Fellow teacher-friends, Are you tired of feeling like a nomad, wandering the hallways with your trusty art cart in tow? Do you ever feel like a street vendor, hawking your wares to unsuspecting students? Well, you’re not alone. For a sixth year in a row I’ve been assigned the task of teaching off a cart and let me tell you, […]
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to get creative in the classroom! No, I’m not talking about the latest TikTok dance trend (although, let’s be real, those are pretty fun), I’m talking about incorporating arts enrichment and STEAM into your curriculum. Now, I know some of you may be thinking, “But wait, I’m a math teacher, what do I know about […]
Wait, let me rephrase that: This month has got me feeling disorganized, unfocused, and all over the place. I don’t know why I’ve been feeling so scattered-brained these days. Usually, I don’t stress about what I should teach next. But ever since this school year began, I feel like I’m not quite up to my personal standards (as a teacher) […]
I was browsing through a Facebook group the other day when I came across a post where an art teacher was asking for help when it comes to marking student artwork. And that got me thinking (again), God, do I ever hate evaluating artwork! Now, it’s important to note that I might hate grading (and all that it stands for)… however, […]
Report cards! Yep, 100 percent, I hate writing report cards more than I hate glitter. And that’s saying something. Ok, I’ll be honest… not ALL art teachers hate glitter, but I’m pretty sure 99.9% of us do. I don’t know what it’s like in your province or state, but over here in Quebec Progress Reports are due home before October […]
Tell me, friend, have you been looking for ways to teach Art without actually teaching “Art” to your students? Well, search no longer my friend, because I have five great suggestions for you to try. Right. Here. I don’t know what’s behind my fascination with Tim Burton is these days, but I can’t help but re-watch all of his movie classics. As […]
Sketchbook Drawing Prompts Sketchbook assignments became a staple in my upper elementary art classes years ago when I started teaching off a cart. Initially intended for my students to complete as homework, it has also served as busy-work for my notorious early finishers and as emergency sub plans. I love this resource because: it offers students choice & variety, meanwhile setting parameters […]
Yup. That’s precisely what awaited us upon our return from the Maritimes, nearly 3 years ago. Sure, our (now deceased) cats were always terrible roommates. Well… mostly Phoebe was a terrible roommate. Unfortunately, she was also our eldest daughter’s favorite and we were obviously stuck with her; an until-death-do-us-part sort of thing. My husband was adamant that cats can be […]
These are often the words that my students greet (let’s be honest–bombard) me with me each and every time I enter their classroom for Art. But hey, it sure beats hearing: “Ugh, not Art with Ms. Hope!” Ouch, right? Unfortunately, I’ve heard it on far too many occasions as an art specialist (perhaps you have too!). Mind you, those exact […]
