Meet Bruce.

Greetings.

Bruce is a "former" Storm Trooper who really wants to be an artist. He is hanging out in the (way cool) Donald Art room to help out and learn with our kiddoes. 

With our district's push to promote our programs, our kids and our stories on social media, featuring Bruce was the absolutely only logical conclusion...if you know me at all. 

Please follow Bruce's adventures on Twitter, @donaldartroom #Brucelovesart, or on Facebook, The Way Cool Donald Art Room. 

Bruce is learning about Art Centers...

...and friendship...

...and new ways to be creative...

...and how to talk about art...

...and craftsmanship...

...and sharing...

...and just how awesome the Art Room is!

Keep watching out for shenanigans and way cool art making!

"Wait a minute. Teachers get HOW LONG for lunch?"

Updated! The realities of teaching: I NEED A SUB!

 A week and a half into the school year and I got knocked out for two weeks by a kidney stone! Are you kidding me?

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I need a sub.
Worst sentence ever.

The reality of teaching is that sooner or later, you're going to need a sub.

It might be because a freak winter storm has shut down your neighborhood and you cannot get to work.  

It might be because your kid is sick.

It might be because you have to attend a wedding or a funeral.

It might be because you desperately need a mental health day.

Huh. It might be because you are sick. 

(See how I put us last? Because most teachers HATE preparing for a sub and would rather just go to work.)

The reality is that you teach hundreds of kids and they are spreading their funky germs all over you. And you are allowed to have a life outside of your classroom. 

Full disclosure: your first 2 years of teaching? Yeah, you're going to be sick. A lot. You might even believe you have the plague.

New teacher, this is you. Nah, I'm joking. But not really.

Did you know that teaching is one of the most stressful professions? (Constant stress, year after year, can really mess up your body and mind. Take care of yourselves.)

Listen to me. Trust me. For the love of all that is good and holy, YOU MUST PREPARE FOR A SUB NOW. 

For the kids

I know. Planning for a sub is a PAaaaaiiiiiiiiiiIN. You run the gigantic risk that they won't follow your plans anyway, throwing off your entire week or rotation. 

Which is why most teachers would rather just come to work. 

And then we get run down. 

And then we get sicker.

And then we get REALLY sick.

And then it's too late.

So what do you do? You can't NOT be sick, or NOT go to your sister's wedding, or NOT take care of your sick baby.

There are two types of absences: 

The Planned Absence looks like this, if you are crazy like me:

All directions, student shout outs and materials are neatly laid out. Stress free! Life is awesome!

The Unplanned Absence looks like this (me, the very next day):

...ugh i don't even want to care. 

Why am I apologizing? Because it was a Friday, at seven am. If a sub did not pick up the job, my classes would have been split between the rest of the Specials. That means our Music, PE teachers and Librarian would have had seven to eight extra kids. Which is like a thousand.

Which means their classes/rotations are all thrown off. Domino effect.

But this is what teachers DO. We step in and help each other. We are flexible.

Here's the deal:

You need to be prepared. Right now, right now, if you are feeling healthy, start making emergency sub plans. 

• Prepare one day plans for all your classes for those single days. Try not to make it a movie, unless it is relevant to what they are learning. 
• Prepare 1 and 2 week or rotation plans for your kids, complete lessons with exact directions and anything the sub might need (where to find materials, prints, books, etc.) for if (God forbid) you are out for a week or more. 
• After 2 weeks, your district probably has a Medical Leave Policy, which you would talk to HR about.
• Consider having Free Choice Centers: free draw, mosaics, modeling clay, finger weaving, magnets, rods and connectors, collage, etc! Pre-train the kids on what to do and your sub will only have to deal with classroom management.

KEEP ALL THIS IN A BOX OR BINDER IN AN OBVIOUS PLACE.

Make sure someone (teammates, dept chair, teacher friends, anyone) knows where this is. This seems silly, but this is very important. Your teacher friends do not know your classroom like you do.

 Include, if applicable:

• Seating charts
• Weather, disaster and fire drill plans, etc.
• Student health and special ed info if your district requires it. Keep it confidential.
• General info about your philosophy and student expectations (do not assume your sub will be Art Ed certified).
• Information about the school: 
• Where to find staff bathrooms and lounge, if there are vending machines, closest restaurants or coffee shops, who to talk to if there are questions and their room number, anything else that might be helpful.
• Information about your room:
• Where to find necessary materials, what materials are "off limits", appropriate noise and behavior levels, class rules and procedures, how much time to allow for clean up, end of day procedures, your duties, where to put student art work, anything else that might be helpful.

