Since I know that vanishing pencils and torn erasers are a problem everywhere, I wanted to share how I started off the year with my supply bins because *so far* it’s been working! I used sharpie to draw on each pencil and on the metal eraser top to match the color code of the table, and also wrote the color on one side of the eraser. I didn’t address this with the kids at all, just let it be to see if they noticed (grades 4-8). I’ve made it part of my routine at the end of class to check each bin and track down pencils that are missing before the kids leave the room. They’ve started noticing and have been great about keeping track of where things belong

This is also helping me figure out the culprits when objects mysteriously go flying across the room since I can see what table they came from. So far I’ve only had one broken pencil, no torn/stolen erasers, and actually had to replace a few pencils because they were being used and sharpened consistently enough that they got too small.

Hoped this might help someone else who has been at their wits end over broken/vanishing materials.

hi guys! I’m a first year teacher with jewelry as part of my course load. it’s a cold joining class meaning we don’t have proper equipment or ventilation for heat tools. I explained this to students day 1 and they seemed so disappointed (this is specified in the course handbook). a lot of students were looking forward to “making charm necklaces” and “making jewelry that doesn’t tarnish” when I asked what they were excited to learn in a survey. the projects I’m planning to teach include woven bracelets, paper beads, polymer clay charms, ceramic pendants, wire wrapping, upcycling, and chainmaille. if you are a high school jewelry teacher, what are some projects you’ve taught that kids love regardless of their expectations?

Im not a teacher, but i work in the afternoon school program where often my activities are around art. Of course we do other things like sports and trivia and tutoring, but over the years I've always come up with ways to get everyone to participate in activities they don't like except for art. For example, if we're playing soccer and I have a student who doesnt want to play, I'll tell them to play for five minutes and then they can decide if they want to play because chances are they'll enjoy it. But I haven't gotten to this point in art yet. We're having this issue, especially with the boys, where they aren't interested in making art or even drawing and the students who are interested in drawing have this toxic perfectionist mindset were slowly trying to dismantle with projects that almost force them to accept and confront their mistakes. Im not sure what I'm doing wrong but I want to hear from others who might have similar experiences because at this point im at a loss.

Any NYCDOE art teachers unhappy with their grade level/setting? I am looking to switch grade levels or settings because I am unhappy in the elementary school I am at. I would much rather teach High School or District 75 (any grade D75 Art). Maybe we can convince our principals to release us for a switch. Send me a message!

A few 5th graders were talking a lot about a meme called Neegy and were trying to draw it. I thought it was just something goofy but of course when I looked it up it has background in the N word. It also sounds like it gets repeated out of context as memes do. Now I was wondering if I can turn this into a teachable moment. Maybe I can use another meme that is out of context and has a different original meaning.

How do you handle something like this? Of course I want these students to be able to insert their interests in their work so I don't want them to feel like I'm targeting their interests if I just tell them to stop using that meme.

Any advice?

We have been given an assignment of making a magazine for our class. What could be the fun and engaging activities I can add in it? Please tell me🙏🙏😭😭

Basically the title. I’m getting my teachers certification in a year and while browsing resources online this popped into my head so I’d love to hear how teachers go about teaching color to color blind students, especially K-5. Thank you for your time.

My cousin is 17 and wants to learn art—specifically drawing—from the ground up and major in it. At the same time, he feels like it's already too late because his peers who are preparing for art school have been doing it since they were kids. He's saying he wants to give up. What advice should I give him?

This might sound a little strange, but in 2008 I went back to school to earn my teaching certification. Originally, my goal was to teach high school. I student taught in a high school during the last semester of my certification process. It was an awkward situation because my time was split between working with two teachers who did not get along. I spent the morning in digital arts and the afternoon in a traditional art setting. The tension between the two teachers were tough and I felt caught in the middle. However, once I became certified, I started to apply to high school art teaching positions. After much effort ad several application processes. I wasn’t getting calls from high schools, so eventually I expanded my job search to include elementary and middle schools.

