Podcasts by Art Made Easy

Art Made Easy

My best advice for teaching art to kids.

Further podcasts by Patty Palmer: Art Teacher and expert in teaching art to kids.

Podcast on the topic Kurse

All episodes

Art Made Easy
Clean Up Strategies&Routines for the Art Room: AME 132 from 2023-05-10T23:00

It's 5 minutes before the end of art class, the room is a mess. Some kids are finishing up their projects, others are not. The clock is ticking and you know what comes next... clean up time. Wha...

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Art Made Easy
Strategies for the First Day of Art Class: AME 063 from 2022-08-16T16:25

Whether you are a brand new teacher preparing for your first art class or an experienced art teacher looking to change things up, knowing what to do on the first day of school can be challenging. W...

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Art Made Easy
10 Tips to Make the Most out of Your Summer: AME 095 from 2022-06-14T12:00

Which statement rings true for you: summer is too short OR summer is long enough? If you're like most of us, you probably feel as though it is way too short. By the time you’re back in the classro...

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Art Made Easy
How to Cultivate Creative Thinkers at Home: AME 153 from 2020-03-18T12:00:32

The Coronavirus is certainly shaking things up. It's early on in the cycle of school closures, social distancing and home-based learning and people are just plain confused. Folks deal with these...

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Art Made Easy
Your Communication Plan (and Why it’s Never Too Late to Create One): AME 152 from 2020-03-11T12:00:08

Do you struggle to find the right response when parents complain about your cancellation policy, how you're grading children in art class, or why your art looks the way it does? You're not alone. O...

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Art Made Easy
The Secret Benefits of Make-Up Art Days: AME 151 from 2020-03-04T13:00:03

As art teachers we have BIG goals for our art programs. Extensive year-long themes and curriculums require many class sessions to complete. And the more classes a project requires, the more likely ...

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Art Made Easy
5 Unconventional Ways to Connect with your Students: AME 150 from 2020-02-26T13:00:14

Do you sometimes feel that there is a spark missing from your art room? Maybe your students are acting bored, apathetic or disruptive? Don't throw out your behavior management plan just yet. All yo...

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Art Made Easy
How to Embrace Your Role as a Non-Credentialed Art Teacher: AME 149 from 2020-02-19T13:00:39

Are you a credentialed art teacher? Or are you teaching art without an art related degree?I'm curious because this topic has been a HOT one in our Facebook groups. And truthfully, if I get hate mai...

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Art Made Easy
How to Prepare for a School Art Show: AME 148 from 2020-02-12T13:00:49

Hosting an art show is undeniably the best way to celebrate your student's year long efforts in art education. But the logistics of an art show can be overwhelming. Whether you're excited to put th...

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Art Made Easy
Nailing Your Art Demo: AME 147 from 2020-02-05T13:00:43

When you demonstrate a project, your goal is to communicate the process in a way that connects to the students. A demo lays out the steps, so each student can fully understand the steps and complet...

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Art Made Easy
The Art of Slowing Things Down: AME 146 from 2020-01-29T13:00:41

I read so many comments from teachers in our Facebook Groups expressing how their students behavior has changed. Some teachers feel like kids aren’t able to work on the same project for extended pe...

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Art Made Easy
The 5 Stages of Art Teacher Growth: AME 145 from 2020-01-22T13:00:38

When I was getting started as an art teacher, I was excited. But, I didn't really know what I was doing. I had little to no experience - a few sessions in my kid's classroom crafting quilt squares,...

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Art Made Easy
How to Think Your Way to a Happy New Year: AME 144 from 2020-01-15T16:33:17

My word of the year for 2020 is: clarity. For most of us, January is all about change: being a healthier, happier version of yourself. But that isn't always the case. We don't have to radically ...

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Art Made Easy
What Do We Mean When We Talk About Cookie-Cutter Art: AME 143 from 2019-12-18T16:46:13

In all of my years of teaching, there is one thing that has lead me to scratch my head literally every single time I hear this phrase... and that's"cookie-cutter art". It really drives me nuts.I...

