1. Concrete Poetry (aka Shape Poetry or Calligram):Write a poem where the arrangement of words on the page creates a visible shape, like a tree, a heart, or an object related to the poem’s theme. Concrete Poetry provides an excellent opportunity to teach the element of the art of shape! See the My Art Lesson […]

Leaving a teaching job is never easy. No matter the circumstances, here are some things art teachers need to think about. Submit Your Letter of ResignationLeaving a job always calls for giving notice. Be mindful of any stipulations or constraints in your contract. Most districts require a certain amount of notice (e.g., 30 days) before […]

If you hate grading art, you are not alone. Maybe you constantly find other work to do to avoid grading. Perhaps you have a massive pile at the end of every grading quarter. Maybe you feel guilty because timely grading is crucial. It allows students to receive feedback and understand their progress and areas they need […]

Let’s talk about sinks. Sinks are a crucial part of an art room setup. I hope you all have one. I know I taught in a room that didn’t have a sink, so a sink can be both a blessing and a struggle. How many of us have had a perfectly good day ruined by […]

1. Art Teacher Alisha Marchewka shared her door for Black History Month, done by her students. She took a copy of a Basquiat painting and cut it into squares. Different students recreated different squares of the painting and another group of students worked together to paint Basquiat himself. She then glued all the pieces together […]

Q&A with Andrea Holmes K-8 Art Teacher on her adventure creating what she calls a “community table” for her middle school students. Q: Did you start the “Community Art Table” for your middle school students to help with early finishers? Are there any other grade levels beyond middle school that you have tried it with […]

While art projects may be the backbone of a visual arts curriculum, the art room plays a supporting role in art education. The creative spaces where many youths feel safe and comfortable are refuges. So, what should be in that space beyond the tables, chairs, and art supplies? High on my list is books, and […]

Happy New Year! I will admit that I am missing being in the classroom this week. I’ve been looking at some excellent student artwork for my job running the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards in Massachusetts through the affiliate, the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. As we walk through the judging of all 8 […]

There are predictable times of the year when teachers treat the art room as their supply closet. Before winter break is one of them. It starts innocuously, with a knock on the door and a request for 25 sheets of green construction paper. Maybe you owe that teacher a favor or happen to have some […]

Now and then, I come across something an art teacher has done that is too good not to share. So, a while back, art teacher Tammy Willis Morin shared a photograph in a Facebook Teacher Group of some sculptures of Adobe Tools that she and her students made in collaboration. Morin wrote that she had […]

Papier-mâché often conjures up childhood images: newspaper strips covering a balloon, goop clinging to your hands. As an art teacher, I don’t have to tell you that papier-mâché requires you to have your A-game on. You can’t wing it; you must prepare and think through everything. What type of paper mache recipe will you use? […]

I spoke with Lorraine Serra of Portfolio College Counseling (portfoliocc.com) about attending a National Portfolio Day (NPD). We spoke over Zoom during the pandemic in November 2021, so some answers refer to how the NPD was run then. Learn more about NPD HERE. Watch the Interview HERE if you wish. Maureen: Okay, hello. Thank you […]

Artist: Roberto LugoWebsite: https://www.robertolugostudio.com/Instagram: @robertolugowithoutwaxAbout: From Roberto Lugo’s website: “Roberto Lugo is a Philadelphia-based artist, ceramicist, social activist, poet, and educator. Lugo utilizes classical pottery forms in conjunction with portraiture and surface design reminiscent of his North Philadelphia upbringing and Hip Hop culture to highlight themes of poverty, inequality, and racial injustice. Lugo’s works utilize […]

What do you do when you get negative substitute feedback, such as kids behaving out of control? It’s a lot of trouble when you’re a teacher, and you must be out of the class for any reason. Setting up for a sub, prepping the materials, and leaving class lists and notes is not unlike leaving […]

I believe the start of the year can make or break the rest of the year. It’s the time to establish classroom procedures and expectations. There is no better time to show students what you expect with craftmanship. First, let’s nail down precisely what good craftmanship is and then what it looks like in action. […]

