The September Mailbag: Successful Portfolios, Meaningful Units, and Connected Art Rooms

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

Should teachers be expected to work for free? What do you do with a pile of leftover cardboard? And which artist would you quietly leave out of your curriculum? In the August Mailbag, Art Ed Radio host Tim Bogatz is joined by Amanda Heyn, AOEU's Director of Community Engagement, to tackle listener questions that are right on time for the start of the school year.   They dig into the growing conversation around Gen Z teachers refusing unpaid labor--and why the system, not the teachers, is the real problem--plus give practical, honest advice to a first-year teacher drowning in cardboard boxes. Finally, they both weigh in on which artists they might quietly skip (Jackson Pollock, anyone?), why taking students outside during the first week of school is probably a hard no, and their favorite art room storage hacks for getting organized before students arrive. Resources and Links Come join the Art of Ed Community! Check out the Art Ed NOW Conference An Art Teacher's Love Letter to Cardboard See all of AOE's Art Room Hacks

The Art Ed Now Conference is just around the corner, and Art Ed Radio host Tim Bogatz is kicking things off with a special live-recorded episode straight from the Art of Ed Community. He's joined by community host Jen Leban to preview everything happening at this year's conference, from the Friday Kickoff to a full weekend of sessions designed to inspire, equip, and energize everyone  as you head back to the classroom this fall. Tim and Jen share their most-anticipated sessions and the can't-miss featured presentation from artist and illustrator Oliver Jeffers (The Day the Crayons Quit). This episode is the perfect conversation to set you up for the conference this weekend! Resources and Links Come join the Art of Ed Community! Check out the Art Ed NOW Conference Back to School Resources for Art Teachers Learn more about FLEX and PRO Take a look at Oliver Jeffers' website

It's that time of year again — the Art Ed Radio Hot Takes episode is back! Host Tim Bogatz is joined by Amanda Heyn for their second annual deep dive into the art education opinions that spark debate, clarify thinking, and maybe make a few people a little salty. With strong opinions from the Art of Ed Community, Tim and Amanda react to hot takes on everything from whether markers deserve a place in the art room, to whether paint-and-sip counts as real art, to the case for a little bit of cookie cutter art in your curriculum. Whether you agree, disagree, or land somewhere in the middle, this episode is guaranteed to get you thinking (and maybe shouting at your podcast app). Come for the hot takes, stay for the conversation! Resources and Links Come join the Art of Ed Community! Check out the Art Ed NOW Conference Reflections on Grading with Janet Taylor How to Assess Your Own Grading Practices

On this episode of Art Ed Radio, host Tim Bogatz sits down with high school art teacher Chris Hodge, who brings nearly 25 years of classroom experience and a myriad of insights. Hodge shares the teaching philosophy at the heart of everything he does: giving students meaningful choice and nurturing genuine curiosity. He opens up about his lifelong relationship with artmaking and his dedication to continuing to create.   Tim and Hodge also dig into the realities of maintaining a personal art practice while teaching full-time (including late-night drawing sessions). Hodge shares practical strategies for working through creative blocks, and explains how the permanence of ink has taught him resilience both in the studio and in life. The episode wraps with a preview of Chris's upcoming Art Ed NOW Conference presentation, where he'll make the case that art is the most important class, arguing that the creative thinking art builds is foundational to success in every other discipline. Resources and Links Come join the Art of Ed Community! Check out the Art Ed NOW Conference Follow Hodge on Instagram How I Tricked Myself Into Making Art Again The Power of Creative Play for Art Teachers

It's time, once again, to open up the mailbag! In this monthly Q&A episode of Art Ed Radio, host Tim Bogatz is joined by Amanda Heyn, to answer your most pressing questions about the world of art education. This month's topics run the gamut: from a quest for new art supplies to thoughtful questions about navigating the first year of teaching—including how to work with administrators, build community with colleagues, and protect your work-life balance. Tim and Amanda also tackle the summer curriculum planning struggle, weigh in on whether summer sketchbook challenges are actually worth assigning, and dig into a big question about social media: is it ultimately good or bad for art teachers?   Enjoy this episode? Subscribe to Art Ed Radio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Have a question for a future mailbag? We'd love to hear from you--leave us a voicemail at (515) 209-2595! Resources and Links First-Year Art Teacher's Guide – The Art of Education University 15 Fun Art Supplies to Try Out This Summer Jumpstart Your Creativity: Easy Mini Art Practices for This Summer Join the AOEU Community – Free at community.artofeducation.edu Art Ed Now Conference – Register at theartofeducation.edu/now