How To Keep Track Of Erasers

Do you want an easy way to keep track of erasers? This is the simple way I kept track of my erasers when I taught middle school art.  

How about using an ice tray that's color coded?

In the tray, there would be three erasers for the red group, the blue group, the green group and the yellow group. The color coding helps to keep track of which group was using an eraser.

When some one in the blue group needed an eraser, they took one of the blue dotted erasers. When they were done they put it back to the blue color coded spot.

When the class was cleaning up at the end of the period, it was easy to glance over to see if all the erasers were put back in their proper spot.

Pretty simple, huh!

Would this work for your art class? How do you keep track of erasers? It would be great if you could share your eraser tips below.

The Single- Point Rubric

Hey, if you're anything like me you're always trying new things. Thinking there's a better way. Well, I've been thinking about my grading rubric a lot lately. 

Travelling between two schools, rushing around a lot trying to get prepared for lessons and spending a lot of time on grading.
That's my life! Probably yours too!
So I've been looking for a way to grade better and more efficient. Then I came came across a single point rubric and decided to give it a try.
Here's the low down on the single point rubric. 

The center column lists the Standards. I have five. Two are always the same- Work Habits and Craftsmanship. Three are empty, so I can fill them in to reflect  objectives from each individual lesson. There's also a little box that you can checked off for each Standard that's been reached. 
The right column is for you to make a comment on Standards that have been exceeded. And in the left column there is a space for you to comment on what the concerns are for the work.
I'll be trying this out to see how it goes. I can always reboot if need be.
How about you? Do you want to try out this rubric too? You can check it out and print my pdf here.

How Do You Handle A Noisy Classroom?

Is your class too noisy at times? Come on... You can be honest. You know we all have them. Or  maybe you'd rather call them your really active class or maybe your class with a lot of enthusiasm. Well, I'm going to tell you about an app called Too Noisy. It works as a classroom sound meter. And it can be really helpful for classroom management.

I've written about this app before, but in this post I'll go into a little bit more detail about how it works.

I travel room to room, so I hook my IPad to the classroom teacher's Smart Board and pull up the app. Below are a couple of the screens I can chose from. You can see at the bottom of the screen there is a dial with a needle. The needle moves up closer to the red zone as the class gets louder.  When the needle moves into the red zone  an alarm sounds and the class will lose a star. If the needle stays out of the red zone after a set amount of time, the class will earn a star. Earn all ten stars and the class wins an  flashing star award with a lot of fanfare.

The Setting Options

The setting offers you numerous options you can chose from in setting the meter up. Check 'em out below.

You can actually chose how your screen will look when you go to the setting page. Below are the screen styles you can choose.

You can adjust how many minutes it takes to earn a star. You can also add a star or remove a star.  When you move on to a new class you can also reset and start all over again with your new class.

Another option you have on the settings page is how sensitive to noise you want the  needle to be. You can adjust it more or less sensitive. You can also adjust how sensitive you want the needle to be when it moves from level to level with the dampening option. The two settings can be seen below.  

The style of your dial is another option offered. Below are the variety of styles.

Too Noisy has been an app that has worked well in my art class. What do you think about it? Do you think it would work well in your art room. I'd love to hear what you think about it?

Autism In The Art Room

                                                   At some point in your teaching career you will probable have kids on the Autism Spectrum in your art class. Mainstreaming special needs students into regular classrooms is usually a part of their IEPs. For art teachers with not a lot of training in Special Education, this can be quite a challenge.
It doesn't have to be though. There are  strategies to support children with autism and allows them to have a successful and positive art experience in your art class. And that's something that we're all aiming for!

I recently went to a work shop for art teachers on autism that was presented by The Autism Project. The workshop helped me become aware of the challenges these kids face due to their disability. I want to share what I learned with you.

Here are 10 things that a person with autism wishes you know about them (and may not be able to express) while they're in your art class.

1. I'm a person trying to be happy and successful in school. But social situations are hard for me. I struggle to join and be part of a group.

2. My sensory system isn't reliable.

3. Sometimes I can't do what you're asking. It is not because I don't want to.

4. I'm a concrete thinker. It's hard to be flexible when things are different than how I thought they would be. Sometimes I don't understand other views or choices available. I get easily stuck.

5. Communication is hard for me. I can hear words, but I don't always understand your message. Also, I have a tough time telling you what I'm thinking and feeling. Sometimes, I need extra time to find the words in my head.

