Teaching Strategies & Resources

Find Teaching Strategies, Resources and Teaching Strategy Ideas to Help You Grow and Develop as a Teacher or Educator.

Artastic August 2022 – FREE Art Education Professional Development Month of Events!
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Artastic August 2022 – FREE Art Education Professional Development Month of Events!

Whether you’re a teacher, homeschool parent, or art studio instructor, or anyone who just wants to bring more Art Education opportunities to their home for their kids or kids in their classroom, then Join me for Artastic August! I am going to level-up your Art Education game and supercharge you with new Art Lessons  Resources you can use this year! Let’s dive into more about this amazing Professional Development month!

3 End of Year Choice-Based Art Ideas with a FREE Printable Art Choice-Board Activity
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3 End of Year Choice-Based Art Ideas with a FREE Printable Art Choice-Board Activity

End of Year is almost here and I know you’re feeling super teacher exhausted and complete brain melt. But now worries because I have don’t the brainstorming for you and have come up with 3 End of Year Art Ideas that explore Choice-Based learning strategies to give you a break and students the freedom to express and explore and SHOW what they know before the end of the school year. Scroll to the bottom to snag a FREE Printable End of Year Art Choice Board!

Why Having a “Picture Perfect” Classroom DOES NOT Make You A Better Teacher
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Why Having a “Picture Perfect” Classroom DOES NOT Make You A Better Teacher

You might see, when you scroll through social media, A LOT of Picture Perfect Classrooms. But this DOES NOT make you a better teacher. While this is of course, absolutely gorgeous and fills in that check box for “#classroomgoals”, it is not going to make you a better teacher. Read on to find out WHY I am saying this and what WILL make you a better teacher.

Mindful Art Moments in ANY Classroom: An Easy Way to Bring SEL (Social Emotional Learning) into Your Classroom or School
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Mindful Art Moments in ANY Classroom: An Easy Way to Bring SEL (Social Emotional Learning) into Your Classroom or School

Social Emotional Learning allows students to explore and express their thoughts and feelings. Instead of ignoring what is lying below the surface, teachers can provide students opportunities for self-exploration, expression, and understanding in a safe way. One beautiful and easy way we can bring Social Emotional Learning (SEL) into a classroom is through Art. In this article, I’ll dive on into a process I like to call “Mindful Art Moments” that allows educators to create an atmosphere of peace, empowerment, and discovery with little to no art mediums and planning. Grab a pencil and let’s make some art!

5 Art Sub Tub Tips for Planning for a Sub in your Art Classroom
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5 Art Sub Tub Tips for Planning for a Sub in your Art Classroom

Okay so let’s dive on into 5 Art Sub Tub Tips that you can simply and easily do. Honestly, as a teacher, I learned in the later half of my years that having your Sub Tub permanently prepped went a long way. I never ever worried about being away or being sick. I even honed it further when COVID showed up and people had to go into isolation in a moment’s notice. I was always ready and if I had to take a sick day, I just put it in and stayed home and never ever worried about it because my tub was always prepped. 

5 Art on A Cart Tips & Ideas for Teaching Art on a Mobile Cart
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5 Art on A Cart Tips & Ideas for Teaching Art on a Mobile Cart

Okay so let’s dive on into 5 Art on a Cart Tips that you can simply and easily do. I taught Art on a Cart for a couple years and while it was a challenge, I learned a lot. Keep it simple and pick a limited amount of mediums that can be used with endless possibilities and start pushing that art cart!  

3 Dot Day Art Projects, Ideas, and Activities for Your Classroom!
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3 Dot Day Art Projects, Ideas, and Activities for Your Classroom!

Dot Day is coming and I’m here to show you 3 Dot Day Art Projects, Ideas, and Activities that you can use in your Classroom with you students to pair with the book “The Dot” by Peter. H. Reynolds! Lesson ideas to use with Primary, Elementary, & Middle School! Use them in a general classroom or Art Classroom. Grab art making mediums & let’s make some Dot Day Art!

5 Social Emotional Learning Art Lesson and Project Ideas for your Classroom
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5 Social Emotional Learning Art Lesson and Project Ideas for your Classroom

In this blog post, I’m going to give you 5 Social Emotional Learning Art Ideas that you can use in your Art Classroom! As well, I’ll tell you about what Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is, how to instruct it, and how to encourage students to engage in the lessons. I’ll give you lesson ideas that you can use right away with your students, and I will also give you links to Art Projects that are ready-to-use! Before we begin, let’s understand what Social Emotional Learning, or SEL is and what it can look like in the art classroom or through art!

Art Teacher TLC… Taking Care of YOU – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
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Art Teacher TLC… Taking Care of YOU – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators

Today I’m going to be talking about something important, which is Art Teacher TLC. We can’t be there for the kids if we aren’t there for ourselves first. As we know, teaching consumes a lot of our focus power, energy, and emotions. Some years are harder than others, and some moments in the day are more stressful. This pandemic year has added another lovely layer to it.