If your district offers a Sick Leave Bank, join it. I can't tell you how many people tell me they don't join "because they never get sick". And then they do. Or their kid or spouse does. And it comes back to bite them.

Hopefully you will never, ever need to use any of this.

 I do hope that is the case. I really do.

But should you find yourself overwhelmed with the realities of life, it is nice to know that you don't have to worry about your students.

Stay healthy, my friends.

More:

the art of ed why-centers-make-the-perfect-sub-plans/

the art of ed planning-for-a-long-term-sub-before-during-and-after/

Design Education in the Elementary Classroom: the Cherry on Top of your Art Sundae.

 A few years ago, I noticed an abundance of mandala-inspired graphic tees and hoodies in my classroom. I was already planning to do a lesson introducing radial symmetry to third grade, so I thought: hey, let's use this current fashion as a reference. I gave the kids a job: they were to pretend they worked for Target and they had to create a new t-shirt/skateboard/snowboard design using radial symmetry:

Julianna, 3rd grade

While they worked, I talked about art careers ("Could you imagine doing this as a job? How cool would that be? Most of this is done on computers, so you need good drawing skills!"). It took no time to add Design Thinking to the lesson. I didn't leave anything important out: 

• I still introduced, reviewed balance, pattern, line, shape and color (radial symmetry = great math integration).
• I still introduced the proper way to use markers and color pencils, and explained the necessity of high quality design (technique and aesthetics).
• I still was able to show and explain examples of mandalas (history and world cultures).
• The kids had student choice within the assignment (media).

I simply started the lesson with a job, a product (the Big Idea, the metaphor, etc.).

Liberty, 3rd grade

Anna, 3rd grade

They had a blast, and they were totally excited about the idea of creating a product for people. These third graders absolutely loved the idea of creating something for others to enjoy.

Welcome to Design Education: the idea of using design to create products to make the world a better, or prettier, place.

Today, Design Education is a THING. What we used to just call graphic design has morphed into a plethora of design careers:

 “Apparel Design, Architectural Design, Environmental Design, Exhibit Design, Fashion Design, Floral Design, Footwear Design, Furniture Design, Game Design, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Interior Design, Product Design, Transportation Design, etc.” *

Repeat after me, most of the jobs our students will have haven't been invented yet. And we know that the majority will involve creativity, innovation, design. It's crazy, right? We need to get these kids ready to be the creative, innovative designers of their future. 

The beautiful this is that you don’t have to sacrifice anything to add Design Education to your lessons. All you doing is adding another layer, making your lessons richer and more robust. That cherry on top.

Start by looking at your kids. Drive around their neighborhood, look at their community. What's missing? What's a problem? Or use global issues, current events. It all depends on your kids, your school, your community (be sensitive, be knowledgeable, be respectful).

When I taught in an urban elementary school, my kids lived in a food desert-there were no grocery stores close by. The only place to get food- chips and candy really- was the corner store. They also didn't really have playground- it was broken, on blacktop, surrounded by chain link fences. Could they create their own playground? What else could be a part of that space? A garden?

Could you imagine the kids creating their answer to these issues? Collaborative collage murals, paintings, digital art, ceramic reliefs?

And what if this work of art was presented to the school board? The mayor and town council? This art would not only teach the elements and principles, but also community involvement, empathy, creativity and innovation. What would be the long term impact of such a lesson? 

Are stray dogs a problem? How about a dog hotel (never said this had to be realistic!)? Check out the fictitious, “Dog Island" *website for inspiration and a good dose of digital citizenship.

Shoe design is a huge thing right now, especially design-your-own. While you are doing that shoe-based art project, ask the kids what they could add to the shoe design that would help their community or the world. Talk about upcycling, sustainable resources, odd materials. You will be surprised at their answers, regardless of the age group.

Today, in my suburban school, we have three STEAM labs, student iPads and Mac labs. It is easy to include Design Thinking to many lessons. I added Design Education to my Free Choice Centers Challenges for early finishers. From architectural design (create a lakeside restaurant with a fun place for the kids), to creating a dog park, to clothing design for the future. They draw these or build them in Minecraft.