6. I learn best with my sense of sight.

7. I'm great at many different things.

8. Waiting is difficult for me. I live in the present. 

9. It is hard for me to hold my feelings in when I'm anxious or angry. I can have meltdowns, tantrums or withdraw.

10. Accept me for me; I will accept you for you.

What are some strategies we can use to help our autistic students who will eventually be a part of our art class?

*Be consistent

*Have routines and be predictable

*Have as few transitions as possible

*Have a visual schedule of tasks to be done in class

*Have close end tasks or projects with a clear finish

I hope there's something here that will work for you in your art class. If you know of any other tips, strategies or supports   for autistic students in the art class, I'd like to hear about them.

Here's a  simple lesson with a literacy component I use in my autistic art class. Check it out here.

3 Helpful Apps For The Travelling Art Teacher

I'm back teaching art at the elementary level after 8 years of teaching at the middle school level. 
My program is now known as 'Art on a Cart'. I have no classroom, no computers and no tablets. I'm travelling from room to room.
If you're travelling like me, you know its tough to incorporate technology into your art program. Never mind having the kids actually make something with it. 
But if you're like me, you still want to use technology, so the kids (and parents) see the benefits of it in the art class. 
What do you do?
Use an IPad and a VGA cord.
As I go from room to room, I can quickly plug into the class room projectors. They are already set up in the rooms that I travel to, so it just takes a couple of minutes at the beginning of class as they're clearing their desks.

And I've found 3 very different apps that have been helpful to me as I travel. One is for classroom management, one involves art history and one helps with classroom presentations.

                                                          Keynote- This is my favorite app to use to make slide presentations when I  introduce a lesson. It's easy to do a search for images, save them, then insert into the Keynote slides.  You can sync it (through Bluetooth) to a Keynote Remote  app on your phone and  simply move through the slides for your presentation. The kids also love the animations that can be added to the slides. Here's a hint. There's lots of oohs and aahs when they see the Fire or Confetti animations.

                                          
Too Noisy- This is an app you can use for behavior management. It's actually a sound meter. You  set  it to the the level of sound that is acceptable in your class. You then set it to how many minutes of acceptable noise before the class can earn a star. I usually set it for four minutes.
The needle keeps track of  the level of the sound. If the needle moves above your set sound level an alarm will go off. You can set it so the class  will lose a star if the alarm goes off. The kids actually ask me to set this up all the time, they love earning the stars.

                                          
Touch Van Gogh- This is an app to use when introducing the  paintings of Vincent Van Gogh. It is produced  by the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, so a lot of research went into the information provided by the app. It provides information about various paintings of his, such as where and when a painting was made, what the locations look like today,  the damage to the painting, the colors used and the painting style. You also get an up close detailed view of the paintings. It is a touch screen app so you can chose to have the kids come up and touch the pad to get the information.
Introducing technology can be a trial when you are travelling from room to room. And there are so many choices of apps that are available out there. I hope at least one of these apps is helpful to you. 
If you know of any other apps that would be great for a travelling art teacher, I'd love to hear about it.
Keep Creating!

First Day of Art Class! What Do I Do?

It's 'back to school' time. What'll you do during that first art class?

                                       

Listing all your classroom rules can be  a little bit... BORING. Showing all your classroom procedures can be a little bit... BLAH. 

I know you do have to eventually go over those things. They are important.

But it is the first day. You know you want to do something  that will have some kind of 'WOW' factor. Well, how about showing an introduction to art class video that uses your avatar. 

Telligami is an app that works well if you like to make short classroom videos. You can read more about Tellagami in a previous post here.

This is my first day of  art class introductory video.  I call it The Top 10 Things You'll Learn in Art Class. 
Cheers! To another year of making great art! Let me know what you like to do on the first day of art class. 
PS: You can now follow art inklings on Bloglovin. You'll never miss a post.

Educreations- How to Make a Video Tutorial

Have you been thinking about creating a video lesson that you can share with your students? Or maybe you want a new way to review before an assessment. Or your looking for a way to give additional assistance to struggling students. I have  an easy to use app to share with you. Maybe it can help you

It's called Educreations. And it's an easy to use app that lets you turn your IPad into an record-able, interactive whiteboard. You can easily make video tutorials that  let you explain, diagram, draw, add text or add commentary to any lesson with the simple touch of a button. It has a great array of features that includes: voice recording, the ability to import of multiple images, editing tools, the ability to embed your tutorial into your teacher website.