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Art Made Easy
The 3 Things that Hold Teachers Back from Loving Their Job: AME 142 from 2019-12-11T17:00:07

Being successful as an art teacher means more than teaching kids how to draw or paint. It means getting kids to listen and sit and follow directions so that they have the capacity to learn to draw ...

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Art Made Easy
The Secret Benefits of Reading Aloud to your Children: AME 141 from 2019-08-07T16:26:06

Janey Strong is the photographer, writer, mother and early literacy advocate behind Darling Readers. Her passion is finding unique ways to encourage parents read to their children - and children ar...

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Art Made Easy
How to Engage and Connect with Children with Emotional Disabilities: AME 140 from 2019-07-31T16:53:18

Patty chats with Gold Star Sparkler, Jennifer Ford Pace, who was recently named Teacher of the Year in her community of Henrico, Virginia. It’s a dive deep conversation on how Jennifer engages wit...

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Art Made Easy
How to Grow a Customer Base for Your Art Studio with Meri Cherry: AME 139 from 2019-07-24T16:00:32

Do you have a studio based art business? If so, my conversation with Meri Cherry will be a game-changer for you. She doesn’t just offer strategies on filling your classes or how to decide what art ...

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Art Made Easy
How to Approach Teaching Art with a Calm Mind: AME 138 from 2019-07-17T16:06:21

Kristin is a full-time public school art teacher who is passionate about living a balanced and mindful life. She’s been practicing yoga, mindfulness, and meditation since 2007, and has been teachin...

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Art Made Easy
How One Art Teacher Copes with Anxiety&Depression: AME 137 from 2019-07-10T19:56:47

Felicia Merrick is a veteran classroom teacher of 22 years before becoming an art teacher. It’s a position she feels embodies all that she loves: creativity and children. But a series of devastatin...

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Art Made Easy
Finding Your Voice as an Art Teacher with Cassie Stephens: AME 136 from 2019-07-03T16:31:49

Cassie Stephens joins Patty for the second time on Art Made Easy. And this time, we’re pulling back the colorful curtain and diving into why she wanted to write a second book, why starting a podcas...

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Art Made Easy
Ways to Make Art a Priority in Your Family with Jean Van’t Hul: AME 135 from 2019-06-26T16:45:31

Do you ever wonder how the art moms on social media actually get their kids to create art? The photos are beautiful, the kids are engaged, and the materials beg to be used. What’s their secret sauc...

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Art Made Easy
Adopting a Growth Mindset as an Art Teacher: AME 134 from 2019-06-19T17:40:46

Of the many daily challenges art teachers face, adopting a growth mindset may not be at the top of your list. Emily Gould, known as @sierramadres on Instagram, is a K-12 art teacher who has done it...

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Art Made Easy
How to Engage Students with Limited English Through Community Connections: AME 133 from 2019-06-12T15:28:43

Do you have students who speak limited English? Teaching art in a community with language barriers is a ripe opportunity for engagement and connection. You might just need to approach teaching dif...

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Art Made Easy
Becoming an Art Educator After Raising a Family: AME 131 from 2019-04-17T17:15:44

Eva Marie Kirby from Tennessee dreamt of being an art educator since graduating college, but marriage and raising a family put her dreams on hold. Fast forward twenty years, Eva Marie steps into t...

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Art Made Easy
How the Enneagram Broke Me Wide Open: AME 130 from 2019-04-10T15:24:44

I love listening to podcasts and over the past few years, mentions of the Enneagram personality test has popped up over and over again. Last Fall, I decided to explore it further and happened upon ...

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Art Made Easy
How to Rock Your First Year Teaching Art: AME 129 from 2019-04-03T15:33:20

The field of art education is often overlooked as a viable career in most school counseling offices. Many college students aren't even aware that the profession exists. Today's guest, Kelsi Quicksa...