Question: Do most art teachers have a solid end date for a project, and if so, how do you determine this? My colleague never gives a definite end date. I am constantly being asked when the due date is, though. When I give a definite date, I have picked poorly—either too early or, even worse, […]

I was never one of those artists who carried around a sketchbook. I was intimidated by the perfection of a sketchbook- the binding, the pages, and the potential of each crisp white page. Would I make something worthy?  In truth, I  was more of a sketch-on-a-napkin sort of girl. I sometimes drew on the brown paper […]

Starting a new school year when you are a teacher is often overwhelming. Every year, it was a given that I would head home from those first staff days with a blossoming migraine. Changing routines from the summer and new stresses combined with the usual stresses—like being stuck in professional development when you desperately need […]

I think there is a mysterious part of art lesson development that is hard- but not impossible- to teach. How is a great art lesson born? There is a phrase attributed to Pablo Picasso that fits, “Good artists copy, great artists steal.” I think it’s true for art teaching. Cast your nets wide and be […]

As the end of the year approaches (or has already arrived for some), let’s talk about failing students. Some will be surprised to learn that a student can fail an art class.  I agree with them! It’s not typically that the material is too difficult or that the child wasn’t intellectually up to the challenges. […]

I always love it when parents share with me that they have a piece of art their child made in my class hanging up in their house. It tells me they value their child’s creation and what I do as an art educator. It can boost the child’s confidence and self-esteem as well. Unfortunately, only […]

I have always enjoyed the challenge of gift-giving. What can you buy that will thrill and delight a person? What can you give that says you know that person? Something that says, you tuned in. For one friend, I found the pop-up James Taylor book (she loved both his music and collected pop-up books) at […]

Course Evaluation Surveys are a mainstay of higher education. While not as common in middle and high school, they can still provide valuable information. What is a course Evaluation Survey exactly? A course evaluation survey gathers feedback from students who have taken a course to evaluate the course’s and the instructor’s effectiveness. Why have a […]

On an art teacher’s Facebook forum, a teacher recently asked, “How much of your own money do you spend on supplies for your art classes? I don’t see how I can’t spend some of my own.” Within the ranks of art educators, you can find many different modes of thought on this topic. Answers to […]

As a teacher, I always looked for ways to stretch my budget. Cardboard is not only inexpensive but also Earth-friendly media. Every recycling day, as I drive down my street, I see all these great cardboard boxes, and my creative energy kicks in: “What can I do with this cardboard?” I ask myself. Cardboard is […]

1. Laurence Vallières Laurence Vallières is an artist based in Montreal who makes cardboard sculptures of animals.Website: Lauvallieres.comInstagram: Laurence Vallières (@lauvallieres) YouTube: Check out this interview with Vallières 2. James Grashow James Grashow is an American sculptor and woodcut artist. He is best known for his sculptures and large-scale installations made of cardboard.Website: Jamesgrashow.comInstagram: James […]

1. Composition VIII by Wassily Kandinsky, 1923 It’s only a theory, but six solar eclipses occurred between 1921 and 1923, two of which occurred in the year Kandinsky created Composition VIII. Could an eclipse have inspired the circles in the left corner of this composition? The black circle with the warm halo is easily connected […]

Over the years, I’ve worked hard to ensure that my students feel recognized and appreciated in school. Often, art students yearn for the attention our athletes and theater students receive. This is an important part of being an art teacher, and there are many ways to spotlight art and art students. It’s always interesting to […]

Let’s talk gridding for a moment. Grid drawing is a staple of the art room. Some love it, some hate it, and I am here to say your feelings are valid no matter where you fall on the spectrum. I did grid drawings in My Art I classes earlier in my career and moved away […]

At one point early in my teaching career, I bought a plastic pencil case and started stashing things I found I needed personally- things like deodorant, tampons, a toothbrush, and a sample of toothpaste. And I added to that stash over time- a water bottle, granola bars, and lunch money were some additions. And, well, […]

Going along with our theme of birds this week, the following teachers shared projects on the topic of birds. 1. My mentor teacher, Jane Napolitano, did these chicken paintings with her advanced art students in her Art Major class. For three years, students took a field trip to a local teacher who kept chickens. The […]

