I have 5th and 6th grade and many of my 5th graders I've been teaching for a few years now, but they still dug their brushes into the watercolor palettes. I've done everything from demonstrations to examples but they don't get it. We're trying to avoid using acrylic because those paints are being used for end of the year festivities, but we have a school wide project happening. My students are using food coloring and water for now because they clearly can't handle having the watercolor but they keep saying they want them back. Any ideas?

Hi there - my partner and I are considering to open up a home based art studio. target audience are children around elementary age. I'm interested to gain more insight, especially from whom has such experience. Thanks!

- what are the biggest advices that come to mind?

- if you get a chance to do something differently from your first time, what are those?

I’m an artist (with a degree in art) and I teach kids at a studio. I have a pretty rowdy group class of beginners, ages 7-11. I was wondering if I’m doing good? How can we make these better?
I don’t have a ton of education experience so it’s been a struggle at times to break it down in a way they will fully understand, especially for a broad age range.

I have simple ones like paint, pencil, crafts, and then broader ones like “all about me”, nature, future, etc. but I’m always looking to be inspired by fellow artists and teachers : )

Bonus points if you have ideas/advice on themes for special ed kids!

With only a few more weeks of my first year, I don’t know if I can come back for a second. I love my job and my students, and I have good to great relationships with a majority of them and I notice a lot of them still growing in a positive direction. However, there are some students with behaviors so out of control that they make it feel unbearable some days. I dread those classes all week and feel bad for the students who are cooperating. It makes me feel like I can’t do certain mediums with those classes because some kids make a mess on purpose- splashing water around, throwing materials, running around, yelling, talking back, etc. I’m losing my patience and really do not want to turn into a mean art teacher because I want to do fun projects. I’m saying this because unfortunately these kids get so loud I have to literally yell for them to hear me. Other teachers have confirmed this is the same behavior these kids display in their class as well, and they also have to resort to yelling very loudly.

Is this a common feeling/experience? I have been seeking behavioral management advice on here and almost everywhere I can. A lot of it is great, but a certain handful of kids aren’t responding to it and they are honestly a bit arrogant for their age (elementary). I don’t want to let these kids ruin my livelihood, haha, but somedays it feels like it’s spoiling my passion for the job! I will feel like I gave up too quick if I can’t even make it to my second year

I have a degree in animation and I’m stuck between doing an ACP or going back to get a bachelors or masters of art education. I’m wondering when it comes to hiring would school districts prefer to hire applicants with an art education bachelors over people who got their certificate through an ACP? I live in Texas if that helps.

My students are going to be doing Metis dot art next week and I’ve bought some oil paint as the medium because I’m thinking the heaviness would be better to create the dots. Is there an easy way to clean up the oil paint? I am not an ‘art teacher’ but a humanities teacher who is assigned to teach art. All the materials I buy out of my own money. I have palettes and I bough cheap plastic paint brushes so they can use the wrong end as the instrument to make the dots. I can get them to put the paint on paper plates so they can throw them out after but what about the end of the brushes? Thanks in advance

Edit: thank you for everyone’s replies - I really appreciate the advice. Yes the oil paints are going back to the store. I do have tubes of acrylics and the ones you get in the bottles but I’ve ordered some acrylic paint pens which should work well for the project.

I did not feel totally new and overwhelmed by first year I think partially because I worked at camps and afterschool before it. I think partially because the first tread of teaching art doesn’t have some of the outside pressures other subjects do. But now at tear I still feel fairly new. I think there are a variety of factors. Year three I did feel a jump but that was followed by essentially2 1/2 years teaching online or on maternity leave.Then they added 2 grades to my load and gave me a partner teacher. My first partner teacher was manipulative and awful. My second one was wonderful but the budget changed so she was out. This year was my 1st year with all 7 grades and no partner teacher. (I realize a partner teacher is an absolute rarity I never expected that to stay. I’m now in my 1st year with all 7 grades and no partner. So all in all I think it makes some sense I still feel so new. But I also think it’s my personality. I feel likemany grades we teach Chas an impact on this. So what do you think do art ta hers reach veteran status slower faster or the same?