Becoming an Art Teacher Boss… Strategies for Success – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
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Becoming an Art Teacher Boss… Strategies for Success – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators

Today, I’ll talk about things that you can do in your art teaching practice to fire it up and take it to boss level. They will help you get those things checked off your to-do list and help you be a more productive teacher so that you can leave sooner each day. Because living your life… Is kind of a big deal. Let’s learn strategies for being Art Teacher BOSS!

Be an Art Teacher BOSS… Mindset Strategies – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
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Be an Art Teacher BOSS… Mindset Strategies – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators

Someone who is Art Teacher BOSS knows what they want, how to get what they want, and implements the process to get it. This is what it means to be BOSS! Essentially, you’re the ultimate to-do list checker, task completer, and productivity person. Being boss is a great mindset to have. Of course, it’s not just mindset. You have to feel it in your heart and you have to do the work to get there. Being boss means that your actively and consciously doing the steps each and every day, every moment, working to make the slight improvements in yourself that are needed to get to your goals and your better version of yourself. I like to say: “Reflect, self-improve, and calibrate perfection.” Of course, this is a LONG journey of success, not a quick trip. This is way of LIVING LIFE.

Reflective Teaching Strategies for Art Teachers – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
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Reflective Teaching Strategies for Art Teachers – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators

Hello my lovely friends, I am your host Kathleen McGiveron, founder of all things Ms Artastic. Today we’re going to talk a bit about reflective teaching practices.

This is a topic that I need to focus on as well. It is so often that we feel alone in our classrooms, offices, or studios… We show up, do the work, and go home. Sometimes we have colleagues, but it’s not all the time that we see them. As well, they may know you well, but they might not know what is happening inside your classroom, or your office, or studio. I think it is important that we remind ourselves of the magic makers in our lives, which are ourselves.

Encourage Students to Be Creative in Your Art Classroom – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
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Encourage Students to Be Creative in Your Art Classroom – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators

Art Teachers, we’re going to talk about Encouraging students to be creative in your Art Classroom! First, I’m going to share with you some ideas of how to fuel your creativity, which you can write down notes for then share in your OWN classroom. Second, I’ll talk about some Finish the Picture and Creativity Challenge ideas. These are all ideas that you can use or teach in your own classroom that can help encourage your students to be creative.

Inspiring the Reluctant Artists or Art Makers in your Art Classroom – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
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Inspiring the Reluctant Artists or Art Makers in your Art Classroom – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators

Art teachers, we know encouraging students to make art can sometimes happen easily and other times, it’s a challenge. You bring out, act out, or show your “hook” and BAM! They’re engaged and are wanting to do their best. Depending on the age or the student’s own personal experience with creating art, this is sometimes a challenge and you might even get a complete refusal. As a teacher, it is our job to encourage a student to create. After many years of experience teaching, and having taught art to students from Kindergarten to Grade 12, I have a few tricks up my sleeve in terms of getting ALL your students to create art, even if they really don’t want to. Let’s look at ideas for how to inspire the reluctant artists and art makers in your classroom.

What to do with Fast Finishers in your Art Classroom – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
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What to do with Fast Finishers in your Art Classroom – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators

Art Teachers, in your Art Classroom you’re always going to have students finish before the rest so let’s take a look at some ideas or routines that you can build into your classroom so that students know what to do when they’re done so they don’t have to ask you and so that you don’t have to instruct them on what to do EVERY time.

Creating Happiness in your Art Classroom – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
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Creating Happiness in your Art Classroom – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators

Teachers, let’s talk about creating happiness among your students in your art classroom. For me, this is so important. Right now, at this strange and unusual moment in time, it is essential. It is a major part of creating a positive learning space, creating a strong classroom community, building trust with ALL your students, and creating a classroom that kids WANT to be in.

Tips for Teaching Art during Distance Learning, Part 2 – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
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Tips for Teaching Art during Distance Learning, Part 2 – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators

Today we’re going to discuss some ideas for teaching Distance Learning or Remote Learning style to your students in your Art Classroom. I’m going to provide a lot of ideas and you can decide what might work for you or take some ideas and tweak them for your own classroom. Every classroom and group of students is different so make it work for you. You got this art teacher!

Tips for Teaching Art during Distance Learning for Art Teachers, Part 1 – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
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Tips for Teaching Art during Distance Learning for Art Teachers, Part 1 – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators

Teaching during Distance Learning is going to be oh so challenging for teachers. There is not one model to follow. Some are teaching in class and might be going remote later, or will start remote then will switch to in class. Some teachers are teaching on a cart and remotely. There are full remote learning models and there are hybrid models. All of this adds to confusion and stress because we’re not all in the same boat together and instead it feels like were drifting on a raft in the middle of the ocean and the winds just picked up and the sharks have arrived. At times, it even feels like the raft is just breaking apart. Here are my tips for teaching art during Distance Learning or Remote Learning.

