Small Scraps

Small Scraps & Weekend Links

This Week’s Highs

Snow days. I have a love/hate relationship with snow days. I love the time at home with my daughter, but ugh, if they don’t throw a HUGE kink in school plans. But mostly, I love them. Show me a working adult who wouldn’t like a day or two off from work, guilt-free, and I’ll show you a liar, liar, pants-on-fire.
My students. Love them! They sure can get me down sometimes, but man if they can’t pick me up just as much. They’re funny, sweet, and their enthusiasm for art class makes me all warm and fuzzy.
My coworkers. Think what you will about me, but I actually love my coworkers. I am going through something at home that has really been wearing on me these past couple of weeks, and dang-it, if they haven’t been the most gosh darn supportive people. It’s good to know you have people on your side when you need a hug, or a shoulder to cry on.

This Week’s Lows

Students move away all the time in my neck of the woods, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t sad to see friends brokenhearted when one moves away.
Unfortunately, tragedy also strikes in these parts, as it does everywhere, and two of the sweetest girls unexpectedly lost their mother this week. My heart goes out to them.

Things Students Say

At the end of each quarter, I have free choice day, mostly to give myself some time to finish up last minute grades, but also as a reward to the students for all their hard work during the quarter. My Kindergarten free choice day was delayed a couple of weeks, so they just had theirs today. After reviewing how free choice day works, I opened the floor up to questions. A quiet little girl raised her hand and asked, “are we doing this because you didn’t have anything planned for us?” Oh, sweetie, aren’t you just so precious.

Weekend Links

I want to try doing something like this with my students. SO cute! Does anyone else do plushies with their kids?
Looking for new Instagram accounts to follow? Try this one, this one, and this one.
These NASA posters are gorgeous. You can download them for free here.
This video is hilarious.
In case you missed it, 8 Tips for Easier Art Show Prep.
I strongly dislike coloring. Here’s a coloring sheet I can get on board with.
I have a slight obsession with organizing, and I recently discovered the joys of bullet journals. There are so many items on my wishlist from here.

Hope you have a great weekend! Don’t forget to follow Art Teachers Hate Glitter on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for more behind the scenes photos, anecdotes and lesson ideas.

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

Dear Students

#tbt: “What’s a rubber?”

This post previously appeared on Art Teachers Hate Glitter on May 4, 2012.

“What’s a rubber?” the innocent (or so I thought) first grade girl inquired.

“What?” I asked back, while my inner panic alarms began to sound.

“A rubber. What’s a rubber? Aaron* wants one.”

My keen teacher hearing is now on full alert as I scan the art room, trying to locate Aaron. Ah, there he is…

Aaron is repeatedly questioning his classmates,“Does anyone have a rubber? I need a rubber.”

I relax, look back at the girl, and reply, “it’s an eraser. He’s looking for an eraser. That’s what they call them in Australia.”

“Oh!”

I can see it now. This poor little girl is going to be sitting at her dinner table, and her parents are going to ask what she learned in school today. Of course, she’s excitedly going to tell them that she learned about rubbers in art class. I swear, these first graders will be the death of me this year.

*Names have been changed to protect the innocent Australian kid who doesn’t know any better.

For more student funnies, check out more of Things Students Say. Or check out more #tbt posts.

A Day In the Life

8 Tips for Easier Art Show Prep

I don’t mean to alarm you, but art show season is nearly upon us. I know, I know, it always sneaks up on me too. Most likely, you have your art show prep routine down pat, but for the sake of this post, let’s pretend you’re more like me. I always find myself, a week or two before the show, scrambling to not only prep work, but to find enough work to put in the show. This year is going to be different. This year I devised a plan to make life easier for me when it is inevitably brought to my attention that the art show is only one week away.

I understand art shows come in all different shapes and sizes. I worked at schools that had me prepping one or two pieces for each of my elementary students. I worked at a school that had me prepping multiple pieces for each of my K-12 students. I currently work at a school that has me prepping about 20 pieces of elementary work. Regardless of your art show arrangement, I think these tricks will work for you too. Continue reading →

Small Scraps

Small Scraps & Weekend Links

This Week’s Highs

I have been having “Free Choice Art Day” in my art room this week (and last). I have these days at the end of every quarter. I love these days, even though they tend to be a bit chaotic, but the students get so creative and they have a blast. I wish every day could be free choice day.
I had a parent of a 4th grade student tell me that her son is loving art for the first time. I have never had him in art before, and I am told he is expressing interest in drawing and other activities when he previously thought art was no fun. I do not have to tell you how great this made me feel.
Due to snow days and early release days, it has been quite awhile since I have seen my Kinders. When I saw them this week, they told me that they wish every day was art day. Love them!
I had my mid-year evaluation meeting with my principal and assistant principal. It went wonderfully. They were very complimentary and rated me “highly effective” in more than one area. They praised me on my handling of a challenging class and my rapport with students. Although I have been teaching for quite some time, it is hard for me to really know how I am doing, so it feels good to hear this feedback. And while I was flattered, I was also slightly insulted for our profession, when the comment was made that they wish they could take me out of the art room and put me into a general classroom. As if the art room does not deserve good teachers too. But I tried not to take it that way since I know they had the best intentions when they made the remark. But still, you know?

This Week’s Lows

It seems like everything was due this week, SMARTR goal updates, grades, mid-year evaluations and self-reflections… it has been very draining.
I was hoping to have my classes back into the swing of things after our BIG blizzard, but we continue to be interrupted by assemblies, fire drills, fundraisers and assessments.
I had a sub in my room for 30 minutes while I was at my mid-year evaluation meeting, and I returned to a scene that can only be described as disastrous and chaotic. My room had not been that trashed since… ever.

Weekend Links

This interesting article discusses whether or not creativity is really as welcomed in the real world as we are led to believe. It’s a good read.
How many times have we seen this? Happens all the time. So annoying, but can anyone really explain why it bugs us so much? I can’t.
Someone transformed Van Gogh’s The Bedroom painting into a real room, now available on Airbnb.
Totally crushing on these shoes.
I love the use of color in this living room.
I did a variation of this lesson by Painted Paper with my Kinders this week, and the results were so adorable.
I made these warm hearts, seen on Art Projects for Kids, with my 1st graders. They were fun and very successful.
My recent attempt at controlling yarn tangles. It was very successful, until the sub fiasco I mentioned above.

Hope you have a great weekend! Don’t forget to follow Art Teachers Hate Glitter on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for more behind the scenes photos, anecdotes and lesson ideas.

Behind the Scenes

How To Navigate ATHG’s New Site

By now, it shouldn’t be any secret that I updated my blog. Clearly it has gone through an overhaul, and a pretty significant one at that. I happen to love the simpler, minimalist design, but maybe you’re missing some of the old page elements. Maybe you’re missing all of the old sidebar widgets. Mourn no more, because I’m here to reassure you, all of those elements are still here. Oh yes, they are. And I’m going to show you where to find them.

If you take a look at the top of the page, you’ll notice three neat little icons. Go ahead, I’ll give you a moment to scroll back up. See them? What are those, you wonder? Well, I’m glad you asked. Continue reading →