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Art Made Easy
How to Use Mantras to Create Connection&Consistency with Your Students: AME 128 from 2019-03-27T16:00:35

Do you have a mantra? Something you say out loud before every class? I sort of did.My mantra of every child is somebody's baby was something I thought about before the students poked their heads...

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Art Made Easy
Budget Friendly Ways to Cover Art Tables: AME 127 from 2019-03-20T16:40:19

One of the small details that often gets overlooked in the art room is whether or not to cover your art tables during art class. You might be wondering: What type of placemats work best?Should the...

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Art Made Easy
4 Lessons I Learned About Classroom Management from Years of Subbing: AME 126 from 2019-03-13T15:38:13

Are your students coming to class attentive, respectful and ready to learn? Or do you spend most of your time battling challenging students? No one wants to admit that there are days - maybe weeks...

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Art Made Easy
What it Takes to Become Teacher of the Year: AME 125 from 2019-03-06T16:42:44

Do you ever wonder what it takes to become teacher of the year? According to today’s guest, Barbara Hua, it wasn’t about having amazing art skills or years of experience — she had little of both. I...

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Art Made Easy
The Creative Habit: Our First Book Club Pick! AME 124 from 2019-02-27T16:48:59

I’m diving deep into how to cultivate your creativity with daily practice and awareness by following the exercise in Twyla Tharp’s book The Creative Habit…our first book in the DSS book club! This...

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Art Made Easy
Creating a Community Connection in your Art Class: AME 123 from 2019-02-20T17:30:18

How would you describe the vibe in your art room? What do you focus on? Art? Classroom management? Colorful decor? Today's guest, Rona Wilcox from New Zealand, claims that her focus is community. A...

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Art Made Easy
Tips on Running an After-School Program: AME 122 from 2019-02-13T16:51:19

Have you ever wanted to start an after school program? Today's guest, Pamela Saunders from Washington, D.C. was motivated to teach art when her children entered elementary school. Like many school ...

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Art Made Easy
How One Art Teacher Overcame Debilitating Challenges to Achieve Her Dream: AME 121 from 2019-02-06T16:43:36

Have you ever considered what it must feel like to be overweight? Most of us can understand how it feels to be 20 pounds over-weight and even underweight, but weight on a grander scale - like 100 l...

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Art Made Easy
My Mini Burnout and How I Plan to Recover: AME 120 from 2019-01-30T17:47:54

It's the end of January and while many of you are well on your way to integrating new year's resolutions into your life, I feel like I'm lagging. Two months of family, work and holiday bustle has l...

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Art Made Easy
The Surprising Benefits of Asking for Help: AME 119 from 2018-12-12T16:50:30

Do you suffer from chronic overwhelm syndrome? Or as I like to say, do you know how to ask for help? If you’re like most women, the thought of placing a burden on someone else is downright unthink...

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Art Made Easy
Dealing with Disrespectful Students: AME 118 from 2018-12-05T15:56:40

Do you deal with disrespectful students and general low engagement in the art room? If you just raised your hand, you are not alone. There has been a flurry of advice-seekers in our Facebook group ...

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Art Made Easy
The Importance of Cultivating a Community: AME 117 from 2018-11-28T16:11:09

Do you have an art degree? What about a teaching credential? I'm always surprised at how many of us have found our dream job of teaching art to kids by tapping into our creativity and allowing our ...

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Art Made Easy
The 5 Step Framework That Will Transform Your Art Room: AME 116 from 2018-11-21T16:00:04

Are you looking for ways to cultivate creativity, choice and personal expression in your art room? Today's guest, Kat Clarke shares the five questions she asks her students as they work through an ...

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Art Made Easy
The Inside Scoop on Running a Full-Time Art Studio: AME 115 from 2018-11-14T16:11:58

Many art teachers dream of running their own art studio. The freedom, the creativity and the chance to impact children on a deeper level appeals to many of us. Maureen Marks, a member of our Sparkl...

