In this article, the author provides tips for starting an artist in residence program. The author suggests that the first priority for starting this program is to gather the support of the administration. The author also advises that forming a core group of students is also essential. (Contains 1 online resource.)

Every year, the Parent-Teacher Organization of Hiller Elementary School gives every teacher a fifty dollar bill to help offset classroom expenses. This year the author, a second grade teacher, knew exactly how he would spend the money. He bought thirty-eight perfect, clear, two-quart plastic, lidded containers for each of his students and three…

Mali, West Africa, holds many visual treasures for the traveler willing to forfeit the conveniences of modern society and slip into the traditional world of the Bambara people. One such treasure is Bogolan cloth, a traditional textile made with bold geometrical patterns dyed with black mud, brown tree bark, and bleach. This article describes the…

In this article, the author describes how she was inspired to develop a new approach for art educators and professional development. The art activity she developed places both the student and teacher on the same playing field. The project entails integration of a teacher's and a student's work. The art activity allows two individuals to work…

In Daniel Pink's vision of the near future, Americans value artists and creative thinkers as much as computer programmers, good design is a necessity, and empathy is essential to all products and services. In this article, the author discusses what Pink, author of "A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers will Rule the Future," has to say on creative…

Posters, slide shows, videos, diagrams, charts, written or illustrated class notes, daily logs, to do lists, and written instructions are all helpful modes of teaching for visual learners. Another form of instruction that is helpful for visual learners is the graphic organizers. Sometimes called "mind maps", graphic organizers are illustrative…

In this article, the author describes how her school's art club works. She relates that the art projects made by students at the art club became permanent fixtures at their school. Because of this incentive, students were very eager to contribute to the art club knowing that their art projects will be permanently displayed for all to enjoy in the…

In this article, the author describes her experiences as an overseas art teacher. She relates how teaching art and living overseas has provided her with new opportunities to work with a diverse student and faculty population. She also relates how living abroad has made her learn about foreign countries and their inhabitants in an in-depth and…

Every year, the Parent-Teacher Association of Ferndale Elementary School in Atlanta, Georgia sponsors a fun road race for the students, teachers, families, and community. This annual event has inspired the author to develop the Running and Art project to show off her students' art and squeeze in a little art history, too. In this article, the…

While exploring Keith Haring's Web site one day, the author discovered two untitled pieces from 1982 that became inspiration pieces for a lesson on symmetry and complementary colors for her second graders. Haring's simple shapes and colors and playful images are very similar to those found in the margins or on the cover of any typical child's…

Since September 11, 2001, the interest in learning more about Islam, Muslims, and Islamic culture and society has expanded in a variety of ways. The purpose of this brief narrative is to create a sense of curiosity and anticipation to learning more about how Islamic art contributes to the art world. In this article, the author describes a unit…

In the United States, the likelihood that an art teacher may teach a child with autism in an inclusive classroom is high, since one out of every 166 children in the country is diagnosed with autism. Federal law mandates that every child has the right to a free and appropriate education. Some children with autism have exceptional artistic abilities…

In this article, the author shares her inspiring experience when she was working as a pre-service teacher. She was helping a student named DeVaughn, who was frustrated by that day's sketchbook assignment. The class was supposed to be drawing a pile of shoes, capturing all the details and values. DeVaughn understood what was expected for the…

Body adornment and decoration have long been a part of human history. Cultures around the world have found ways to add elements to the human form to enhance beauty. Recently the author has noticed an increase in body piercing and tattooing. He finds himself, as an artist/teacher, asking if there is an aesthetic element he might be missing. In this…

Cultural diversity presents many challenges to the art educator. Teaching children to be tolerant and to appreciate differences is particularly important in a world that is characterized by polarization, embittered cultural divisions, and prejudice. Students' knowledge and attitudes are mediated by popular culture, which often reduces cultural…