Patty chats with Gold Star Sparkler, Jennifer Ford Pace, who was recently named Teacher of the Year in her community of Henrico, Virginia.
It’s a dive deep conversation on how Jennifer engages with her emotionally disabled students.
If low attention spans, below grade level art skills, or technology hungry kids are part of your classroom landscape, listen in to hear how Jennifers transcends these issues by creating connection.
If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear how it impacted you. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories and tag me @deepspacesparkle.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
– What type of school Jennifer teaches in and how she is able to help her students through art
– Jennifer’s journey to becoming an art teacher
– How to meet children at their level and strategies that can help you connect with them
– Why it’s such a good idea to captivated your students through story (and how to do it!)
– How to deal with obstacles that may come with using technology in the classroom
LISTEN TO THE SHOW
My best advice for teaching art to kids.
Patty chats with Gold Star Sparkler, Jennifer Ford Pace, who was recently named Teacher of the Year in her community of Henrico, Virginia.
It’s a dive deep conversation on how Jennifer engages with her emotionally disabled students.
If low attention spans, below grade level art skills, or technology hungry kids are part of your classroom landscape, listen in to hear how Jennifers transcends these issues by creating connection.
If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear how it impacted you. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories and tag me @deepspacesparkle.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
– What type of school Jennifer teaches in and how she is able to help her students through art
– Jennifer’s journey to becoming an art teacher
– How to meet children at their level and strategies that can help you connect with them
– Why it’s such a good idea to captivated your students through story (and how to do it!)
– How to deal with obstacles that may come with using technology in the classroom
LISTEN TO THE SHOW
1. What do you love most about being an art teacher?
My favorite thing is when a student makes a mistake and then turns the mistake into the most interesting part of the project. When one of those precious moments presents itself, I will say, “Did you see what just happened? You just tripped and fell into a puddle of art! Accidents can be awesome things!” I simply love instilling a “can do” attitude within my students. I work at a school that services student with emotional disabilities. Self confidence and stamina are huge areas of struggle for my students. I teach that, in art, a mistake is an opportunity to learn.
One of my most important classroom rules simply says:
“OOPS! Making mistakes is OK! Don’t give up! Keep on trying!”
2. When are you happiest in your art room?
I am the happiest when I see the stresses that my students struggle with melt away when they allow themselves to disappear from the world, and disappear into their work. Those quiet moments when I am hanging up finished pieces, anticipating the look of pride on their faces when they see their piece, and hear all of the positive comments. Nothing beats that feeling of giving them these moments to shine!
3. Can you share an experience or moment that defines you as an art teacher?
When I arrived at my current school, the art room and the program was not where it needed to be. The room was a mess. Weeks before school starts, I came into school to clean and organize the room. I wanted my room to be a place the kids would be proud to visit. I wanted them to see that they were important to me and I wanted to give them the most welcoming environment possible. Their faces as they walked in on day one was priceless.
One of my goals for this program was to show my students, and the community, that anything our students would do in the art room would be on par with any other school in the county. Yes, our school is an exceptional education center, but that doesn’t mean that our work will look any different than any other school. At the annual county wide art show, I took time to survey the works of the comprehensive schools. My kids nailed it. Many of my fellow art teachers commented on the quality of their pieces.
4. What’s your favorite thing about the Sparklers Club?
Yes, I am an art teacher. I am also a mom of 3 amazing kids. I am a friend. I am a nerd. DSS gives me the gift of time. DSS allows me to plan at school and do all those other things when I am not. My evenings and weekends are mine thanks to DSS!
5. What advice would you give to a brand new art teacher?
My most important art room rule applies here too:
“OOPS! Making mistakes is OK! Don’t give up! Keep on trying!”
Not every lesson is going to be a hit. Be organized with your materials.
1. What do you love most about being an art teacher?
My favorite thing is when a student makes a mistake and then turns the mistake into the most interesting part of the project. When one of those precious moments presents itself, I will say, “Did you see what just happened? You just tripped and fell into a puddle of art! Accidents can be awesome things!” I simply love instilling a “can do” attitude within my students. I work at a school that services student with emotional disabilities. Self confidence and stamina are huge areas of struggle for my students. I teach that, in art, a mistake is an opportunity to learn.
One of my most important classroom rules simply says:
“OOPS! Making mistakes is OK! Don’t give up! Keep on trying!”