You can also browse through the Educreations archives. You'll find some examples of featured tutorials showcasing how teachers have used the app. Great for inspiring your own creations.

The best of all- Educreations is free!

You can take a look at a tutorial I made. I use it to introduce a portrait lesson to my 6th graders.

How to Draw a Face

Do you think Educreations would work in your art room? I'd love to hear how you'd use this app.

Substitute Binder- A Solution to a Problem You May Have Never Thought About

What Happens When You're Out Of The Classroom

Here's a post about something you've may not have ever thought of. And it may help you out down the road, because you may encounter the same problem I did when I was out of the classroom.

A Problem You May Not Have Thought About

A few weeks ago I attended an all day PD workshop. I really don't like the students working on the art projects while I'm out, because a lot of times the kids take advantage of the situation. No, really? (Just kidding!) So I left a cartooning DVD video for my classes to  watch and draw along with while I was gone.

What I didn't expect was that the sub didn't know how to work my computer/projector set up.  In fact, two fellow teachers had to come down to my room and try to figure out how to get the DVD video up and running and projected on to the white board. Luckily, they did get the DVD working for the sub. Whew!

A Solution

What I've done to avoid this situation in the future, is to add another form to my sub binder. It explains how to work my computer/ projector set up. It's easy to follow and explains everything step by step. Hopefully, if I'm ever out on a PD day in the future, this will help a sub avoid any problems in showing a DVD to my classes while I'm out.
Here's a copy of the  new form I've put into my sub binder to make it easier on future subs who come into my classroom.

Steps for Showing a Video

·    Insert disc into computer

·    Click on Start button- It’s on the bottom left

·    Click  on  Computer

·    Click on Devise with Removable Storage using right click

·    When pop up opens click on Play

·    Turn on the speaker tower on desk

·    Use ‘projector’ clicker on desk to start projector- red button, top left

·    Click on red X on top left of  computer screen when the video is over

Let me know what you think about this. I'd love to hear what you put in your sub binder. Would something like this be helpful to a sub who comes to your art room?

The Pencil Sharpener Dilemma

The Dilemma 

  For the past few years this is how I dealt with pencil sharpeners. Two cups with individual sharpeners kept on each row.

It worked OK, but not perfect. (You probably know the feeling.) The individual sharpeners were tough to use with small 6th grade hands. It takes a while for them to get to using them.

I don't always have time to check each individual cup at the end of class. I'd see the cups and assume there was a sharpener in it. But that was not always the case. Every once and a while a sharpener would disappear. Ughhh!

They worked in that the kids didn't have to walk around the room to find the room sharpener. And they are quiet. You don't hear all the grinding sounds from and electric sharpener or a wall mounted one.

So there were some goods and bads with the sharpener cups.

The Solution- I Hope

Here's what I'm hoping will be my new solution to the pencil sharpener dilemma. I hope that these clear containers I bought at the dollar store will do the trick. 

Since they have a screw on top- the kids will take a second to screw the top back on after they put the sharpener back inside. No more sharpeners falling on the floor and getting lost.

And since they are clear- I'll be able to take a quick look around the room to see if there is a sharpener in each cup after we clean up.

                      

Here's to hoping these will work!!
Here's my update- I've been using these clear cups for over a month. They work great! At the end of each class, I can easily glance at each cup to make sure there is a sharpener inside. And the kids always tighten the tops back on after they use one. I  can say this has been a success- no lost sharpeners in over a month! Woo Hoo!
How do you handle pencil sharpeners in your art room?  You can comment below.

How to Make a Classroom Avatar with Tellagami

An Easy to Use App- Tellagami

Hey guys! Here's my introduction for you to a fun app that I found while taking the iPad in the Art Room  on-line class this summer with AOE.  You might like it. In fact, you probably will like it! The app is called Tellagami. What it does is- create an avatar!

The avatar can be male or female. You get to chose the avatar's eye color, hair color and clothes. Your background can come from your camera roll or a pre-programmed one provided by Telligami.

Below, you see my avatar in front of the Egyptian pyramids. It's my way to introduce the kids to ancient Egyptian art in my 6th grade art class.

Once you've created the look of your avatar, create your script and  type in your text. You can chose to record your voice or use a pre-programmed male or female voice. 

You can also choose the emotion that you want your avatar to reflect- happy, sad, surprised, angry etc.

So Many Uses!

It's that simple! Now all you have to do is figure out how you'll use it in your classroom.

