Teacher Self Care: Reclaim Your Classroom with the Art Class Curator

Ahhhh August...the "Sunday" of summer. I know we aren't there yet, but I'm feeling it knocking on my door! 

I've been working hard to avoid school-like things and do some serious self care this summer. I've been renewing my efforts on the blog and trying to follow more creative and inspiring people on Instagram. So, the other day, when I was catching up on my online reading, I saw this online email "course" offered by Cindy Ingram at the Art Class Curator: Reclaim Your Classroom and Teaching Spark With Intention, Joy & Purpose.

This Emotions Wheel is awesome!

I LOVE my job. Seriously. Teaching middle school art is my dream job (you should see the middle schoolers' faces when I tell them that!). And this year+ was hard. Yeah, you're gonna hear me say it and probably keep saying it! If you have lived it, you understand. I'm thrilled to be going back (well, not JUST yet...), but I knew I needed to get my head in the game.

What I needed was some reflection to get me ready for next year.

This "course" is it! I'm really loving the structure of the email prompts. It's five days spread over about a week and a half. The prompts take me about an hour or so to do, but you could race through them or take even longer. I've chosen to answer them in my journal and add a bit of color, but Cindy and her folks at the Art Class Curator provide printables you can write on if you'd like.

But I'm not an art teacher? Is this for me?

Yep. I think ANY teacher could use this reflection series. You do not have to be artsy. I would even like to see something like this for STUDENTS. I mean, they also need to work through the last year AND also get psyched up for the coming year.

I particularly love the Emotions Wheel she had us use on day 2. I'm going to be adding that to my student sketchbooks I make this year. I think it will help students think more deeply about their own emotions and give them tools to talk about emotions in the art we see.

My set-up for some serious reflection!
Fresh air really helps!

So, check out the email "course" and see if it would work for you. Either way, make sure you are taking time for YOU this summer and reflecting on last year as well as setting intentions for this new school year. 

You are so worth it!

Enjoy!

Six F's of a Great Classroom Manager

Nobody wants a big ol' "F" in their sketchbook, but I have one and I'm loving it!!

I've pledged to follow more inspiring people on Instagram lately--filling my feed with positivity! Somehow that includes LOTS of guinea pig photos where they are dressed up and riding in remote control jeeps. Not sure how the IG algorithm works, but I like it!! How can you have a bad day after watching a guinea pig video?!

Anyhow, one of the amazing people I began to follow just today is Dr. Marcia Tate (@drmarciatate). She has all sorts of  positive messages for teachers--and we all need that!

One that stuck out as I was scrolling through her feed: The 6 F's of a Great Classroom Manager. They are:

• Be Fair
• Be Firm
• Be Flexible
• Be Fun
• Be Friendly
• Be Forgiving

Absolutely LOVE this. Right away, I knew I had to put it in the new journal I've started. The 6 F's are so affirming to me--I'd say that this is how I am as a mom and as a teacher. In my opinion, you have to be all of these dealing with middle school and high school students. This doesn't mean my classroom and home is out of control--although some may question that. 

I think I run a pretty great classroom and home, but I also strike a nice balance between fun and work and most times work can even be fun (shhhhhh.....)! When students know you care about them--truly--they will work harder for you, care about their work, and behave better. Truly. 

So this is going in the journal and I'm gonna look at it when I need the inspiration. And since I'm following Dr. Marcia Tate on IG, I'll have a lot more positivity in my future IG feed!

Supplies: Prang watercolors (16 colors), Pigma Micron Pen (PN)

Sketchbook Art (aka Art For Me): Sour Puss

 I'm enjoying the freedom of creating art for myself these days. Throughout my day, I look around and get a spark of creativity and just go with it. That happened with this sketch. I was enjoying my pink lemonade and thinking about how much I like pink drinks (what can I say?). 

And I thought about all of those stickers my students have on their water bottles.

And I thought of a lemonade sticker.

And then I thought of the term "Sour Puss" which my kids didn't even know! :-0 By the way, it means having a sort of grouchy disposition, in case you didn't know either. 

Anyway, I stopped folding laundry (always willing to do that!) and started this sketch.

When I was done, my paint water looked the same as my glass of lemonade!

So, don't be a sour puss today! Have some fun!

Enjoy!

Supplies: Winsor newton watercolors, ultra fine point Sharpie marker

Sketchbook Art (aka Art For Me): View From Our Campsite

We've been going to the same campground in Maine for about 10 years--it's one of our "happy places." 

Every year, we get there and set up and I immediately take the same photo--the view of the pond from our campsite. 

See how much of the pond we can see from the site? Gorgeous!

And then I put my phone and/or camera away and forget to take any more pictures. 

Guys, I have FOUR KIDS. I'm supposed to be documenting these memories! But that view! 

My favorite thing do do (besides sit on the beach) is to have a cup of coffee and look at that view. The kids are usually asleep and that helps with the relaxing vibe. :-)

So this year, I photographed the view and sketched it quickly. I had intended to do my regular Sharpie/watercolor treatment to it, but kept it in pencil and just relaxed. Sketchbook project: supposed to be relaxing and get me creating. 

The date is totally wrong!
But I was guessing and too lazy to find my phone.

What's your favorite view?

Enjoy!

Supplies: pencil and sketchbook paper

Sketchbook Art (aka Art For Me): Dreamcatcher 1

Someone once said to me (in the height of my baby-rearing days): "Are you really an artist if you don't make art?"

Not the thing to say to a mom who hasn't slept through the night in 11 years...

But that's stayed with me. Short answer: Yes. I think you are an artist even when you don't create art. HOWEVER, I feel like I've been given a gift and I should be trying to use it more AND (like I tell my students) practice makes you even better.

No matter what, I am trying to do more art for myself over the summer. I will say, to the end of time, that I need some serious self care after this past school year. So, here I am. 

I've usually get up early to make art because the kids aren't awake, but sometime I make art when they are awake (gasp!) and ask them to join me. I even (shhhhh......) sometimes make art instead of doing chores. Yep. Rebel!

So here's my July 13th art. It's based on the beautiful dreamcatchers over at "smART Class" They've caught my eyes for years and I've been thinking of trying them with 5th grade. So, I thought I'd try one out with my travel art kit I'm testing (hopefully more on that later).

It was camping and raining the morning I started it so I tried out letting the rain rehydrate and spread the yellow watercolor pencils in the background (in lieu of using liquid watercolors). It went OK. Liquid watercolors are better and more messy!

Just the thing to make as I relaxed and enjoyed the rain and gorgeous view from our campsite. 

Enjoy!

Supplies:bristol paper (smooth), Reeves and Prismacolor colored pencils, Ultra fine point Sharpie, Kenmah Craft Fineliner Pens (.38mm)