Adding design to your lessons is not about giving up anything, it’s about adding student-led creativity, community and world awareness. It’s about getting our kids ready for a future they create. Who doesn’t want that cherry on top?

*References;

https://ucda.com/careers.lasso

http://www.thedogisland.com/

         

          

How to do: Free Choice Centers

Alrighty. Here's a common Art Ed issue that tends to stress us out:

What to do with those early finishers? Those kids who genuinely finished their work of art two weeks before everyone else? You know the ones. You have already convinced them to add more details, fill in the space, go back and edit/revise their art. They. Are. Done.
Now what?

And....don't forget...

• These kiddoes need to be acting and thinking like artists, not bored.
• They cannot disrupt the other kids who are still working.

Yep. She is done. And the rest of the class needs another rotation. Now what?

Solution? Free Choice Centers:  a variety of art based activities for students to create and play. 

STOP. Don't cringe at the word "play". Obviously I am not talking about "running around the playground screaming your head off" kind of play. With all the prescribed standards in education, our kids have lost the time to play- time to experiment, to make mistakes, to start over, to use their imaginations and collaborate (play with friends). This time is crucial for creative growth.

When you get a new food processor or blender, what do you do? You play with it. You make smoothies. You try out mashed potatoes. You figure out how it works.

You get a new cool art supply, you play with it. 

Our kids need the same time with their inner artist. And they don't get this time.

Oh, and before I forget, these Centers are not just for early finishers, as they are PERFECT for:

• Emergency sub plans. For those days when you or your child wake up sick, and you have no time to throw something together. It is so easy! The kids have already been trained and have a lot of options. Subs are happy, the kids are happy, you can chill and focus on your needs.
• That crazy week before a holiday break. Especially if it is only two or three days. You can create challenges or themes for the Centers.
• If you have a class out of rotation. Elementary teachers, you know what I am talking about. That class that is a week ahead of all the others? That extra class during the week? Give them a Center Day to allow time to catch up. You will love it and so will the kids.

Typically, an early finisher will do a Center for about 15-20 minutes. This is time for the kids to act and think like an artist. This is time for them to do their own thing, while the rest of the class is finishing the major project. Their Center project can go home, or be saved for continued work. (Some Art teachers have year-long weavings or sculptures as a Center.) This can be time for you to play with TAB philosophy, although this is not really a TAB post.

Adding and using Centers is 21st Century Thinking. This is what is coming down the pike. This crucial time for students to choose their own path, make their own choices, is being discussed and explored by innovative educators in all areas of education.

In Art Centers, you can utilize traditional art making, Design Thinking (design and create a product), you can add technology challenges (meet your tech requirements and use those computers!), you can recycle supplies and use them for collage or construction, you can use up media you don't have time to use in class.

BONUS: Centers are inexpensive. You can raid your kid's toy box, your garage, garage sales, whatever, where ever. 

WARNING: You might have to adjust how you manage your room and behavior expectations.

Students on the right are finishing the project. Students to the left are doing Free Choice Centers. A student at the back is assessing and putting her image is her digital portfolio. 

In order to implement Free Choice Centers in your room, as few things have to be in place:

• First of all, the kids have to be able to move freely around the room. A 21st century Art room allows freedom for the student to act and think like an artist. They can solve their own problems. Let them walk around and get their own supplies, sharpen their own pencil. Have clear behavior expectations, and you will see your kids rise to the challenge. 

They can totally handle this. I have done this in urban and suburban schools.

• Appropriate supplies need to be located where students can access them. I'm talking crayons, markers, pencils, scissors, glue. Easy. Basic. I have a supply table in the center of the room so every kid Kinder through Fifth can access their basic supplies. 

Scrap paper, glues, pencils, erasers, Sharpies, scissors, rulers. Easy Peasy.

• Wet materials (printmaking, paint and clay) are not used for Free Choice Centers in my room. This would be your choice. I choose to not deal with an added mess. I have used modeling clay in the past with a variety of results. It's great if you and your kids don't mind gray/brown clay as they will mix the colors. (It’s messy, so make sure you have laminated place mats and wet wipes for clean up.) At some point the clay got so gross I threw it out and never got around to ordering more...

