the Van Gogh pictured here) and scenic photography calendars. Both are useful, yet they serve two entirely different purposes.Fine art calendars are … [Read more...]
Many Hands Make Light Work
Here's a handy idea to motivate your students to help clean up the classroom after a messy project or party. (Anyone have one of those this week?) They say that "Many hands make light work", so enlist class support and get the job done quickly! Just tell your students that in order to participate in the next activity (whatever that might be), they will each need to pay you … [Read more...]
Class Management with Sign Language!
I was recently asked how I handle questions and interruptions while I'm teaching. If you have a group of more than about six students, questions and other interruptions can take your class off-task and eat up your teaching time, whether you're teaching Art or any other subject. Here's what I do to really cut down on that!First of all, I emphasize from the beginning that I … [Read more...]
Screen Shots!
For those of you who enjoyed creating Abstract Art using Miltos Manetas' website (from yesterday's post), there is a way to save your creation, even though the website itself doesn't give you a way to do that. You can take a picture of all or part of your computer screen using “screen shots” or “screen captures.” While this isn't exactly a secret, I'm sure there are a few … [Read more...]