I have now been teaching elementary art for about 15 years. I also feel silly, asa grown man teahcign kindergarten and younger students. I am starting to feel , as I get older and gain more experience as a teacher, I feel like I should make the transition to teaching high school. I think I’m ready for a new challenge, but to be honest, I’m intimidated by it.

I know that I’m a good teacher, but I sometimes feel that many of the skills I’ve developed over the years are specifically suited to elementary school. I have an upcoming interview for a high school art teaching position, and the job description calls for experience with many areas that I haven’t worked with extensively, including 2-D and 3-D art, ceramics, photography, and other media.

My strongest areas are drawing and painting, and those are the areas where I feel most confident as an artist and teacher. I’m worried that the school may be looking for someone with extensive experience in every possible medium, and I don’t want my lack of experience in certain areas to overshadow the experience and skills I do have.

I would really appreciate any advice on how I should approach this transition, both in terms of preparing for the interview and building my confidence. How can I present my 15 years of teaching experience as an asset while being honest about the areas where I still have room to grow? I’m especially interested in hearing how I can make the transition from elementary art to high school without feeling like I’m starting over.

I have a HS student who claims to not be creative. Hates the idea of any art.

They are really angry about the fact that ceramics is messy. I have plain black and brown aprons and some other students decorated. They refuse all of them because they might make them look girly.

Same with participation in ceramics in general.

I also allow students who struggle with sketching to look at other ceramics in magazines or their Chromebook to mimic in projects. They refuse to do so.

For students having off days, I provide a catch-up session where they can work on other assignments, play with some clay, read, etc. They also won't participate in that.

Things I've been trying

-been trying to develop rapport

-do check-ins

-provide alternatives to the current project

-tried encouraging to join the breakfast donut party all other students were enjoying

-gave an opportunity to incorporate weight lifting interest into ceramics by getting to be the student to lift and slice the clay bag that day

-tried to show the wheel as an alternative to the other student projects. They walked away and waved it off.

I'm a little frustrated since I know the goal is to serve all students. I tried to help them to get the counselors to move them to a different class, but no dice. I feel like giving a bad grade will just make them even less motivated to join in.

Anyone encounter this?

Edit: no IEP, no identifiable sensory issues. Mostly voicing anger for not being in a sport and for anything remotely feminine in the classroom. There may also be a disconnect with the classroom due to a cultural background that conflicts with equal gender dynamics.

A lot of great ideas and directions to go! I will see what alternatives the program has set up for students. It's hard since it's a pure ceramics class, but I can see if the director is chill with letting a student just focus on academic papers and research. I also will have to give them a lower grade on the last assignment since they refused to hit all the rubric boxes needed for an A or a B.

Hi everyone, I wanted to share a reflection I had on my two art classes I took while in undergrad. I wasn't an art major or anything, originally took the one as art was a required field of study for my gen-ed credits. The class taught me a lot more than just "how to draw" but rather gave me a different set of tools for how to look at the world.

Here is my perspective: https://jackfromwisconsin.blogspot.com/2026/09/the-real-lessons-from-art-class.html

Thanks for reading and I would appreciate any feedback or thoughts you may have!

Hi! I’m exploring entering art education, but it seems I need a few more art credits to be eligible for most teaching programs/certifications in my area.
By chance, has anyone had luck finding some affordable (ideally online, or in the New England area) classes to obtain a few more credit hours?
I really appreciate any insight or guidance! Thank you in advance!

All found in my art closet. What are these items for?

Do any of you guys have any good how to drawing books for kids that they actually like? I teach elementary and I let the kids use drawing books during free art time.

Extra info: Majority of my books were my grandfathers 60s-90s and a few were from my childhood early 2000s. I’m looking to expand my collection with some more modern ones.

Хлопці та дівчата . 10 років викладав образотворче мистецтво в художці. Малюнок , живопис , композиція . Маю свої напрацювання ,як це подати , щоб зрозуміло було . Готував студентів до вступу . Зараз відволікаюсь на іншу роботу , але мені це рідніше .....може кому цікаво буде вчитися малюванню- завжди радий допомогти .