I am sure I am not the only one to marvel over how a cardinal’s magnificent red pops against the winter snow. Or to be amused when a bright yellow checker taxi cab-looking bird (a finch!) lands at my kitchen window bird feeder. What is it about birds that capture our fancy? Do we dream […]

Welcome to 2025! There has been something about getting older- and wiser- that spurs me to make New Year’s resolutions. After all, you can’t reach a goal if you don’t set it, right? Teaching can be very rote. It’s easy to fall into a rut. It’s easy for the day-to-day demands of teaching to squeeze […]

Have some time to kill this week? Consider an animated short. All of these animated shorts are festive and age-appropriate for 5-12. We have previewed and put our stamp of approval on all these, plus our comments. What can you learn from an animated short? Composition, storytelling, form, lighting, character development, etc. If you want, […]

In the next few weeks, I will share art teachers with a side hustle with an Etsy or website shop. Do you want to be highlighted? Send us (info@myartlesson.com) your information. Let’s support our fellow teachers! 1 Artist Teacher: Becky RamseyShop: Becky Ramsey – Studio 506What do they sell? Pet portraits, Photography, and Paintings 2. […]

Have you been approached to write a letter of recommendation? It’s yet another item on a teacher’s list of things to do. I don’t know about you, but over my years teaching, the requests grew from writing letters for the faithful few art stars who were going on to study art in college to students […]

Let’s visit Halloween of the past. Why? Because Halloween has so many creative opportunities. Now, as an art teacher, I was always called the creative person in the house. But, it turns out, my husband’s creative side was just laying dormant until we had kids and until Halloween. It had to do with a deficit […]

1. Make it Contemporary Still life can come off as boring, but it doesn’t have to be. Still-life drawings and paintings are a mainstay of the art world. Why do artists turn to still life again and again? The magic of still life paintings is that they show us a new way of looking at the […]

We all know that no art room is complete without a hairdryer and iron! But are there other everyday items that are staples in your classroom? I had an art colleague who had preserved fish in jars. At the time, I wasn’t aware of Gyotaku, commonly known as fish printing. I asked art teachers what […]

In my first art teaching job, I took over for a man who failed to get tenure. His classes were out of control, and the state of the room was all the evidence one would need to know things weren’t working out. Running a well-kept art room is one of those things no one thinks […]

Projects turned in late are always a struggle in teaching art. As one art teacher laments, “I have tried so many different ways of handling project due dates and find it so frustrating. I am getting fewer projects done in a year than I used to, the progress is slow and I am still not […]

1. Art Teacher Audrey Chitsey Brewer has her Art 1 students fill out a brain profile map to help her get to know them. Her Advanced Art students draw one without a template. Her template for Art 1 is available for free on TPT under Art Icebreaker. Her Pinterest board for Advanced Art Icebreaker can […]

Nothing says the start of the year, like creating- or updating- your class syllabus. At baseline, a class syllabus can be a pretty dry document. It typically includes your contact information, course information and summary, prerequisites and core requisites, required materials, course objectives, assignment list, academic policies, and classroom policies. Before launching into your syllabi, […]

We all have first-year war stories. For me, I was fresh out of art school, and the ink on my teaching certificate hadn’t even dried yet before I accept my first job in a small regional high school in upstate, NY. It was a relief after a month of hearing my older sister repeating, “And […]

How do you end the school year? Whether you are wrapping up now, or if you have a few more weeks left, do you have an end-of-year strategy? Because how you end a year can make a difference to the start of the next one. Whether you’re just finishing your first year or your twentieth […]

1. Color Game – Method of Action This website is a color-matching game. Method of Action was born in 2011 and was a collaboration between María Munuera and Mark MacKay. They created these games as part of an online course for learning design by practice. 2. The X-Rite Color Challenge and Hue Test The X-Rite Color Challenge […]

How many times have you sat at your planner and wondered what to do with half a class on a Friday afternoon? Or had one section of an art class that was inexplicably a day ahead of another section? Or facing the revolving door of attendance that is the end of the school year. So […]

