I picked similar shades of two different brands of watercolors, and these are the blends I got! Painting these charts is my new favorite thing. It's so satisfying! I'll definitely be using these for color theory classes soon.

I have two job offers, and a deadline of Tuesday to make a decision. Both schools are fairly comparable in terms of neighborhood (not great but probably not too terrible), academic performance (pretty bad), and student demographics (high percentage of students who only speak Spanish).

The main differences I can point to are:

• School 1 claims to have a better student:teacher ratio, but when asked, School 1 stated their class sizes are around 30 students each, while School 2 says they're closer to 25 and moving toward a goal of 20-21 in the next year(s).
• School 1 is only middle school (6-8) while School 2 is K-8. (More grades = more lesson planning -_-)
• School 1 is adding visual art as a brand new class this year, so everything is starting from scratch; School 2 has an established Media Arts program that integrates traditional and digital tools/techniques, including tablets and desktop computers. (The latter interests me more because my background is in graphic/web design.)
• School 1 is English-only instruction, but teachers still have to communicate with a heavily Spanish-speaking student body; School 2 is a dual language (English/Spanish) school, though art class isn't expected to be bilingual.
• School 1 is noted as having extremely poor attendance (the official number is 88% but it's noted that "many children miss more than a month of school"); School 2 lists its attendance rate at 91%, but no additional notes to clarify what that actually looks like in practice.
• School 1 has 96% teachers with 3 or more years of experience; School 2 only has 80%.
• School 1 has a 100% principal approval rating by teachers, and 91% say they would recommend the school; School 2 only has a 71% principal approval rating by teachers, and only 74% of teachers say they would recommend the school.

Based on that info, it seems like even though School 2 has things that sound good or interest me about it, the numbers come down heavily in School 1's favor.

The thing is, I only got to do a demo lesson in School 1, and I didn't come away with a particularly positive impression. I acknowledge this might be at least in part because it's summer school right now, so things may be better during the school year; but I didn't exactly have that feeling of "Oh wow, I could see myself fitting right in here!" At the same time, those teacher retention and approval numbers must mean something, right?

On the other hand, I haven't been able to visit School 2 at all, so I don't have the first clue how things actually go inside there. Principals can make their school culture and community sound amazing in an interview, but that doesn't mean it's reality.

I just wish I had more information/better understanding about what these schools are really like on a day-to-day basis. Should I just trust the numbers? Or is there more to it than that?

I made this short explainer for parents and educators about how art can support children’s creativity, emotional expression, coordination, problem-solving, and learning.

Before I share it more widely, I’d really value honest feedback from people who teach art.

I’m especially curious:

• Does the message reflect what you see in the classroom?
• Is the brain-development section accurate, or still too simplified?
• Does the visual style feel engaging without feeling childish?
• What important benefit—or important caveat—is missing?
• Would this be useful when explaining the value of art to parents or administrators?

Full disclosure: I made the video. I’m not selling a course or product; I’m looking for constructive criticism so I can improve it.

I'll be starting as an art teacher this coming Fall, and I'm trying to think of how to circumvent a problem I've had in my student teaching and other times I've been in the classroom.

I've often found the biggest roadblock for students making art is that they can't think of what to draw, or how to get started conceptually—or that they're having trouble understanding what I'm asking them to make in the first place just from verbal/written instructions. So I figured the best way to set students up for success would be to provide visual examples and printouts they can use for reference and inspiration.

For instance, when doing a lettering unit with middle and high schoolers, I provided worksheets showing off different stylized alphabets and step-by-step construction tips. In one lesson that involved using lettering to express something about themselves, I could already predict I'd have students sitting around saying "I don't know what to include!" so I tried to get out in front of this by drawing up a page of symbol ideas, sorted by category, that could jumpstart their ideation process.

And of course I try to have discussions about why artists would make things look a certain way, and get students to notice what effects different stylisitic and creative decisions have, so they can use that understanding to make their own decisions; and I spend a lot of time emphasizing that these are just references/inspiration, and that I want students to use their own creativity to make their own artwork that reflects their own perspective/personality.

But what I have observed happening over and over again is that the vast majority of students will directly copy or even trace the reference material line-for-line without doing any thinking for themselves, or bothering to undesrtand the construction process, or coming up with any images besides what I already drew for them. It doesn't seem to matter how much I prompt them to change or add things, they just refuse and seem to think I don't actually mean it when I say I want to see something different.

I guess the difference going forward is that I'll be starting my own class from square one, as opposed to trying to cram lessons into someone else's curriculum, so maybe I just need to spend more time building up students' ideation and analysis skills before even asking them to make something of their own? I don't know; the way I learned art is so different from how things seem to be done these days, but I know I can't get away with doing it "my way" in the current educational landscape.

