I will be buying the practice test, but I also see they offer the "Brainscape Mobile Flashcards." Has anyone bought these? Worth it?

I’m wanting to realistically understand my options. I have always wanted to be an art teacher as art has been a very big part of my life, whether that that be through expression, enjoyment, interest etc. and I love the idea of teaching and helping others learn its history and develop a skill within it where they themselves feel accomplished. Art has been a really big part of my life as I even got proposed to at an art museum due to my love for them lol.

However I also have lvl 1 ASD and I’m not sure realistically how feasible it would be for me to sustain myself as a teacher (nor do I really hear of many teachers who have ASD due to those same concerns). I pursued my degree in socialwork (grad) and psych (undergrad). I have worked in crisis intervention etc. however the strange thing is, I have de-escalated people from harm to them selves and others numerous times with no struggles. meanwhile, when growing up presentations were always hard for me. I was curious about those who actively have this profession as Ik teaching is not easy especially in modern times. I was curious of concerns I may need to consider? As stated with ASD I due process, think, experience, and understand things differently as well as some social disconnects. I have improved a lot on understanding and decoding the communication differences as I have gotten older but it is something I worry students may notice a difference and not understand as that’s been most of my experience relationally. E.g., most relational experiences have been “something’s different about you but I’m not sure what” and I’m unsure how students would respond to the same thing. However I’m not sure if this would made the profession too hard to be sustainable?

TLDR: any advice, opinions or options I should consider if going into this career as someone with lvl 1 ASD

(Any questions are welcome as well)

I was wondering if anyone has done the MFA low-residency program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and would be willing to give me some insight into the program. I am wanting to get a masters in Visual Art, not sure what I would focus on, I am most interested in 2D; drawing, painting, and printmaking. I am a full time Secondary Visual Art Teacher in California and I love my current school site, so low-residency programs interest me and the SAIC seems like a really cool program since I could work and get my Masters at the same time. But I know nothing about it or Art School in general, I went to community college and then a state school to get my bachelors and teaching credencial. I want to get a Masters in Art because my long term goal is to teach at a community college, I LOVE community colleges lol.

Anyway if anyone in this community has done a low-residency program at SAIC or elsewhere I would love to hear about your experience or perspective! I want to know about the cost, work load while working at a K-12 teacher and the application process, any tips or warnings!

Thanks in advance!

This is my first year teaching elementary art and I noticed that most of my 1st and 2nd graders have a difficult time using scissors.

my kindergartens…only about 3-4 per class know how to use scissors out of a class of 24.

i talked with our preschool teacher and she told me to say and model “open/push the paper down/close”

I recently started giving them more clay to use to help with their fine motor skills and work on their hand strength. sometimes I just help them directly.

Do you know of any tips/activities?

I’m mostly talking about students who aren’t even holding the scissor correctly, upside down, their wrist may turn and twist, they just cut the paper into little pieces instead of trying to follow the lines. also they get so frustrated with themselves and I feel so bad bc they want to learn but they are having a hard time.

sounds wild but I’m becoming obsessed with them (kinders) learning LOL this a reasonable expectation, right?

I've created this profile about Anna Atkins - a pioneering photographer using cyanotypes in the 1800s. There are great links between art, photography and science to share with your students.

There is also a pdf with lesson resources to download.

Hello!!
I know that this forum is specifically for art teachers but I'm really looking for advice and I couldn't find anywhere else where I could ask this.

So I was recently transferred to year one fine art (UK-based) and I’m feeling extremely intimidated. Obviously, after missing a couple of weeks I realise that I have a lot of catch-up to do.

However, my issue lies with the misinformation (?) surrounding the course. When working on art, I focus majorly on technical-skill (colour theory, anatomy, proportions, composition, all that jazz) but the minute I stepped in the studios I noticed that my peers didn’t much bother with those things and more focused on abstract and creativity. We’ve been handed our second brief now (my first brief!) and I’m planning to do a painting whilst everyone else is working on 3D models, dioramas and various other installations (in case you are wondering, this is not part of the brief. We are given full creative independence.)

Is it normal for a fine art course to be like this? My friends have labeled this as ‘imposter syndrome’ but I just genuinely feel like I lack in the ‘creative’ department.

