All teachers are leaders, and each person can define what leadership looks like to them. Teachers must take a leadership stance to grow professionally. Leadership does not have to mean late-night meetings or hours on a tedious committee. This article provides a list that will help teachers brainstorm ways to take themselves to the next level in…

When the author embarked on a journey to start a blog, she had no idea it would save her teaching career. After several years of teaching, she was already burned out. She was caving to the negativity that can often surround education and was just plain tired. She wasn't excited about teaching like she should be. She needed something more. She…

Teachers can function more effectively in the lives of their students when they are aware of the divergent work habits students as individuals and professional artists encounter, share, and utilize. A study of the lives of artists often tells things they have said or written--or what has been written about them in regard to the way they create and…

The author is always on the lookout for new ideas, and found one with her state's new "grade-level expectations" in art. She had printed the expectations from the state department and bound them in book form for herself and other art teachers in her district. When the author was flipping through the booklet thinking, two things caught her eye:…

An inspiring article in a craft magazine spurred the author to attempt a dimensional collage project with high-schoolers. The magazine piece concerned the embellishing of a vintage handbag. Artists have been altering objects for countless years; art teachers can find many fine examples with which to motivate their students. One example is to use a…

Presents an interview with Jude Odell, a clay artist and art teacher, in which she discusses her educational background, her experience with teaching, and her career as a ceramic artist. Includes a lesson for creating a figurative goblet. (CMK)

Presents an interview with artist Patricia Uchill Simons, focusing on her history as a clay artist, why she uses clay, when she started making her menagerie of animals, her process for creating her artwork, her teaching experience, and why she believes clay is a good medium for students. (CMK)

Presents an interview with Rebecca Zimmerman, an artist who works with polymer clay. Focuses on topics, such as her interest in art during her life, her use of polymer clay as a medium, and using this medium with students. Includes directions for a project where students make flowers from polymer clay. (CMK)

Presents an interview with Debra W. Fritts, a ceramic artist who created handbuilt terra-cotta sculptures. Focuses on topics, such as her childhood, her beginning interests in art, her teaching, her growth as an artist, and the techniques she uses when creating her sculptures. Includes directions for a rattle project. (CMK)

Presents an interview with Michael Lile, a high school art teacher and artist. Focuses on his background in art, career as a teacher, approach to teaching, and techniques for finding time for his art in his personal life. (CMK)

Provides ideas for using throwaways and substitutions, such as homemade objects and everyday items, as art supplies and other resources in the art classroom. Throwaways and substitutions are a way to be environmentally caring, to extend meager supplies, and to supplement art budgets. (CMK)

Discusses four different ways art teachers can take advantage of the local newspapers in their area: (1) write press releases; (2) ask a reporter to cover school "art news"; (3) take advantage of "Newspapers in Education" programs; and (4) submit student artwork to contests. (CMK)

Presents an interview with Dennis Sipiorski that focuses on topics such as his development as artist and teacher, the balance of his work as art department chairman and artist, and his advice for art teachers. Includes a teapot project, for middle and high school students, based on Sipiorski's techniques. (CMK)

Provides ideas for educational strategies that art teachers can utilize while their students are standing in line waiting for their classroom teacher to arrive at the art classroom. Explains that the students are better behaved when they are engaged in learning activities while waiting. Includes a list of strategies. (CMK)

Focuses on the impact art teachers have on their students by presenting excerpts from short essays written by undergraduate students in an elementary education methods course. Explains that the students shared memories of their own elementary art experiences in the essays. (CMK)