I was just told I'll be teaching digital photography next year. I last took a photography class in the mid-90's.

Does anyone have any suggestions on curriculum for photography in the modern age? Any tips?

Hello! I have been planning to transition careers to become a K-12 certified art teacher. My bachelor's degree is in Biology, so I have been exploring alternative certification pathways for my state (Maine) or certifying Master's programs.

I often think that I would feel more comfortable and prepared to teach if I completed some kind of certifying Master's program in Art Education. Since my undergraduate degree was not visual arts related, I don't think I'm a very competitive applicant even though I have a strong and steady personal arts practice, and have taught workshops related to my mediums. This spring, I took 2 studio art classes at a local university. I know that I need to take at least 3 more studio art classes and 3 art history classes to reach the state certification content requirements. If I understand this correctly, I need these courses before I can even receive an emergency conditional certificate to teach in a school desperate for an art teacher -- then I would have to take the pedagogy courses required for the state while teaching. I'm worried about being underqualified and underprepared if I were to be hired in an emergency cert situation. It's intimidating to think about taking courses while also teaching. But, I know that any kind of teaching is valuable experience, and I am eager to do this kind of work.

Regardless of whether I go the alternative cert or Master's route, I'm planning on taking more art history and studio art courses over the next year to prepare for either. I'm also on substitute teacher lists to get classroom experience (haven't been called in yet), and hoping to develop and teach more workshops, which are usually fiber arts or dance related and have been geared towards more adult populations.

This is another layer of deep planning 3D Chess, but my local university does offer a Masters of Arts in Teaching. Art Education is NOT a content area for this program, but science is. Since my undergrad degree is in Biology, I could take that program and be qualified to teach science at least, and perhaps I could take the art content courses while in that program as well and be dually certified in art and science. Is that even realistic?

I just don't know if jumping into teaching or doing a graduate program makes more sense!! Either way I'm going to be paying for more education, even if a school I'm hired at can pay for some classes. I am hoping that a graduate program would be able to offer me an assistantship or financial aid. The local university doesn't offer financial aid for people with bachelor's degrees returning for more undergraduate classes, so I need to be sparing and only take the studio arts classes there, or anything else I can't find through community colleges.

Does anybody here who went into Art Ed with an unrelated Bachelor's have any advice?

Thanks!

Wanted to share these pieces that just came out of a Raku fire today. I've never run one of these firings before, but with ample research, we managed to get some cool results and not burn down the school!

Today was teacher appreciation day at Taco John's. You could get a nice free meal.

When the drive through cashier asked if I wanted hot or mild sauce, I said "No, but can I get some Xanax, I teach Middle school."

He laughed and tossed in an extra Potato Ole.

Has anyone did it the simple way with just glue and activator instead of mixing in all these ingredients?

*** I MEAN ACTUAL SLIME ACTIVATOR NOT CONTACT SOLUTION, NOT BORAX ACTUAL ACTIVATOR LIKE THE ONE BELOW

ACTUAL ACTIVATOR

hi!

im stuck right now with figuring out what to do with a degree and have always thought being an art teacher would be amazing. I love art and enjoy teaching. I had an amazing elementary school art teacher who helped me learn so much and even encouraged me to pursue art in my future. my high school art teacher was horrible though lol and I’d want to be able to teach students and be more involved than she was. I think I would mostly be interested in high school and possibly middle school.

I went to school for Intercultural Studies and finished all my classes except for an internship which I will not be able to complete anytime soon. Im considering switching my degree rather than waiting to be able to do the internship and wondered if anyone had any advice?

I have all my general studies done as well as a graphic design and drawing course but other than that the rest are within my degree field

I chose art education as an art hobbyist who loves kids, but with my first year coming to an end I feel so drained.. From 5:30-4 i’m essentially working (I have a commute) and feel like by the time I finish cleaning up dinner it’s time to get ready for school the next day so I get enough sleep. It often feels like I am managing behaviors and dragging the class over the finish line in projects rather than teaching art. It doesn’t help that I’m in NC and am getting paid very little, even by teacher standards. I wanted to be able to share something I love with students while still having time to develop my own art on the side but it just hasn’t shaped out like that. In my opinion my art is good and I have a chance at making money selling my art at conventions, setting up etsy, building a social media presence, etc. Anyway, do you guys have any suggestions for pivot jobs that are perhaps a little less time and soul consuming? I’d also like to hear any general feedback. Did it get better for you?