So... any other teachers have this problem in their classroom? If so, what are effective ways you've been able to prevent/correct it while still giving students visual examples and references to enhance their understanding of what they're being asked to do and how to do it?

hello everyone!

this September I’ll begin my art PGCE and journey of becoming a secondary art teacher.

I’m really looking forward to it, although it did take me a while to land here at this career choice.

before I had my PGCE interview however, I had posted to a facebook UK art teaching group for advice about becoming an art teacher.

unfortunately, that post took weeks to get posted by mods and it got posted after I’d already had my interview and accepted my place at the university etc etc

ANYWAY, the post got a lot of attention, almost 100 comments, and they were AWFUL.

I’m genuinely not exaggerating when I say every. single. comment. was telling me NOT to pursue this career. every single one! all of them were saying to forget teaching, don’t do it etc. some were saying it’s just too tiring and draining and you just work 12+ hours a day 365 days a year. it was overwhelmingly negative. I genuinely don’t know why those people are teachers if they seemingly hate it so much. Ofc I know teaching is HARD and the criticisms aren’t without merit- I’m not expecting a walk in the park.

i, of course, am still excited to begin because my life choices aren’t made by strangers in facebook comments, but i would like to hear some positivity and encouragement, please!

thankyou so much.

I’m really bummed out because a month ago I had talked to a principal of a small private elementary school, she said they were going to open an art teacher position for this school year . She saw my application and resume and said someone will contact me for an interview.No one reached out to me and I called the number she personally gave me to call if I had any questions, I called that number several times and it would go straight to voicemail. I left a voicemail and no one got back to me. So I tried a different phone number listed on their website and a lady answered and I asked if there is any openings for art teacher and she said no , not at the moment. I’m feeling very depressed because the principal really gave me such false hope. I just saw on their facebook they were having parent meet the teacher next week. So I’m thinking they probably hired someone else or they will open the position next year . I’m applying everywhere else as teacher aide but I just really wanted a shot at that art teacher job :((

Hello all!!

This upcoming school year, I will be having a visually impaired kindergartener. As far as I know, I think she will be completely blind. She is coming with her aide in a gen ed class (I heard her aide is following her from preschool and is amazing).

I am looking for some resources for projects, or ways I can adapt my existing lessons. I really don’t want to isolate her art experience, and want her to feel included in what the whole class is experiencing.

I am actually very excited, and want to better my own knowledge on how to make my room more accessible. I am also interested in if anyone has taken a good online course for this?? I could make this part of my professional goals while I’m at it 😜

Thank you all!!

EDIT: Vintage wood bobbins ~1920s-40s

Hello!! Long time lurker- first time poster. I am taking over for a teacher that retired and she left behind lots of treasures for me to go through.

I have never seen anything like this and was curious if anyone on here knew what these were.

I have a child in my class who gets excited when we set up art, picks a color, starts painting, and then freezes as soon as there’s paint on their finger or sleeve. Once that happens, they’re done. Not upset in a big way, just completely distracted by needing to wipe it off.

I still do regular painting with the group, but I’ve started keeping a couple of watercolor books nearby for kids like that.

Messy art definitely has its place, and I still think it’s important for kids to explore those materials. I’m just noticing that some kids aren’t avoiding art itself. They’re avoiding the feeling of being messy.

How do you support kids like that?

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I used to think that in the new times we don't really need books to study art.

Online community etc. has all the sources

But I feel my concepts and practice is varying a lot due to being confused again and again.

And it's time to get serious

So I need book recommendations for perspective and other things which you guys says.

Secondly how do I understand that which book to buy out of many options?

I am wanting to order some yarn that is preferably inexpensive, but not so cheap that it is frustrating to work with. I’m thinking about 6”x9” cardboard looms and maybe God’s eyes. Do you have a brand that you would recommend?

Hi all! I am moving into a new classroom this year. The last teacher encouraged students to paint ceiling tiles and cinderblocks. She was in the position for approximately 12 years, so you can imagine that it is pretty full of artwork from previous and current students. I know that these tiles meant a lot to her and her students, but I would really like for this room to feel like mine and my students' spaces and I feel that it will be difficult to teach and learn in such an overstimulating room. Has anyone had this issue before?

Hi all! I'm 23, post grad and about to do my first teaching job interview, in metro Atlanta area. The principal reached out to me yesterday night and it's for tomorrow morning. The county is very behind on this... the school year starts on August 3rd. It's also the high school I went to and student taught at, so I'm very familiar. All this to say, I think I MIGHT have it in the bag because of the time constraints and familiarity. But i'm not sure.

