The October Mailbag: Better Schedules, Personal Practice, and Art Teacher Energy

In this Halloween-inspired episode from the archives of Art Ed Radio, host Tim Bogatz and Amanda Heyn share some of the funniest, grossest, and most unbelievable art teacher horror stories submitted by listeners. From a first-day-of-teaching vomit incident and exploding paint to a sculpture project destroyed by spray paint and a student-teaching placement marked by sabotage, these stories capture some unexpected and unbelievable stories from the art room. Resources and Links Come join the Art of Ed Community! Check out the AOE YouTube Channel 6 Creepy Artworks to Celebrate Halloween The Best Art-Inspired Halloween Costumes Find out about the Art Ed NOW Conference

In this October mailbag episode of Art Ed Radio, host Tim Bogatz welcomes back Amanda Heyn for an honest and practical conversation about the challenges art teachers are facing this fall. After a long introduction and some great introductions (skip to about 14:45 if you just want the mailbag), Tim and Amanda answer listener questions about back-to-back elementary art classes, advocating for a more workable schedule, protecting time for cleanup and preparation, and finding realistic ways to make a required curriculum more meaningful for students. The conversation also explores whether teachers can (or should!) continue a personal art practice when their work may be considered controversial, and why educators deserve grace when their energy changes throughout the school day. Resources and Links Come join the Art of Ed Community! Check out the AOE YouTube Channel Balancing Structure and Choice in Your Curriculum Making the Most of Every Minute

On this episode of Art Ed Radio, host Tim Bogatz goes solo with a mini-mailbag to answer listener questions from art teachers navigating the start of the school year. He shares practical advice for getting one challenging class back on track, creating shorter and more effective demonstrations, spending grant money with purpose, recognizing and responding to burnout, and becoming more organized without changing your personality.   Resources and Links Come join the Art of Ed Community! Run the Art Room: Classroom Management Resources Everything You Need to Know About Classroom Management in the Art Room How to Move on From Burnout (Ep. 009) 8 Things to Do When Teaching Is Taking a Toll on You Practical, Not Perfect: Organization Tips for the Disorganized Art Teacher

On this episode of Art Ed Radio, host Tim Bogatz welcomes back Jen Leban from the AOE Community for a conversation about engaging parents, caregivers, and families in the art room. Jen shares how art teachers can move beyond asking for supplies and begin building partnerships that support advocacy, visibility, volunteering, and community connection.   Tim and Jen also discuss simple ways to share the story of your art program, including using school social media, connecting with families where they already communicate, inviting parents to share their arts-related careers, and finding manageable volunteer opportunities. They also explore family art nights, art shows, school beautification projects, art clubs, fundraising, and how to determine which ideas fit your teaching context and capacity. Resources and Links Come join the Art of Ed Community! See the Community's September Giveaway! Watch the episode of Art Club Unlocked that Jen mentioned Picture Perfect Parent Involvement From The First Day of School Small Acts for Big Advocacy: 5 Simple Ways to Share Your Program 6 Steps to Communicate With Stakeholders to Benefit Your Art Program

On this episode of Art Ed Radio, host Tim Bogatz talks with Angela Matsuoka, a K–12 curriculum designer at The Art of Ed, about the new FLEX Digital Art I and Digital Art II curricula. Angela explains how FLEX curricula help teachers sequence lessons, build skills over time, and create cohesive learning experiences without taking away teacher flexibility or student choice. Together, Tim and Angela explore digital drawing, photo editing, graphic design, AR, and other tools, while still making space for student choice and voice. Angela also shares why teachers should begin with the artistic goal (rather than the technology) and how students can use digital tools to communicate ideas, solve problems, and make intentional choices. The conversation also examines AI, authorship, originality, bias, misinformation, and the role art educators can play in helping students become thoughtful, creative, and critical users of technology. Resources and Links Come join the Art of Ed Community! See the Community's September Giveaway! Take a look at AOE's FLEX Curriculum Explore the Digital Art I and Digital Art II curricula Discussing Digital Art and Technology What Can Technology-Enhanced Learning Look Like in the Art Room?