2. When are you happiest in your art room?
I am the happiest when I see the stresses that my students struggle with melt away when they allow themselves to disappear from the world, and disappear into their work. Those quiet moments when I am hanging up finished pieces, anticipating the look of pride on their faces when they see their piece, and hear all of the positive comments. Nothing beats that feeling of giving them these moments to shine!
3. Can you share an experience or moment that defines you as an art teacher?
When I arrived at my current school, the art room and the program was not where it needed to be. The room was a mess. Weeks before school starts, I came into school to clean and organize the room. I wanted my room to be a place the kids would be proud to visit. I wanted them to see that they were important to me and I wanted to give them the most welcoming environment possible. Their faces as they walked in on day one was priceless.
One of my goals for this program was to show my students, and the community, that anything our students would do in the art room would be on par with any other school in the county. Yes, our school is an exceptional education center, but that doesn’t mean that our work will look any different than any other school. At the annual county wide art show, I took time to survey the works of the comprehensive schools. My kids nailed it. Many of my fellow art teachers commented on the quality of their pieces.
4. What’s your favorite thing about the Sparklers Club?
Yes, I am an art teacher. I am also a mom of 3 amazing kids. I am a friend. I am a nerd. DSS gives me the gift of time. DSS allows me to plan at school and do all those other things when I am not. My evenings and weekends are mine thanks to DSS!
5. What advice would you give to a brand new art teacher?
My most important art room rule applies here too:
“OOPS! Making mistakes is OK! Don’t give up! Keep on trying!”
Not every lesson is going to be a hit. Be organized with your materials. Adapt lessons on the fly to keep reluctant artists engaged. HAVE FUN! YOU HAVE THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD!
LINKS & RESOURCES:
– AME 88: Classroom Management Strategies That Work For You
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Patty Palmer At Home Instagram
Join the Sparklers Club waitlist HERE
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My best advice for teaching art to kids.
Yes, the day has come!
After a long time deciding if, I finally said when.
Thank you SO much for your encouragement, show suggestions and help getting Art Made Easy off the ground.
Many of you were so pumped about this show but confessed that you had no idea what a podcast was. I love you guys for your unbridled enthusiasm.
Here’s a quick definition of a podcast & what to expect from Art Made Easy:
A podcast is a free radio show. The host (me!) interviews guests or talks about a favorite subject. You get to listen through your computer, laptop or smart phone. I like to listen to my favorite podcasts in my car during long travel days or on my walks via set of ear buds and my iPhone.
You can subscribe to the show via iTunes and Stitcher radio. The benefit is that your free podcast ap on your iPhone will automatically be updated with all the podcast episodes from any show you subscribe to.
Go ahead and give it a try!
To listen on your laptop or computer, just click the play button in the colored box below.
To listen via iTunes, click on the “play in iTunes” banner and click subscribe.
And now onto the show…
For my first show, I wanted to tell you my story of how I became an art teacher. We all have different paths and this one is mine. I’ll share advice to those who are just starting out as an art teacher and some of my best tips for teaching art to kids.
This episode is for anyone who thinks they may not have the qualifications to be an art teacher. Teaching art to kids doesn’t have to happen inside a classroom. You can teach art at home, at a summer camp and even as a volunteer (like I did).
If you are an art teacher just beginning your journey, I’m sharing my best advice to get you through that tough first year. Download my free handout and keep it in your teacher planner and refer to it when you have a tough day.
LISTEN TO THE SHOW
SHOW NOTES:
Drawing With Children: A Creative Method for Adult Beginners, Too
Art Lab for Kids: 52 Creative Adventures in Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Paper, and Mixed Media-For Budding Artists of All Ages (Lab Series)
National Art Convention
CreativeLive- free online classes
Art Teachers Facebook Group
Website: Painted Paper in the Art Room (Laura Lohmann)
Website: Art of Education
Book: Classroom Management for Art, Music, and PE Teachers
PS – Please leave a review on iTunes!
Art Made Easy is now live on iTunes! Subscribing to the show and leaving an honest review really helps the show gain visibility and allows me to tailor the show to your needs.
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What an inspiring podcast. Thank you Patty and Jennifer. I think many of us art educators can take away nuggets or big pieces of wisdom from this whatever type of art environment we teach/create in.
Wonderful podcast! I loved hearing about the storytelling aspects. If you do eventually get iPads, Jennifer, you can use Apple Classroom to monitor/freeze/manage the apps you choose to have students use. You can pause students in their app use to give a quick direction as well. This gives you peace of mind and keeps students on task. I’m not a big tech person in the art room, but if the district requires it, this may help.