A common complaint of art teachers is the destruction of art materials by students. You know the behaviors; particularly the bent or broken rulers and erasers that you find carved, stabbed, or broken. Middle school is the age where these behaviors seem to peak but it’s still evident in lower-level high school classes. In my […]

Every art teacher enjoys a good art teacher hack. A clever or elegant way to make life easier? Yes, please! Art teacher Aaron Shirley uses a 3-D printer to make his own art room tools. He writes, “For example, Linoleum Cutter Handles can be around $5-10 each depending on where you order, these handles cost […]

I have to confess I held a certain disdain for holiday art projects. Over the years, I softened those stances. It’s dark and bleary in February here in New England and Valentine’s day comes just at the right time to distract and entertain us. Plus, some great artists were inspired by Valentine’s Day themes. Jim […]

There are certain personality types you will come across while teaching art. One is the perfectionist. Sometimes spotting a perfectionist is obvious but other times it’s not. Perfectionism may take the form of a student who fills your trash with beautiful work because nothing he or she creates ever feels “good enough.” It may be […]

Let’s talk about teacher burnout. Burnout is a state of chronic exhaustion that occurs after prolonged periods of stress. Art teachers are no strangers to burnout. Lack of support for the arts, extra demands on art teachers, and poor supply budgets has always been stressors for art teachers. Added to that are problems made worse […]

What is scratchboard art? “The Scratchboard technique is a two-dimensional, subtractive process. It involves the use of abrasive tools to directly remove a surface layer of one value (typically dark) to expose the second layer of a contrasting value (typically white). The values within the artwork are predominantly achieved by varying the amount of surface […]

A Crash Course in Typography: The Basics of Type Teach yourself and students critical design info like Typefaces vs. Fonts: Difference?  If you or your students are intimidated by typography this site is for you. KernType: A letter spacing game” This game will teach you what kerning is and will have you learn like a […]

I went back to school for graphic design and fell in love with type. I love projects involving type; you don’t need a graphic design background to do many of these lessons. Zentangle-inspired letters Check out Margaret Bremner’s blog for inspiration as well as Mr. MintArt’s blog.      .  Text portraits and figures Check […]

Last week I wrote about strategies for how to combat, “I can’t draw.” As teachers, we don’t always have all the time we would like to convince every student that, indeed, they are capable of drawing. So, instead, we must reach for the words or actions with the most impact. These strategies won’t solve every […]

Do you need a quick, inexpensive idea for Halloween this year? I have inspiration for you then in the form of art teacher, Megan Henry. Henry has a tradition you might want to start. She’s been doing art history-inspired cardboard masks. Not only is this a super fun Halloween idea, but you could also definitely […]

I don’t know why people need to announce they can’t draw. But they do. It comes from students, parents, colleagues, administrators, and total strangers as soon as they hear I am an art educator. And it comes in such strange forms. “I can’t draw a straight line!” “I’m not talented in art.” But I can’t […]

Artists have found inspiration from their environment as long as there have been artists. I live in New England, and the fall season is inspirational and my favorite time of the year. The leaves change color, the apples are ripe for picking, birds are migrating, folks are stocking up on candy for Halloween and acorns […]

There is no worse phrase in the art room than “I’m done. Now what?”  It’s inevitable that some students will finish before others.  While we can close the gap to some degree, we can’t avoid the reality of early finishers. If you teach middle school or intro high school classes you know it’s imperative for […]

What to do with earlier finishers? Students may start a project all at once but each student will cross the finish line at a different time. Some students are always slow, careful, and deliberate in their work while others may be spontaneous and quick-paced in their approach. Some students do the bare minimum while others […]

Let’s talk about figure drawing. Figure drawing is hard! It’s also hard to get a classroom of students who aren’t confident with their drawing skills to get excited about figure drawing because very few people do it well off the bat. Drawing the human form takes basic drawing skills plus an understanding of the human […]

Let’s talk about imposter syndrome. Most of us have been there at some time or another. I experienced it on occasional parent’s night and once while driving the school van for a field trip. It would only hit me on some parent’s night, I guess to keep me on my toes. While I was comfortable […]

