Dear Students: I Don’t Know.

Dear Students,

I don’t know. I don’t know what we’re doing in art today. I don’t know when your clay piece will be out of the kiln. I don’t know where the pencils are, or the erasers. I don’t know whose paper this is. I don’t know why you didn’t put your name on it the last time I returned it to you with no name on it.

I don’t know why your classmates are talking. I don’t know why no one can raise their hands. I don’t know where the pencil sharpener is, and I don’t know who broke the lead off inside of it.

I don’t know why there is water on your table. I don’t know who spilled paint on the floor. I don’t know who put the paint brush back dirty. I don’t know why it smells in here. Continue reading →

Funny, Ha-Ha

Do You Have What it Takes to Be An Art Teacher?

We’ve all heard it a million times, “I should have been an art teacher.” Everyone seems to think they have what it takes to do what we do, and most of the time, we just laugh it off, right? Well, laugh it off no more. The next time someone claims to be able to do your job, confidently challenge them, “oh really? Are you sure about that?” and then hand them this handy dandy quiz. Now, I’m not saying this is all one needs in order to be an art teacher, but it’s enough of a start to weed out the truly clueless and overconfident wannabes. Continue reading →

Small Scraps

Small Scraps & Weekend Links

Election Year Fatigue

I cannot wait for this election year to be over. Usually it’s all the attack ads that get to me, but those haven’t hit yet. What is really draining me is all the talk among my students, “Did you hear [student]? She said she’s moving to Canada if [candidate] becomes President!” or “We have to leave the county if [candidate] becomes President.” or “I hope [candidate] becomes President.” “No way, [candidate] is going to be President.” I mean, I’m happy to hear students are engaged in the process, but it saddens me to hear that many students feel unwanted, or worse, that many students are “supporting” candidates without fully understanding what it means. I know they’re just parrots of their parents, but to hear first graders, second graders, third graders argue about who would be the best President is bothersome. Continue reading →

Art Teachers Hate Glitter #tbt From the Archives athglitter.com

Gripes

#tbt: Crafts Are For Summer Camp. I Teach Art

This post previously appeared on Art Teachers Hate Glitter on June 11, 2011.

Dear sweet, innocent, substitute teacher,

I don’t even think you realized what you said today when you said it. There we were, discussing the fact that you’re new to the county, you were asking me questions about schools in the area, I was giving you tips on where to apply, all while the Kindergarten students you were assisting with were toiling away on their creations. The conversation was going alright, albeit a little distracting and inappropriately timed, but pleasant nonetheless.

And then you said it. Right there, in the middle of my art class, “I never understood how to teach crafty things to little kids. All that glue and stuff. How do you manage it?” Continue reading →