• Review and Remind. I clearly explain Centers the first week of school.  I remind the kids throughout the year. I have signs and charts explaining Centers. I have clear expectations for behavior and clean up. We use this Clean Up Chart. Every. Single. Class:

OKAY. REALITY CHECK.

A 21^st Century Art room, with movement and collaboration, can be noisy. There are kids on the floor. There are kids working in groups, alone, leaning over tables to share information. I used to demand a quiet Art room. But with Centers, the kids became so excited and super engaged...and so talkative! I realized I was giving myself tons of unwanted stress over something I could no longer control. This need for quiet made little sense. Plus, THE KIDS LOVED COMING TO ART. Why was I freaking out?  I had to adjust my thinking and my teaching style. It was hard. It took a few years. 

My room is not noisy all the time, nor is it deafening. But it is no longer silent, and it's ok. (I can close my door, and as long as I can get their attention quickly, we are good.)

(Please note, I am referring to Center time when I talk about the noise level. While we are deep in a project, the expectation is still "peaceful and calm".)

Here are some successful Centers I use. I have about 20 different options. I tend to rotate in and out through the years, and I order/create new Centers when I can. Here are some highlights:

*a note about the images: 
I am purposely showing pictures of (mostly) kindergarten using Centers, to prove they can handle this independence. So can 5th graders.

This is where our Centers live, on these 4 bottom shelves. Yes, this is how they look every day. It is part of the clean up expectation. And, I am not their mommy, so I do not clean up after the kids. *smiley face*

Free draw (with or without challenges). 

This is the most basic, and most important, Center. All you need is a supply of drawing paper: scraps, sketchbooks, donated paper. This is a great Center as many kids no longer draw or color at home anymore. Remember how we made cards? Yeah, our little ones don't do that. You could include:

• "How to draw" books and worksheets. You might not like these kind of books, but if your school participates in "Scholastic Book Fairs", you might find these are gifted to your room. They are fine, as long as kids understand these books are the baby steps and they need to draw on their own after. This year, PTA gave me a Spirograph! Remember those?
• Objects for observational drawing (stuffed animals, old technology, natural objects, etc.)
• A variety of papers, various sizes
• White boards and markers (many of my autistic kids LOVE this media)
• Artist Tiles/Zentangles/Super Intense Patterns and Doodles/Whatever You Call It: offer examples, books, pre-cut paper and Sharpies 

Drawing Challenges, thank you to all the amazing art teachers who post their ideas on FB!

 Origami. 
(Personally, my least favorite Center as this is one art form I fail at. It is embarrassing. I could tell you the sad story of the origami artist who came to our school when I was in 6th grade, and how I was the only kid who couldn't get it, but I will spare you the gory details.) Kids LOVE this. This is an important Center as their fine motor skills are somewhat lacking due to technology. Plus, it is super cheap.

See how I use box lids as containers? It's because I am classy.

Hey! There's a cool iPad app for Origami: Origami Pro

The kids practice on the app first, then try it with paper.

Straws and Connectors.

I wasn't prepared for what happened when I purchased these. These are magical. I can't even explain.

Lego's. 
I have a teenage son who owns about 5.6 million Lego's. We are also fortunate to have a dad at school who works for the company. Notice how many I have though: NOT A TON. Because that would be too much for my little room.

This is a GREAT CENTER for the Art room. Give them challenges if you want, or just allow them to explore sculpture, form, construction, engineering, all that good stuff.

(PJ day, how cute is this?) This is Kinder, cleaning up, quickly.

Mosaics.  
Perfect for the kid who needs to chill out. Or has a lot of time to devote to this art form. Not my most popular Center, but there is always 1 or 2 kids participating. Mosaic squares can be purchased from art supply stores, or you can cut your own from scraps. 

Puzzles and games.
I have had no luck with Art games, but the kids love these tessellation and shape puzzles. Great for fine motor and concentration. Also great for the kid who needs some "quiet alone time".

Magnets. 
So I ordered those expensive magnet games, but the kids prefer the one I made with a coffee can. I glued magnets on buttons, lids and beads. They love it.
Go figure.

Those magnetic lids can be purchased at hardware stores for 5 bucks. They are for holding nails and screws. And no, these kids do not put the little pieces in their mouth, but that is a serious consideration. Think about your kids before having small magnets in your room. 