When I was in my first years of teaching my now husband and I had an occasion to visit Ikea. In the store was a desk with golf pencils and paper so customers could take notes of product items they wanted to buy. All I could see was FREE pencils. I shamelessly filled up my […]

You have one shot at getting the right planner for the year. Art teachers like Planbook, a web-based lesson planning system that encourages students, administrators, and other teachers to interact with a teacher’s plans. Try it free for thirty days. Erin Condren Planbooks are also highly thought of. This planner, similar to the Eric Condren […]

As we think about what you might start the year with, we often naturally turn to collaborative project ideas. Why use collaborative projects? Well, first, it is a great way to get to know your students. Who are the leaders? Who has good communication skills? What personalities work well together, or don’t work well together?  […]

Some teachers like to start the year with a project involving students’ names. It helps you learn each student’s name and makes identifying students during those early days a breeze. You can use these as stand-alone projects or create the designs on sticky label paper to mark their portfolios. 1.Blogger Katherine Scott Maghini does these […]

In the US right now we are seeing a record number of job openings. People are quitting or changing positions, reflecting continued strength in the rapidly growing labor market. Employment of high school teachers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2020 to 2030. In some areas, administrators are reporting small applicant pools to hire […]

Books and art were the mainstays of my childhood summers. What can be more entertaining than a book about art? I have compiled a list of 12 books for Art Teachers to jump-start your summer. From books to inspire artists to books that delve into art history through fiction, this list will thoroughly entertain and […]

June is Pride month. Did you know that a recent survey showed almost 14 percent of middle and high school students identified as having a sexual orientation other than straight and about 3 percent identified as someone whose gender identity did not correspond with their birth sex? We’ve come a long way from my days […]

During summer school breaks, students often fill their schedule with “fun.” Camps, day programs, and vacations are all the stuff summer evokes for many students and parents. Parents and students often approach me towards the end of the year to ask about creative options for the summer. For parents and students, I developed a handout […]

Then the end of the school year is in sight. Congratulations! Now is the time to clean and organize. So, this week we have a dozen end-of-the-year cleaning and organizational hacks to share. 1. Rulers Recently an art teacher was asking for ways to organize rulers. I used a pegboard and hangers (you can find attachments […]

The end of the year always brings a certain kind of stress and chaos. Portions of students missing for testing, field trips, and whatnot. Early finishers. Lack of motivation- for students and teachers! You just want to call the year done, but you know the phrase, “It ain’t over until it’s over.” So, some ideas […]

As a department chair, it was both my honor and privilege to give out awards to art students at my school. In my first year, I carefully picked out lovely medals (I like these medals [image 1] sold in a ten pack) and certificates (I like these and these plus holders that you can order in […]

So, last week I started talking about art show planning. This week we are talking art show nitty-gritty. The nitty-gritty includes figuring out how to best display the work, gathering the work, how to hang the work, and more. I’m exhausted just thinking about it! Display Panels  Ideally, every school would invest in quality display […]

Spring conjures up many images. Cherry blossoms, baby animals, longer days to name a few! For the art teacher spring conjures up Spring Showcases. Ahhh, only a school art show can both instill pleasure and pain at once. There is nothing like seeing all your students’ hard work on display to make you feel proud. […]

Once in my career, I was asked as part of a school’s interview process, to come in and teach a lesson to an art class. I was given a little background on what the class had been doing and given a 45-minute period to present my lesson. The current art teacher and principal would observe. […]

One of the things I proudly accomplished as an art teacher and department chair was starting a school gallery. At the time, I had a promising art student who was killed in a car accident. As I struggled to come to terms with her death, I proposed starting an art gallery in her memory. The […]

Linoleum/relief printmaking can be a great project to include in your curriculum. I found my high school classes usually enjoyed relief printmaking and for students who enjoy processes, it can be especially rewarding. There are a lot of high-level thinking skills involved for students. For teachers, relief printmaking requires a lot of prep, materials, and […]