The beginning of the school year is the perfect time to slow down, build trust, and establish the routines that make a creative classroom thrive. In this episode of Art Ed Radio, host Tim Bogatz welcomes Janet Taylor back to the show to share practical beginning-of-year challenges, from personalized name tags and paper wearables to handmade sketchbooks, collaborative design prompts, and low-risk material explorations. They also zoom out to explore the bigger purpose behind these strategies. By giving students structured opportunities to collaborate, problem-solve, document their work, ask for help, and learn from failure, teachers can build a supportive studio environment where students take creative risks and help one another.  Resources and Links Learn more about the Art Ed NOW Conference! Come join the Art of Ed Community! Follow Janet on Instagram Strategies for Starting the Year (Ep. 431) Create Art on Day One With This Fool-Proof Lesson 5 Ideas to Revitalize Your Teaching Practice for the Year Ahead

In this episode of the mailbag, host Tim Bogatz is joined by high school art teacher Jenn Russell--subbing in for Amanda--for a wide-ranging conversation with listener questions about everything happening in the world of art teaching. Tim and Jenn share practical strategies for helping AP students understand portfolio scoring, stretching a limited supply budget, and making reflection feel like a natural part of the creative process.   The conversation also explores how to structure longer, more meaningful units without losing students, what to do when students fall behind, and how solo art teachers can build stronger relationships with colleagues. Along the way, Tim and Jenn discuss student-friendly rubrics, recycled materials, handmade sketchbooks, school culture, and so much more. Resources and Links Find the September Advocacy giveaway in the Community! Learn more about the Art Ed NOW Conference! Unlocking the Secrets of AP Art How to Reveal the Creative Process Through Reflection How to Teach Self-Reflection, Critiques, Artist Statements, and Curatorial Rationales Like a Pro How to Build a Better Art Portfolio with Your Students

In this episode of Art Ed Radio, host Tim Bogatz talks with Trevor Brockhaus, a high school art teacher from Bellevue, Nebraska, about creating an Art Hall of Fame. Trevor shares how his program recognizes one outstanding senior each year, displays that student's artwork in the art room, and celebrates student achievements throughout the school. They discuss how art shows, awards, and visible recognition can help students understand that their work matters. Trevor and Tim also explore how an Art Hall of Fame can build a culture of excellence, inspire younger students, and serve as a powerful advocacy tool for the entire art program. Trevor offers practical advice for teachers who want to begin recognizing students but may not know where to start, including developing a simple scoring rubric, looking at how other school programs celebrate achievement, and finding meaningful ways to honor both accomplishment and growth. Resources and Links Learn more about the Art Ed NOW Conference! Come join the Art of Ed Community! Browse the Art Ed Radio archives 12 Projects for a Great Art Show 6 Ways to Partner With the Community for a Successful School Art Show 5 Reasons For and Against Putting on an Art Show Advocating for Art Education

In this episode of Art Ed Radio, host Tim Bogatz welcomes back high school art teacher Jenn Russell for an honest and entertaining conversation about teaching art history. Tim and Jenn discuss why art history works best when it is taught as a connected story full of drama, influence, cultural context, and unexpected twists. They also share their lists of overrated artists, as well as their lists of underrated artists who deserve a little more attention and respect. Jenn also shares her strategies for teaching AP Art History, connecting artworks to contemporary culture, and helping students move from memorable stories and strong reactions to thoughtful analysis. Full episode transcript below. Resources and Links Learn more about the Art Ed NOW Conference! Come join the Art of Ed Community! Browse the Art Ed Radio archives 12 Ideas to Help Students Engage with Art History But, Art History Is Boring! How to Bring Life to the Past and Present 7 Contemporary Artists Who Bring Art History to Life in the Classroom

Starting a new school year can be challenging enough without a dozen new platforms, devices, and passwords waiting for you on day one. In this episode of Art Ed Radio, host Tim Bogatz talks with Jen Leban about helping new art teachers move through technology anxiety with practical, manageable strategies. Jen explains why your LMS is the best place to start, how to think about some technology as tools rather than separate problems, and why digital portfolios can wait until later in the school year.   Tim and Jen also discuss how to reframe technology from a "have to" into a "get to," when creative digital tools can add something meaningful to student artwork, and why teachers should feel comfortable saying, "I don't know--let's figure it out together." With ideas about exploring technology and support for those struggling with devices and expectations, this conversation offers encouragement and concrete advice for all of the art teachers who are feeling overwhelmed by classroom technology. Resources and Links Come join the Art of Ed Community! Finding and Utilizing Creative Digital Tools Utilizing Digital Portfolios