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Art Made Easy
Behind The Sparkly Curtain: AME 114 from 2018-11-07T16:27:58

While I've been asked a hundred times, I rarely go out of my way to talk about it. Mostly, I'm afraid of the unwanted attention it would create. Or the feeling that I was abandoning my art teacher ...

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Art Made Easy
How One Art Teacher Raises Funds with Art Auctions: AME 113 from 2018-10-31T15:45:33

Krista Hilmen is a former high school English teacher turned art teacher at her children's charter school. Learn how Krista raises funds for her art program through a successful art auction. She sh...

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Art Made Easy
The 6 Stages of the Creative Path with Nicholas Wilton: AME 112 from 2018-10-24T15:48:22

Do you dream of the day when you can spend all your time sipping tea and working on your art? For most of us, it’s a long-term goal and one in which Nicholas Wilton is far to familiar with. Nichola...

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Art Made Easy
Turn Your Art Room into Your Dream Art Space: AME 111 from 2018-10-17T16:23:06

Need a little art room make-over? Yvette Ackerman is passionate about making her art room feel like home. By using warm, textural elements and a strategy for student inspiration, Yvette's art room ...

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Art Made Easy
Draw, Paint, Sparkle Book Chat–Why I Don’t Use Pencils in the Art Room: AME 110 from 2018-10-10T15:11:54

Today on AME, I’m continuing with my series: The Draw, Paint, Sparkle Book Chat, where I read sections of my new book and give you extra insight to how my teaching philosophy has worked throughout ...

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Art Made Easy
From Dance Instructor to Art Teacher: AME 109 from 2018-10-03T15:15:40

Are you a relatively new art teacher who’s trying to figure it all out? Guest teacher, Tamara Evans shares her how she gets her students to help with prep and clean up. And it’s pretty easy! Tamar...

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Art Made Easy
Do You Feel Like A Machine? AME 108 from 2018-09-26T16:02:17

Do you have enough time to prep? Are you able to enjoy your job?When do you sit and breathe? I teach over 850 students at my school. There is little time built into my day to lesson plan, grade,...

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Art Made Easy
Draw, Paint, Sparkle Book Chat–How to Host Art Sessions in Your Home: AME 107 from 2018-09-12T15:34:36

Today on AME, I'm continuing with my new series: The Draw, Paint, Sparkle Book Chat, where I read sections of my new book and give you extra insight to how my teaching philosophy has worked through...

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Art Made Easy
Draw, Paint, Sparkle Book Chat–All About Directed Drawing: AME 106 from 2018-09-05T15:25:54

Today on AME, I starting a brand new series: The Draw, Paint, Sparkle Book Chat, where I read sections of my book and give you extra insight to how my teaching philosophy has worked throughout the ...

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Art Made Easy
How to Transition from an Unpaid Volunteer to a For-Profit Business: AME 105 from 2018-08-29T15:16:55

You probably know someone just like today's guest. Someone who is passionate, dedicated, creative, and organized. She's the gale that takes on everything and does it so well. You may even find that...

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Art Made Easy
Cultivating a Management Mindset: AME 104 from 2018-08-15T15:10:31

If there is one thing I know for sure, it's that you can't teach art unless you have some sort of management plan in place. Art is really exciting for kids and often you'll have eager students read...

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Art Made Easy
How to Get What You Really Want This School Year: AME 103 from 2018-08-08T15:00:05

What is the ONE thing you want most this school year? A healthier lifestyle? More money? A more organized classroom? While I can't claim to hold the secret to achieving these things, I can share t...

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Art Made Easy
Morning Routines, Inspiration&Wellness AME 102 from 2018-07-25T12:58

While on vacation this month in Canada, I have had lots of time to reflect on what is working in my life and what needs adjusting. I identified a few things that are an absolute must for living a ...

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Art Made Easy
How to Teach Art with Heart: AME 101 from 2018-07-18T14:00:17

Connecting with children through art is an essential ingredient in the success and longevity of artist, Jill Hatcher. Jill teaches children ages 4-12 in a public school, does after school art class...