Utilize Tate Museum’s project packs. The packs offer a range of activity ideas to explore with learners of different ages and levels or to spark further collaborative activity ideas of your own. Bookbinding! There are so many good resources out there, like this one. Consider having students make a sketchbook. That could be an activity […]

So, you’ve had some daydreams of quitting your art teaching position. Then you remember student loans, family obligations, mortgage payments, etc, that keep you showing up at that job. My husband calls this the “I Owe, I Owe, So Off to Work I Go” factor.  Maybe you are ready to throw in the towel but […]

Last week I wrote to you about signs you may need to think about a career change (Read that article, here). As I already mentioned, changing careers is a process. As entertaining as those social media posts about quitting may be, quitting one’s career shouldn’t be an impulsive act but rather a well-considered plan executed […]

When I started to teach it was the early 90s and I was 22. As most new young teachers are I arrived at my first job with a large dose of idealism. At my school, there were a handful of teachers just marking time until retirement. You would not see these teachers doing extras like […]

In 2006 I returned to work after being home with my youngest daughter for two years. When I returned to work, I faced a new challenge; cell phones were now in the hands of high schoolers. Literally, on the first day of school, I had to contend with a student talking on their cell phone. […]

There are a variety of cutting plotters, or computer-controlled cutting machines you can buy these days, the most popular types being the Cricut or Silhouette machines. I have been hearing more about the possibilities of a Cricut for the art classroom. I decided to get up to speed a few months ago by taking a […]

1. When you need a smile  Have a file in your desk where you keep all those positive notes you receive. The thank-you notes from students, parents, administrators, or whomever. The notes which touched you when you received them and even now remind you that your work is valuable. Every day, in big and small […]

I will confess to an Etsy addiction. Everyone in my family knows that an Etsy gift card is the go-to gift for me and I receive as much enjoyment from the browsing as I do the buying. Unlike Amazon and other online shopping experiences, you not only get a unique gift but have the added […]

Thanksgiving is all about gratitude. It’s fine to admit you are grateful for the time off from teaching! Maybe you have 2 or 3 days at school this week and you need a filler. I have some ideas for you. Watch these animated shorts about gratitude and create a storyboard with your own gratitude-themed story. […]

Way back, at the beginning of my career, I was hired by a regional school system. I graduated with my art teaching certificate in May in addition to a raging case of mononucleosis. I desperately wished to be employed and out of my parent’s house by September. With a little luck, I both surprised my […]

I am happy to say as a teen I attended a portfolio review day and it left no emotional scars. My students have gone to portfolio reviews and events like National Portfolio Day and most walked away from the day encouraged and excited about artmaking and their future. I see it as my job to […]

We are teaching in unique times, my friends. There is a nationwide labor shortage and that includes educators. Substitute teachers are scarce. Teacher morale is low. Turnover is high. I’ve noticed in my art education group, I am seeing comments that many teachers are landing their first art teacher position during this shortage. In addition, […]

I have a confession. I still get a little nervous on parents’ night. For a profession built on public speaking, it’s a terrible thing to be hit with a sudden case of stage fright.  How do we manage? While we can’t prevent nervousness, we can make sure we feel prepared and have systems to rely […]

As teachers, we love to see our students grow and learn. Our students aren’t the only ones growing and learning though. Our professional growth needs to be attended to. Maybe you work for a district that requires teachers to set yearly professional growth goals. Maybe your school requires “SMART” goals. SMART is an acronym that […]

I have a line on my resume that reads “Planned and initiated a chapter of the National Arts Honor Society.” It’s a humble little line. As Department Chair of the Visual and Performing arts, I also had my hand in initiating honor societies for theater and music as well as for art. It was a […]

If you are fortunate to have a computer lab, carts, ipads, etc. available to you, there are a lot of educational options out there on the web for substitute days. 1. Pixel Art This instruction website on pixel art is a one stop shop for everything a student would need to know to create Pixel […]

Do you look at a class, stuffed to the gills, and feel overwhelmed at the the thought of committing to memory all those names? And i’s not just one class, but many classes? I had a new administrator one year who magically new my name. “He’s one of THOSE people,” I thought. Well, my husband  […]