You'll probably think of many uses for Tellagami in the art room. You can introduce a lesson. Explain a concept in a painting. Use it at Meet the Teachers Night. Or have your students create an avatar to critique an art project.

Take a look at what I've done with Tellagami. It's my introduction on the first day of art class.

Can you think of a use for Tellagami? Do you know any other great apps to use in the classroom?

Also, if you travel as an art teacher, here are a few other apps I've found that may be helpful to you.

What Not To Do- Sticky Notes Again

We all want (or should have) our objectives and exemplars posted for the kids to readily see. It's is a good strategy. It helps the kids to know and see what it is they're trying to achieve. But sometimes, is good for the kids to have an example of what not to do. It will help kids to avoid the pitfalls of a lesson. And we know every lesson has at least one pitfall. This is another time  to rely (again) on sticky notes. 

I always try to have an example on display of a student's work (who's moved on, so not to embarrass anyone) that looks pretty good and almost fulfills all the objectives. Where ever there is something that has not fulfilled an objective, I put a blue sticky note next to it. On the sticky note, write what could have been done differently to fulfill the objective.

The kids can go up and look at the art work to see what could have been done differently. Then they can look at their own work and adjust.

Do you have any strategies to help students to avoid a pitfall when teaching a lesson?

How to Use a Graphic Organizer to Display Your Objectives

Do you get tired of repeating the same instructions over and over again? I do! Do you want a simple and clear way to convey information that's easy for the students to understand too? Make a graphic organizer of your lesson objectives!

For some of my lessons, after I have given the introduction of what we are going to be doing for a project I display a graphic organizer with the lesson objectives. Its a helpful reminder, it makes my objectives clear and always available to refer to. I display them on the board and the students can go up and check to see if they are on the right track with their project. Here are a few examples.

American Gothic

Above is the graphic organizer for a symbolism lesson I do using Grant Wood's American Gothic.  I have it organized to show how Wood used symbols to represents the three ideals in the painting- faith, family and hard work.  Each column represents one of the ideals symbolized in the painting.

Emphasis or Focal Point

Above is the graphic organizer I use for a lesson on emphasis or focal point. It is organized into the five columns that represent the 5 methods we've learned (Subordination of Accessories, Placement, Arrangement of Lines, Color Scheme and Organization of Accessories). Each column explains how to use that method in an art work.

Cubism

Above is the graphic organizer I use for a lesson on Cubism. It is not as involved as the other two, it's more simplistic. It's a guide that shows how to recognize the characteristics of a Cubist painting.

Aboriginal Folk Art Lesson Objectives

Using these organizers encourages the students to be personally responsible.  If the students want reassurance their doing their work right, I can just say "Check the organizer on the board." It helps the kids to become more accountable for their work. I don't have to keep repeating the same instructions over and over again.

Would this work in your art room? I'd love to hear what you think about using a graphic organizer like these.

4 Tips on Being a Better Listener

Is Any One Listening?

Sometimes things can get in the way of having a conversation with a middle school student. A thirteen year old can be highly emotional and take things the wrong way. Then things can take a wrong turn and escalate.  And we all know there are no 'winners' in this type of situation.

Keeping Things Under Control

One way to keep things calm and cool is to be a good listener. It shows that you care and are interested in what your students are saying. And ultimately shows them that you think they have value and their opinion matters.

Some tips to be a better listener-

1. Listen to what your student is saying. Their viewpoint will never make sense to you if all you are worried about is defending your own viewpoint.

2. Don't be more concerned with what you have to say than what is being said.

3. If the current time is not convenient to talk, simply tell you student that another time would be better, that you are busy right now.

4. Don't assume what your student is going to say. You don't know what another person is going to say until they say it. Listen!

Do you have any tips on being a better listener. Let me know!

How to be Polite- Power Words

Reminder! Being polite never goes out of style.

Most of my students are well mannered and very polite.  But it doesn't hurt to have a reminder every now and then. This is my Power Words posters to remind students how we should talk to each other.

How do you remind students that manners are important? Would something like this work in your class room? I'd like to hear from you.

Reminder! Sign Your Work

It's not something I can always catch before it's too late. But it happens all the time. And it can turn into a problem.

Have you guessed? 

It's students who forget to sign their art work! Maybe this will help. :) It's now hanging above the "Finished Work" folders.

Hopefully, this will solve the problem!

Do you have a way to remind students to sign their art work? I would love to hear about it.