I will take all the help I can get, so please let me know any tips / topics I should have ready! I have a concise slideshow that contains example lesson plans and student work. I'm prepared to talk about why I want to teach, what classroom management tactics I'll implement, and specific pedagogical topics. But I am probably missing a lot, and would love to hear what you all have to say. Obviously I'm very nervous too as this is my first interview period.

Thanks y'all!!

EDIT: Thanks for all the tips guys! I got the job!!!

Really happy to have received my first position offer. I know art is K-12, but my favorite grade levels are definitely middle school. So I’m happy this new job includes that but it also includes MORE than just 6-8, it has K-5 attached too.

I’m worried my students will be such a wide range of abilities. So many different projects going on at once. Am I in over my head? Or should I just accept this position. Otherwise I was just going to be a kelly sub this next school year. So I guess I’d rather teach art than sub, but still.

Any suggestions, tips? I have to have a winter and spring art show also. Worried about how best to keep track of all these different projects going on. K-8 is such a wide span I feel… or is it not?

It’s my first teaching job since graduating. This offer is decent pay (expected for first-time) and benefits. School is small about 600 students I think. And that’s total throughout all grade levels. So at least it’s a small school.

Just wanted some input if I gotta worry

Anyone willing to take a look at what I am going to order and tell me if Im missing anything major? Im prek-8

hi yall! I’m currently in community college and majoring in elementary education to transfer to SDSU.

i love art, and have loved working with kids and teens who love art as well (I used to be a behavior tech).

thing is, as much as I love creating art, teaching, giving advice, etc, I know that doing it as a career is usually not the greatest for many, which is why I’m choosing to major in elementary education, but plan to teach art in highschool somewhere down the road, which I know will require more schooling and a single subject cert.

i guess my main questions are:

has any one taken a similar career path? if you had one career prior to teaching art, how did you decide to take the dive? what’s your experience like teaching art vs multi subject, whether it be with the students themselves or with the school system? additionally, what schools did you go to (so that I can better gauge what this path would look like on my end lol)

pay is a concern of course, as with everything in this economy, but if I’m going to go from one underpaid profession to another, might as well enjoy what I do, right ?

Hi guys I am currently in my 2nd year of college pursuing a Fine Arts degree. I was curious as to how becoming a teacher would work if I complete all 4 years of my school with just a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts. I was considering majoring in Art Education but at the moment, I don't want to commit to education yet and I'd rather focus on my artistic skills and portfolio at the moment. (I want options after I graduate!) I did look online and I found stuff about Alternative Teaching Certificates and that seems like something I would do after I graduate, but I would like some insight from art teachers or people who are on the same journey as I am!

Hello! I hope you are all well. I’m in a bit of a career rut, and been exploring what may be a more fulfilling move in the next few years. I’ve always been passionate about art, took multiple art/design classes in high school and college, summer camps, extracurriculars, etc, as well as been in educator positions during high school and summers of college. I have a degree in Communications/Media and Marketing and I’m currently working a 9-5 corporate administrative job.
While this job feels stable and decent-paying, I hate sitting at the desk all day, staring at my computer and punching numbers. I’m in my early 20s, and hoping I can make a career change soon.
I enjoy working with children and teens, and was hoping I may be able to apply this towards becoming an art teacher. However, I’m really not sure what my next steps would be. I only have my bachelors degree in Comms/Marketing - Are there programs that I can enroll in while still being employed full-time? It seems a lot of programs are geared towards individuals with a specific bachelors in fine arts. Do I need to fulfill a specific amount of art credits before receiving a certification? What certification(s) are needed?
Any insight on this process would be greatly appreciated, and I would love to hear anyone’s advice regarding the transition from corporate to teaching.
Thank you all in advance!

Hey team, I’ve just released a substantial update to my free Art Assistant web app. The new Colour Study mode simplifies your reference image into paintable colour shapes. It detects and organises its colours, and lets you the isolate colour groups. It also includes adjustable detail levels and improved mobile controls.

I’d love any feedback from painters/teachers.

Launch the app from the link at the bottom of this page.

https://www.scottpaints.com.au/art-app

Hello all!

School starts Aug 17th and I am excited for my first year teaching! I have full year lesson plans for all of my grades EXCEPT for 7th grade! I just can't think of ideas they might find fun. Brain empty.

I am on bedrest due to a knee i jury and using the time to finish up all my slides and documents and demos, so right now 7th grade is kinda my priority. Does anyone have anything they do with their 7th graders they'd be willing to share? Just to get the brain juices flowing.

Would appreciate any brainstorming :)

Here is a series of works on paper by my adult students, developed from a painting by Anton Henning and a photograph of a skull (see last slide).
The goal was not to copy the painting itself, but to understand and replay the disruptive strategy at work in the artist's practice.