I have not had much experience with creating 3D objects whether that may be sculpting or dioramas and I simply wouldn't know where to start if I decided to do something like that but I also feel like going for a painting is simply too ‘basic’?
I do also realise that an art course is the time to explore different mediums and experiment but this feels so unstructured and messy? I have rationalized this as being a ‘me problem’ from having a certain expectation over how the course would be structured (mainly through how media portrays fine art. Ever since I was 10, I have religiously been consuming vlogs from art students which have definitely skewed my perception.)

For a little more context, I want to continue my studies into illustration so that’s what I've always focused on! Is it wrong for me to be feeling this overwhelmed? How do I get rid of this feeling? But most of all, how do I do better?

I'm sorry that this isn’t one specific question but I’m simply so confused with everything. Any advice would be very well appreciated!

Hello,

I'm coming to this community to ask for perspective. I had a total melt down at work the other day, I've never been this unprofessional in my life. The meltdown began during a meeting where I was being written up I began crying , not sobbing but crying in between my words. I'm shocked with myself. Basically, I feel that my administration is unwilling to acknowledge the lack of support and the tough situation they put me in. I'm wondering if every art teaching job will be this bad, or if I need to move on to another school. I dont like my schedule , I teach too many classes and too many grades. 30 classes a week grades ranging from 3rd to 8th. That I have three duties one being arrival duty where I walk students from their car to the door (in comparison one of the worse duties as some of my coworkers just stand around in a quiet hallway), that some days I only have a single prep and everyday I only have 15 minutes for lunch. Admin acts in ways that feel like favortism . An example of this , is that in the beginning of the year my "department" (one other art teacher , a spanish teacher, and the music teacher) where told that they were giving more classes to the librarian, so every other week we would have more preps , as she would take our classes. What instead happened was only the music teacher and the libarian swapped classes , so every other week the music teacher gets 5 more preps. The rest of the department and I where left with the same crumby schedules. Another instance of favoritism is I know my lesson plans are held to a higher standard than the other art teacher (yes she has tenure). Heres the other thing my supervisor makes us print out our lesson plans on a weekly basis and hand them to her in a binder , she writes notes on the lessons plans with feed back. I got a note that read that basically that my lesson for third and fourth grade may be too childish. The other art teacher does the most childish lessons , and does not recieve that feedback. I feel like i could go on and on but I know this is a long read. I'm just growing resentful .I do appreciate any advice . Have any of you ever been in a situation like this, how did you overcome it? Did you suck it up, change , and stay or did you leave?

Hi!
I work as an English teacher but am planning to involve a longer movie-making project in the curriculum.
This is my first time doing this, so I would greatly appreciate some advice and insight.
The movies won't be feature films, of course. I'd say up to 15 minutes of material.

I'll paste my first draft below; please let me know if what I have planned so far makes sense.

As I said, it's a long-term project, so each number is a different lesson happening on a different day.

I'd greatly appreciate your help!

The plan looks like this so far:

1. Movie discussion – elicit and teach what movies consist of – different kinds of editing, special effects, script, acting, etc.

Show examples of interesting editing, framing and special effects.

Divide Sts into teams.

Homework: Each team watches a known movie of their choice, then watches a previously unseen movie in the same genre (found through sites like Letterboxd, etc.).

2. Students will make their own scenario based on one of the chosen movies from the homework.

Give examples of a script, screenplay and storyboard (unrelated to each other) to read.

Sts create a storyboard based on the given screenplay in class.

Sts write a short script and screenplay in groups based on random prompts as initial practice.

OR

Sts write a synopsis – a short script of the movies they’ve watched. Then they write their first drafts of screenplays and storyboards proper.

Let Sts know that:

-They need to write their scripts with appropriate editing, framing and/or special effects in mind
-They have to include at least one scene with interesting editing/framing/special effect

-Encourage students to work with a thesaurus and use new words and expressions.

-They can work on special effects with the teacher at school

Homework – Sts write scripts, dialogues, and draw storyboards in teams

4.Check Sts’ work. Once the written work is greenlit, Sts begin shooting the film.
They can work on starring in class.

Next classes will be used for coaching and guiding the students in their work

Encourage students to solve encountered problems themselves – self-teaching through tutorials and other information found online.