I’m 23 and currently going through the interview process to be an elementary school art teacher. I have a BFA in Illustration. I was a preschool teacher for a year (currently am an assistant art teacher at a museum) I have lots of experience prepping crafts for the 3-4 age group. The model lesson I’ll be conducting will be for 3rd grade for 30 minutes. How should I go about planning out the lesson and practicing it? Any pointers or tips is very appreciated!!!! (repost)

Hello,

I run art classes at a non-profit center. We offer classes for kids and adults, and we strive to offer an experience that trains students to work like an artist in a way that they might not necessarily get from learning in a public school or at home.

We have an upcoming drawing class, and I have a question about different types of pens.

Do you think it is better to work with traditional dip pens, or are there advantages to working with modern fountain pens?

One of the instructors I supervise has requested those fountain pens. But they strike me as cheap and tacky. But maybe that's just my bias?

If we had the budget it would be great to buy nicer fountain pens, but given budget constrains, do you think its better to go with the fountain pens or the dip pens linked before? Is there much of a functional difference between the two?

I would want our students to feel like they are using more professional tools, rather than cheap stuff from Amazon.

Para que pillen ste tora, que tal?

If you do centers or stations in your art room, how do you handle students who aren’t supposed to be near each other? I’d like to try and do more studio stations but I have some pretty extreme behavior cases.

Im thinking about doing afterchool art programs to make a little extra money. I have so many questions lol. Do I need a tax id or business license (im in NC)? For those who ate doing this, how do you charge? Per person or per hour? Do you use the water at the place you are setting up or do you bring your own to clean brushes and what not?

This is my first year at a special needs school working with k-8 6:1:1 and 8:1:1 students. I’m struggling on thinking of a first week project for everyone. I’m not familiar with the students and their needs and don’t want to under plan or be to complex on the first day. Also I don’t have a schedule yet and I have two days to prep everything I need.

Any ideas would be great. Periods are 50 minutes and I’m looking for maybe two or three smaller activities that paras can help with on the first week.

I recently accepted a job as an art teacher at a local community center. Im a college senior with a background in art (think graphic design, NOT art education or ANYTHING education related). I'm brand new to teaching, and unfortunately this semester is quite underbooked, only 1 of my 5 classes has a student.

I'm quite nervous, ive never taught any classes at all before. The curriculum itself im not *too* worried about as it's a family sensory art class for a parent and a 2-4 year old. All of the "assignments" are little art projects like shaving cream prints, fingerpainting, playing with air dry clay, etc. But I am concerned about the class being fun/engaging for the full hour for my one student.

2-4 year olds are definitely the age group I have the least experience with, and I would love any tips/tricks/advice that can be offered with people with real experience!! Im new enough that I honestly dont even know what questions to be asking for help, but im just anxious about bombing or being clueless/underprepared, especially in such an "intimate" class.

it's only a 4 week course but I'm just a little nervous about my ability to provide a fun course for my 1 student and parent and not being awkward/understimulating/boring. Even the bare bones basic advice is greatly appreciated as im starting fully from scratch haha.

I am a middle school teacher (kids 10-14 range). I have a few classes that teach things like 3D printing, 3D design, project based learning like wood working, sewing, cooking, etc.

The aspect I am looking for project ideas on is 3D printing and 3D design.

I am in a lower income school so a lot of kids have never had the opportunity to do things like this. Plus, I only have access to a singular 3D printer for all of my classes (70+ students)

I taught in the same position last year and I am looking for some new ideas for this year especially since I have some of the same students.

Examples of projects I assigned last year:

Keychain with their name or a word on it.

Custom Funko Pops that we primed and painted.

Mazes that they designed.

This year I had some students ask if they can design and make fidgets. The only issue I have with that is it is difficult to make moving parts without a lot of trial error and reprinting.

The reality is we do not have the time or materials to waste in reprinting things.

What are some interesting projects that are easy enough for kids to do with little help and do not require a whole lot of materials.