Art Teacher TLC during the Pandemic: Take care of YOU!
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Art Teacher TLC during the Pandemic: Take care of YOU!

Art Teachers! Let’s talk about TLC. As well, find a GIVEAWAY in this post! We are SO STRESSED. This year is completely beyond manageable and overwhelming. This year is going to absorb a lot of our patience, energy, and even our welfare. It is going to be really important that we make sure that we take care of ourselves this year because when we’re stressed and overworked, we can create ill effects for both our mental and physical health. I always find that when I am stressed out that I get sick a lot easier. Scroll to the end of this post to find my Art Teacher TLC Bingo Contest! Let’s look at some ways to incorporate some Art Teacher TLC into our lives. #msartasticbingo #artteacher #artteachertlc

Back to School Tips for Teaching Art During the Pandemic
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Back to School Tips for Teaching Art During the Pandemic

When it comes to Back to School, a little panic sets in because of the unknown. We are unsure if any changes will happen in the school (which this year, there most likely will be), unsure of our schedule, unsure if there will be supplies budget cuts (why do they do this!?), unsure if the staff has changed significantly, unsure who the kids are… These are all unknowns. These are, for the most part, out of your control. We cannot worry about things we can’t control. We are instead, going to place out focus on things we CAN control. If we focus our attention here and get things we can control organized and prepped, it will make our back to school, as well as the year, a lot more stress-free. Isn’t that the goal anyway?

Art Teacher Interview: Whitney Panetta – Teaching Resources for Art Educators

Art Teacher Interview: Whitney Panetta – Teaching Resources for Art Educators

In this interview you will get to know Whitney Panetta, a high school art teacher. She is also the creator of Look Between the Lines. “I have had experience teaching K-college through student teaching, full time teaching, being a graduate assistant, and volunteer work. The majority of my education experience is in art education and yearbook, although I love designing products outside of my expertise. I received my Bachelors of Fine Arts in Art Education and my Masters of Art Education at the University of Georgia (go dawgs!).

How to Fuel Your Creativity: Tips and Ideas for Artists and Art Makers
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How to Fuel Your Creativity: Tips and Ideas for Artists and Art Makers

Creativity can’t happen if you don’t allow time for it to occur. Sometimes we have intentions on “painting this month” or “writing a blog post this week”, but before you know it, the month or week has passed and you made nothing happen. It is important for your own success that you schedule a specific date and time when you are going to block out the rest of the world, including your TV and phone (music is allowed). In my life, I schedule my own business and my free-creative times in my studio on my digital calendar. I use my OneDrive calendar, but you can use your Google Calendar or phone calendar app. You can also purchase a calendar or notebook calendar or agenda for the year where you can pencil in all your adventures and blocks where you will dedicate yourself to being creative in your office, lounge, studio or wherever you’re creative experiences occur.

How to Encourage ALL Your Students to Create Art (even those who don’t want to)

How to Encourage ALL Your Students to Create Art (even those who don’t want to)

Inspire kids to make art through encouraging them, earning their trust, and building a relationship in your classroom! These are classroom management strategies for art teachers to help them reach all their learners (even those who are unwilling to make art or are challenging to teach). Learn how to draw out the artist in each of your students, inspire them, and be YOUR BEST teacher through reading this blog post! #artteacher #artteachingstrategies #firstyearartteacher #msartastic

Steps to Walking a Creative Path in your Everyday Life – Strategies for Artists & Art Makers

Steps to Walking a Creative Path in your Everyday Life – Strategies for Artists & Art Makers

Learn the steps of how to be creative and integrate creativity in your everyday life. In this blog post, I’ll tell you the secrets of creativity inspiration and how to get ideas that will let you be creative with your ideas, thoughts, DIY projects, art, drawings, design, poetry, blog post writing, podcast making or any other creative adventure you want to pursue. Don’t know how to get over the creativity fear? Here is how. #becreative #creativeinspiration #creativityquotes

How to Encourage a Maker Mindset in your Classroom | Teaching Strategies for Art, STEAM, & Design

How to Encourage a Maker Mindset in your Classroom | Teaching Strategies for Art, STEAM, & Design

A Makerspace is an opportunity to allow kids to be creative, experiment, and learn and apply Growth Mindset thinking when trying to solve real-world problems or STEAM design challenges. It is important to expose kids in Elementary and Middle School to design challenges or projects that require building to provide hands-on experiences to solving problems. Read about my ideas on how to encourage a Maker Mindset in your classroom, library, or home. #backtoschool #makerspace #steamchallenges

10 Reasons Why Arts Integration in Schools is Important | Art Education Resources

10 Reasons Why Arts Integration in Schools is Important | Art Education Resources

Arts integration in schools are important as they provide students with a complete education. Visual Arts teach visual communication, fine motor skills, culture, how to persevere, how to problem solve, how to think critically, and how to face challenges. All these skills can be learned through the arts, then applied to other academics, and later, a child’s career. Here are my 10 Reasons on why arts integration in schools is important. #artseducation #artintegration #artteacher