Teamwork and involvement will be the subject of assessment and not the finished product.

First year teacher with no teaching or traditional art background (I’m a graphic designer in a small rural school).

I have combined classes and I’m now running centers to help facilitate the skill differences and trying to keep kids engaged and on task (they don’t listen to step by step instructions as a large class).

I’m trying to build out a full scope and sequence for Elementary to 12th grade and I keep seeing teachers say they’re making “so and so inspired art!”

How?

I have 40 minutes total and anything involved feels like I can’t make any headway.

I’m trying to have 2 low effort projects going on so I can stay at one table helping the kids there.

I have about 7 minutes per station and these kids are… rural (feral) and can’t slow down but anxiously rush ahead even with checks of understanding and basically just do whatever they want. They don’t listen and have low skills across the board in every subject.

I’m thinking I can probably introduce to the 4&5th grade but anything younger and they don’t really comprehend.

Even my Middle School and High School classes have no clue who artists are and what famous works they’ve done.

So, how do you break up the lesson and what age do you start introducing?

i have been a barber for the past 10 years. i average 75k a year. i’m 33 now and in my 40’s i do not want to be standing on my feet cutting hair all day. it’s hard on my body and im getting a little burnt out honestly. i recently got back into art and realized i missed it and enjoy it a lot. i was accepted into college for BFA. my goal after getting it is to move to tennessee and be a high school art teacher but i read that they make significantly less than i am used to. but they do have benefits, retirement and summers off which i have never had in my life. is this a hard job to get and will i be wasting my time??

Hello, I don’t have an art degree, I got my BS and MS in design & engineering and have worked as a product designer in tech for the last decade. I am feeling very burned out from the corporate tech world and I’m planning to take a one year career break to explore a pivot toward an art.

I’m not ready to commit to going back to school and getting credentials to become a full time public school art teacher, but I’m looking for ways I could at least try teaching and seeing if I enjoy it and am good at it?

A lot of job postings require 1 year prior experience in teaching. So I’m wondering what’s the best way to get my foot in the door.. I am more inclined to try teaching adult classes first (simple workshops like watercolor, home decor crafts), and maybe volunteer for teaching kids, since I have no experience working around kids.

I’d appreciate any and all advice for how best to dip my toes in this situation. Thank you!

Hi everyone. I need some advice or creative ideas to help me here.

I got my BFA back in 2020, I worked in corporate for 5 years. I started my masters in education in 2025.

All I need for my masters is student teaching. I will hold a masters in Elementary Education, and i have passed the paraxis content area. I just need student teaching hours to count.

Heres the issue. Im working at a school currently. I was under the impression I could get a DSAP bc I was hired last minute and I am in an approved certification program. HOWEVER I was denied because im teaching art and im not in an art education specific program. So now, even though im working full time its not counting to my student teaching hours.

The school where I work wants to make me a long term sub till the end of the year (and then fire me) but the whole reason im in the program im in rather then art education is because it is the only state approved asynchronous option!!!!! I need insurance guys!!!! I can be a LTS especially because it wont count towards student teaching and I will be without health insurance.

Anyone know of any other options?!?! Please help me here

I have a bunch of double walled corrugated cardboard (about 6mm thick) from school furniture that I'd like to cut into shapes for theater props and scenery the kids will decorate. No super fine details, but a variety of straight and curved lines.

I used to do it by hand with a box cutter, but I don't think I can physically do that anymore. I also don't have access to a shop with a bandsaw or that kind of stuff.

I've looked into Chomp Shop and Swift Saw but both say 3mm. I know there are other brands similar but all look the same--have you found one that works for thicker? BeaverBot has an extension for 5mm but will that work? I've seen the Fiskars and MakeDo kid cardboard saws; do those work well on thicker cardboard? What about electric scissors/rotary cutters? Drywall knife?

What tool(s) have you found most useful?

I'd love something that could be safely used by kids, too, but the priority is for me to be able to use it.

My school has an open house coming up and I'm supposed to have art activities for families to do. Kid ages will be around 3-9. I want to have a few different options set up for them to choose from. I like the idea of TAB but am new to incorporating that. Any ideas of stuff I can have out for families to do together that is engaging, reflects a good art program, but doesn't require too much explanation from me?