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Art Made Easy
Drawing with Children with Mona Brookes: AME 100 from 2018-07-11T14:20:25

DRAWING WITH CHILDREN WITH MONA BROOKES: AME 100 I wondered how to make this milestone episode special. When I thought back to all the episodes, there is one thread that runs through them. And tha...

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Art Made Easy
10 Rules for Art Teachers: AME 099 from 2018-07-04T17:18:28

Do you have a mantra that you live by each day? As creatives, we often gravitate towards specific sayings or guideposts. And in Mary’s case, she adopts her own.Mary Crowlie taught in a classroom f...

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Art Made Easy
Do You Want To Write A Book? AME: 098 from 2018-06-27T15:53:15

Do you want to write a book? Chances are, you do. It's a dream many of us share until you sit down and stare at an empty screen. Perhaps you wonder if you have it in you. The endurance to see it th...

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Art Made Easy
Transitioning from Art Volunteer to Art Specialist: AME 097 from 2018-06-20T15:21:25

After volunteering in her children's classrooms teaching art, June Wood decided to take a stab at pursuing a paid position. After approaching a few schools in her district, June was offered the job...

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Art Made Easy
Why Did You Become an Art Teacher? AME: 096 from 2018-06-13T15:24:17

As an artist and a teacher you have the unique ability to inspire kids...to help THEM become artists, critical thinkers, decision makers and creators. As art teachers, we strive to be completely o...

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Art Made Easy
How to Use Flow Learning™ to Engage Students in Art Making: AME 094 from 2018-05-23T15:57:36

Have you ever heard of Flow Learning™? It’s a technique that Joseph Cornell from the Sharing Nature Foundation developed to help children channel their natural tendencies and curiosities into focu...

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Art Made Easy
Charge What You’re Worth: AME 093 from 2018-05-16T15:25:51

Today on AME, I'm talking all about money...specifically how it applies to art teachers who run classes or workshops or have a product to sell. I'm revealing my strategies for determining how to se...

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Art Made Easy
How To Cultivate Craftsmanship in Your Art Room: AME 092 from 2018-05-09T16:05:32

Today I'm talking to an art teacher who confesses to being focused on the end result. Before you judge, listen to how Britt Curley, from the blog, Art Room Britt, sets her intention with her stude...

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Art Made Easy
Best Practices for Acrylic Paints: AME 091 from 2018-05-02T15:15

Today I'm talking to acrylic artist Anna Bartlett about all things acrylic paints, art studios, paint parties and how to make the easiest sketch books ever. Anna is an artist from Queensland, Austr...

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Art Made Easy
Head, Heart&Hand: The Waldorf Approach to Managing Young Artists: AME 090 from 2018-04-25T15:42:12

Sally Haughey Fowler brings absolute wonder to her students through the Waldorf environment. She walks into an art room with intention, passion and enough drama to rival a Disney production. In thi...

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Art Made Easy
How a 20-Year Classroom Veteran Transitioned to Teaching Art: AME 089 from 2018-04-18T15:44:37

Wonder what it's like to step into the art room serving 500 kids a week after being in a classroom for 20 years? I was curious too, so I asked Crissy Harvey if she would share what that experience ...

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Art Made Easy
Classroom Management Strategies That Work For You: AME 088 from 2018-04-04T16:41:54

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES THAT WORK FOR YOU: AME 088 Wouldn't it be nice if we could step into our art rooms and spend the entire session creating art? Not likely, right? Managing behavior, ...

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Art Made Easy
How One Classroom Teacher Went from Art Breakdown to Art Star: AME 087 from 2018-03-28T17:41

Michelle Gifford, a second-grade teacher from Thousand Oaks California, confessed to failing miserably with her first attempt at teaching art. She had followed her school's purchased art program bu...

