It’s officially December and one of the most beautiful, sparkly and fun seasons, but also the busiest and most interrupted seasons in the art room. To combat the overwhelm, create artwork that aligns with your needs and program, and to be prepared for the new year, we’ve compiled a list of three things to do in your art room this month:
Combat Overwhelm
The holidays are a busy time and it’s easy to get swept up in things you feel like you need to do, requests from other teachers and an ever-changing schedule.
To help you through the season, our top two tips are to keep things simple and slow down.
Some of the most successful lessons with students are the simplest ones. Slow down, get out the watercolor or cake tempera paints and focus on the joy of creating rather than trying to create over-the-top lessons that will leave you stressed out.
Avoid falling into the trap of adapting to the speed of the season. Take it slow and easy; your students will appreciate the change of pace too!
A few of our favorite simple lessons for December are How to Draw a Christmas Car and Cozy Hibernating Bear.
Looking for more ways to thrive this holiday season? Check out this post on The Gift of Consistency | Staying True to Your Art Program During the Holidays.
Create & Display Winter-Themed Art
There’s nothing better than coming back to school after a holiday break with a bulletin board that’s already made and ready for the season ahead. By focusing on some winter-themed art lessons in December, rather than strictly holiday-themed lessons, you’ll have plenty of artwork ready to display in January and beyond.
Download the December Project Guide for templates and drawing guide for some of our favorite winter-themed lessons, including:
Reflect on Your Year
Once you’ve finally finished your final class of the year, take a minute to sit down and celebrate all you’ve accomplished this year. Even if your year has been tough, give yourself a pat on the back for little wins; the student who fell in love with art in your classroom, the amazing clean up routine you’ve developed or even just the fact that you’ve made it through the first semester of the year.
Thinking about your small wins will help you become more aware of them and you’ll find there’s way more than you even though possible.
While December is the perfect time to celebrate the things that have been going great in your classroom, it’s also a great time to list and brainstorm solutions to things that you’d like to improve in the new year while it’s all still fresh in your mind.
Be honest with yourself when you think of what you’d like to improve; are your routines slipping or maybe student behavior has been less than stellar? There’s no time better than now to regroup and refocus for the coming year.
Need some tips to help you get it right in 2024? Here are a few posts to help:
Creating Classroom Routines for Positive Student Behavior
December-themed Art Activities:
25th – 1/2: Hanukkah
21st: Winter Begins
25th: Christmas
26th: Kwanzaa
26th: Boxing Day
December Artist Birthdays:
8th: Diego Rivera
12th: Helen Frankenthaler
16th: Wassily Kandinsky
18th: Paul Klee
22nd: Jean-Michel Basquiat
31st: Henri Matisse
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