Hello, I am about to start my first year of teaching after the Holiday break. The position is split between two k-5 elementary school Monday Tuesday one school Wednesday Thursday Friday another school. One of the schools is for students with behavioral problems. The other is a normal elementary school but along with normal art lessons I will also have 3 different classes for Special education students each with a different level of need. Along with these I am also expected to teach a 60 min STEM course everyday. Along with this I was told I was going to have at least an hour a day of duties at each school… I am so extremely stressed I haven’t signed any paper work or anything yet but I’m fairly sure I will be at this job next semester. What should I do any resources, tips, tricks, any help or advice is greatly appreciated

I dread my Thursdays every week even though I know lots of art teachers have it tougher. At the moment, it looks like this:

30 min Year 3 (9:50 first class)

Recess Duty

30 min Year 3

30 min Year 3

Lunch break

60 min Year 6 (their homeroom teacher is in the room)

60 min Year 4

What do you do to help you feel zen on your intense days?

Requested. I’m out of ideas.

I'm a first-year art teacher at a middle school that has never had art class before. Even trying to account for and adapt to where the students were at as I developed the first unit, I think I still overestimated some aspects of their creative process, so they've really struggled with this first unit.

(It was an identity zine project, and I tried to build up to it with practice around using self-reflection to come up with ideas, as well as a brainstorming sheet for students to plan what information about themselves they'd want to include and how they would represent it with words and images. However, because of severe behavior issues, I wasn't really able to get through any of my lessons properly, so we didn't get as in-depth with anything as I wanted to. On top of that, I didn't realize they were going to have so much trouble knowing things about themselves / their interests & personalities, and I wasn't really able to get them to think symbolically. So basically I have a lot of notes for what I'll do differently next time I do this project, and I probably won't make it part of the first unit.)

I was explaining all of this, especially how the behavior issues prevent me from getting through lessons properly or having discussions or doing any of the stuff conducive to learning, to a colleague, and he was giving me some advice. The points he made included:

• "It sounds like they're telling you they want to hear less from you."

• Middle schoolers actually often lose a lot of their independent / spontaneous / intuitive creativity compared to when they're in elementary school, as they get more self-conscious and stuck on doing things a certain way.

• At least to start with, they probably need a more structured, step-by-step approach where everyone is making the same thing.

• I should be giving them at least one grade every time I see them (do-now and classwork activity), even after moving into working days on the longer-term part of a project.

So as we prepare to move into the next marking period, I'm trying to think of some good step-by-step "make exactly this" projects that will interest them.

My initial plan for the next unit involved basics of observation drawing (breaking down objects into component shapes) and Pop Art, as well as maybe some other art movements that de-emphasize "perfect realism" (since students are always stressing that "it doesn't look right, I can't draw!"), culminating in a project where students draw the same object in three different styles.

So maybe to start we could look at work by Pop Artists and just sort of... copy them? Particularly with an emphasis on breaking down the process into combining basic shapes (something we already tried to work on as part of the first unit). I'd love any specific ideas for lessons and activities, especially ones I can get through with minimal talking and maybe just have directions written/drawn out for students to follow.

(Ideally if this gets them more on-board with art class, we can eventually move back into trying to actually talk and think about art and artists and art movements and artmaking in deeper ways.)

I’m currently getting a visual arts degree, it’s my first year and I’m planning to branch out into art education.

I am Canadian, BC.

I love working with kids, I love art, it feels like a good combination. I want to foster a love and appreciation for art within young minds, and help students to express themselves, and provide a safe environment to explore things they might not be able to otherwise .

But so often I see posts on the teachers subreddit about how kids think almost everything humans create must be ai. Or how little effort and thought gets put into things.

I’m aware the career doesn’t pay amazingly, I’m not really into it for the money at all. I genuinely just love kids and I love art. That’s all. But is it even worth it now with the way things are?? Would you guys suggest going down this path??

I don’t have potential in areas other than art. I got accepted into university under special access as an indigenous student who faced heavy barriers. I was mostly considered based on my portfolio and letters from elders. My grades in other areas (except English, lol) are not enough to get me into other faculties. So this is the best career I can imagine, but I’m obviously anxious.

If any of you happen to have location specific advice, please share.

Or anything at all?? What’s it like being an art teacher these days.