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Art Made Easy
How to Know When It’s Time to Open Your Art Studio: AME 086 from 2018-03-21T15:42:36

If you've ever wondered if opening your own art studio is the right path for you, today's guest, Arielle Goddard from Art Camp, will share what factors played a significant role in her decision to ...

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Art Made Easy
Manifesting Your Ultimate Goal: AME 085 from 2018-03-14T16:02:35

Do you have a dream that you've been working towards? The goal that when accomplished, will fill your bucket list and give you permission to say, I did it? What if, after working tirelessly for ...

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Art Made Easy
3 Steps to a Successful Art Show: AME 084 from 2018-03-10T15:00:47

This is a special bonus episode in response to a beautiful outpouring from a Sparkler inside our private Facebook Group. Her anticipated art show generated only a few attendees and as we can all im...

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Art Made Easy
Teaching Kids to Paint: AME 083 from 2018-03-07T17:35:24

Today I'm answering the most asked questions I receive about teaching kids to paint. This is the second episode in our series, Questions You Were Afraid To Ask. If you want to know how to prevent ...

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Art Made Easy
Teaching Kids How To Draw: AME 082 from 2018-02-21T16:00:49

We're going back to basics today to answer 5 questions that you may have been afraid to ask about teaching kids to draw. I've been sharing how to teach drawing to kids for a long time but what I n...

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Art Made Easy
How to Demonstrate an Art Lesson: AME 081 from 2018-02-14T20:30:02

The fine art of art demonstrations is not something we learn at school. Often, teachers are plunked in front of a class without knowing exactly what to do. Do you show a finished project? Where do ...

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Art Made Easy
Supporting&Appreciating Others (plus a few folks who are amazing): AME 080 from 2018-02-07T15:40:27

In this episode, I share why I feel so strongly about supporting and sharing with others. Why it's good for me and how sharing, collaborating and being positive shapes my life. I call it living wit...

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Art Made Easy
How to Protect Your Content: AME 079 from 2018-01-31T16:22:09

AME 079: How to Protect Your Creative Content Do you offer tutorials, projects or handouts on social media, but get uneasy when someone swipes your idea? Protecting your creative content, from you...

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Art Made Easy
Art Meets Storytime: AME 078 from 2018-01-24T17:27:29

Art Meets Storytime My favorite way to transition a classroom full of kids to an art class is to read a picture book. I've been a longtime fan of children's literature and art so when you put the ...

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Art Made Easy
Word of the Year: AME 077 from 2018-01-17T16:46:26

What’s Your Word of the Year? In today’s episode, I’ll share how I use mine and how you can incorporate a Word of the Year into your life.  There are parts of this conversation that move past picki...

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Art Made Easy
Classroom Teachers Guide for Teaching Art: AME 076 from 2017-12-20T21:38:17

CLASSROOM TEACHERS GUIDE FOR TEACHING ART You may wonder how you can teach art to your students if you don’t consider yourself an artist.  Here’s the thing…I don’t believe you need to be a great a...

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Art Made Easy
How To Love Your Job: AME 075 from 2017-12-13T18:49:03

Have you ever felt frustrated or flustered at work? Perhaps a bit anxious or uncertain? Creating art lessons, prepping supplies, managing behaviors and dealing with uncertainty can challenge even t...

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Art Made Easy
5 Ways You Are Making A Difference: AME 074 from 2017-12-06T15:57:03

Occasionally, our efforts to make an impact show up in sweet love notes from a first-grader or a required essay to a favorite teacher. Sometimes it’s larger and grander in scale like your annual ar...

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Art Made Easy
The Life Journey of a Creative: AME 073 from 2017-11-22T15:00:15

Bar Rucci grew up in a creative household. She was determined to go to art school despite her parent’s plea to become a computer programmer.  As a true creative, she compromised on the selection of...

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Art Made Easy
The Power of Refraining your Life: AME 072 from 2017-11-15T15:02:17

Today I’m talking to Laurie Police Short, author of When Changing Nothing Changes Everything.  In this episode we’re talking about how changing perspective can alter behavior and ultimately our lif...