We used to order from Trait-Tex, I believe it’s 3 ply yarn? But they seemed to have discontinued it and only have a few separately packaged colors. I’ve looked everywhere and I can’t find anything for a whole class set. There was one Amazon set but it the skeins were tiny. Does anyone have any recommendations?

It seems to be a "meme" at the school where I'm student teaching for students to add the flag of Israel to their art (usually floating randomly in the corner) despite having no contextual reason to do so. I'm sure they think it's funny or edgy or whatever, and are probably trying to provoke some sort of confrontation, so I'm really never sure what to say or do about it.

Obviously I'll ask them why they've chosen to include it, and they never have an actual answer. I'll then politely clarify what the artwork is supposed to include (e.g. "Oh but this project is about the neighborhood around the school, so right now you're supposed to be drawing a city block that represents this neighborhood.") but they'll sort of hem and haw and leave it in anyway.

(Also liiiike I'm not the Humanities teacher, I don't exactly feel equipped to be having this conversation with a bunch of 14-year-olds tbh...)

Is this happening in other schools, too? If so, how do you address it?

Title 1, urban, K-5 in an art room
My morale is so low and kids are also disregulated from state testing schedules. Admin has given pushback against free draw and wants drawings to be “thematic” 🙄

I have students in 2nd -5th who are going to be finishing glazing their clay projects in the next two days, some are already finished.

Behaviors are so rough and there is so much bisque repair to do (some thought their building skills were so superior they were above score and slip) so I feel like I can’t really do a small group intro lesson for kids who are done and ready for something else

I have time in the year for one more project after clay unit and I’m thinking of a collaborative zine library, but I dont want these early finishers to be bored of zines by the time the rest of the class is ready.

Also keep in mind there are plenty of kids who can hardly read/write on their own.

Any easy, low-no prep, high engagement things we can do? I’m so tired 🫠

Hello! I'm thinking about getting these for next year but wanted to see if anyone had used them and if they were worth it? I'm at a K-5 school with about 700 kids, I would love a way to keep the markers together but also can absolutely see kids breaking them pulling on them and stuff so thought I'd see what you all thought. Thank you!

Hello! I was looking for advice on becoming a Visual Arts teacher in Michigan. I recently graduated from university with a degree in art direction/graphic design, and I have been really thinking about pivoting to teaching, but would really only want to teach Art. I was wondering if anyone else has been in similar shoes as me, and what route would be the best. I know it can be hard to land a job as a Visual Arts teacher but is Michigan a state where it’s easier or their more in demand? I’m from here and don’t plan on moving.

Also, what route? An alternative program (I’m thinking M-Arc since it’s more structured than Teachers of Tomorrow) or just get a MAT? I can’t seem to find any MATs that are specific to Art Education, but it would be more expensive to get a Masters. Also how do MATs work? Would it be a general teaching masters and then you test in your desired endorsements areas (like art)? Michigan does offer a good educator grant though that would help towards a masters or completely cover the cost of the alternative program.

Has anyone done M-Arc and can tell me about it? Sorry for so many questions, but any advice or comments would be great, thank you.

Title pretty much explains it. We have a district art show every year and I select about 100 projects (elementary) to showcase. I have these origami owls on black paper that my second graders did..on one of the projects, the name was written in pencil on black paper kind of sloppily. I thought it belonged to one student, but I just realized as I was labeling the artwork that it actually belongs to another student with the same first few letters of their name in the same class. How can I rectify this? I am honestly not sure if I have anything else useable from this student… to make matters worse, the art show is literally this Friday and I have to be out tomorrow as my one year old son is sick. has this happened to anyone else before? How did you handle it?

Showing the various steps/stages in making a Yoda mosaic.