These girls are super proud of their robot!

Aaaaaand, this was the only time it was played with.

Technology: 
Our district integrates technology within learning. They just created their own App Store (with help from Apple), with "district approved apps" (Free, elementary age appropriate apps, with no chatting ability) available for download. Here at Donald every kid (2nd-5th) has a school issued iPad and I have 4 laptops in my room. We are tech heavy. To learn more, check out the 1:X tab up top.

The kids are allowed to use their iPads for Centers, with a few guidelines:

• They can only use art apps (listed below)
• They must create digital art (drawings, paintings, stop action movies, etc.) and act like an artist. (This is when I talk about how David Hockney uses his iPad to create art.)

Here are some of our current iPad apps: 

Blendoku: a very fun color theory app. The kids love having competitions. 

Tayasui Sketches and Inspire Pro (free): great drawing and painting apps with fun features

Kids 2nd-5th can easily use these apps to create digital drawings and paintings. 

iMotion  and Stop Motion (stop action movie making apps):

Making a movie in Elementary Art was unheard of 5-10 years ago. Now, kids can create a quality movie, with music, dialogue and sound affects, in no time. It is so exciting. If you want, give them themes or ideas.

Making a movie using a "photo shoot" backdrop and objects borrowed from our library.

Backdrops are laminated calendar pages or small works of art taped onto book ends. Great way to teach photography and movie making!

Sensory Tubs in our Library, this is what the kids grab to make their photos or movies.

Our Library has Sensory Tubs that the kids can borrow. We are fortunate to have them for learning photography and movie making. These are amazing resources.

You can grab small toys and figures from a Dollar Store or your kid's toy box. Or, have the kids use art supplies to create their movie.

Yarn.
I keep this box of scrap yarn for finger weaving, friendship bracelets, learning how to tie knots, yarn/glue pictures. It is a favorite. The kids love the textures and colors. A couple times a year I clean it out as it tends to grow.

Stamps.
I started buying rubber stamps at Michael's when I saw they were on sale for a dollar. Who could beat that? I also have some pretty awesome donated foam stamps. Honestly, the stamps pads are kinda pricey, so sometimes the kids use markers, which work great. They love stamping, and when they get into story telling, you can see their creativity exploding. 

Check out that focus.

Stencils.
So, yeah, I was the one that rolled her eyes when stencils were mentioned. If you said "Stencils!", I smirked. PSH. NOT SERIOUS ART MAKING.

That is, until a teacher donated her entire stash of stencils and the kids LOVED them. They ate them up. So I begrudgingly allowed them. But nowadays, I see that they are super important for our kids to work on fine motor skills. They need tracing practice, do not discount this. They need the drawing confidence stencils help build. Plus, some fine artists and architects use them, so they can't be that bad, right?

Plus, they help teach craftsmanship!

See? They love them. 

I know what you are thinking: What a mess! How much time does it take to clean up?!

Clean up
I am not gonna lie. If you are going to add Centers, then you better be on your clean up game. First of all, the kids do not want to stop. Second, there is a hot mess of various art supplies all over your room.

Here's what saves me:

• I have "clean up alarms" set on my phone (and iPad, you know, just in case...). Grades 1-5 gets 5 minutes for clean up, Kinder gets 8. THIS IS A LIFE SAVER. Egg timers don't work, what if you forget to set it? Set the alarms on your phone. They will go off, even on school holidays, which is a real treat. 
• This "Clean Up Chart": Every. Single. Class. 

• I say, "Step One..." 6 times a day. It works. 
• MONITOR. Look for the kid who is spinning. Look for the kid who is pretending to pick up a piece of paper. Give them specific jobs. 
• You are not the one who made the mess. You are not the one who picks up. Have clear, concise clean up directions. Do not be vague. Say things like, "Everyone pick up 5 things off the floor that should not be there". Manage their expectations.  
• The kids LOVE Centers. Worse case scenario, if they do not clean up well: take them away for awhile. Bring them back and watch them clean up like a pro.

Kinder cleaning tables, 2 minutes before class is over! Room is clean and smells good, too.

Adding and using Centers is not a difficult transformation. Start with a few options, have clear expectations, expect fun and enjoyment, and watch the kids explode with creativity. They are worth the mess, I promise.