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Art Made Easy
Art from India: AME 071 from 2017-11-08T22:14:44

Whenever I explore cultural art projects, I wonder if the lesson I plan will reflect on the values and traditions of the designated country. There have been so many times when I’m knee-deep in Goog...

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Art Made Easy
5 Literacy Strategies for the Art Room: AME 070 from 2017-10-25T16:08:01

Are you using literacy strategies in your art room? If you are, you know how effective they can be for engaging students, connecting content areas with your lessons and providing an opportunity for...

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Art Made Easy
Tips for Teaching Art in a Title One School: AME 069 from 2017-10-17T13:43:14

Teaching art in a Title 1 school can be challenging. Often there is limited funding for art supplies, behavioral issues and lack of support. Although, depending on your perspective, teaching at a T...

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Art Made Easy
Art at Home Toolkit&Guide: AME 068 from 2017-10-03T22:42:43

Teaching art at home to a few children is quite different than teaching 30 children in a classroom. It means you have more flexibility and freedom to create art when and how you want. I’ve taught ...

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Art Made Easy
How to Start an Art Rotation&Seek Funding: AME 067 from 2017-09-27T15:01

Are you a classroom teacher who is required to teach art but not sure where to start? Or perhaps you want to collaborate with your grade level peers and start an art rotation? Lynda Gordon, a third...

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Art Made Easy
Five Questions to Ask to Set Your Art Curriculum Intentions: AME 066 from 2017-09-20T16:44:46

Have you ever wondered whether it is better to have a plethora of creative works at the end of a term so that students have a general working knowledge of many styles and techniques OR just a few p...

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Art Made Easy
Behind Dot Day Projects–The Benefits of Expressive Art: AME 065 from 2017-09-12T14:51:26

International Dot Day, based on Peter Reynold’s book, The Dot, is coming up on September 15th. The Dot is the story of Vashti who is overwhelmed at the sight of a blank piece of paper. Her art teac...

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Art Made Easy
4 Steps to Designing Your Perfect Art Program: AME 064 from 2017-08-16T15:54:21

Teaching art to hundreds of children requires creativity, passion, and buckets of planning time. I spent years developing an art program that represented my personal preferences for art but also in...

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Art Made Easy
How One Classroom Teacher Transitioned to her Dream Job as an Art Teacher with Denise Lediaev: AME 062 from 2017-07-26T11:30:01

Former classroom teacher, Denise Lediaev, didn’t know how much she loved teaching art until she became a full-time art teacher in Adelaide, Australia. Listen to how Denise transitioned to this role...

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Art Made Easy
Taking a Chance&Pursuing Passion with Kristy GoPaul from Trinidad: AME 061 from 2017-07-19T18:10:10

We all have a dream—something we long to do if only…the if only’s have a tendency to get in the way for most of us, but not Kristy. Growing up in Trinidad&Tobago, Kristy remembers always gravitatin...

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Art Made Easy
Drawing Tips&Teaching Art to All Ages: AME 060 from 2017-07-07T18:22:01

Discover how Louise McKeon turned her career as an illustrator and graphic artist to a full time career as an art teacher for all ages. Using the stunning natural surroundings of Cork, Ireland to i...

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Art Made Easy
Teaching Art in a Remote Village in Northern India: AME 059 from 2017-06-20T14:56:34

How do you introduce children to art in a remote region of the world where  children have little exposure to expressive art? Where do you start? Where do you find supplies? Celia Fisher not only ...

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Art Made Easy
Art Stories From Around the World–Bahrain: AME 058 from 2017-06-14T15:41:11

Sana Asad is the second art teacher featured in our summer art series, Art Stories from Around the World by sharing her experiences while teaching art in Bahrain. Born in Pakistan and into a cultur...

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Art Made Easy
Art Stories From Around the World–China: AME 057 from 2017-06-07T15:16:36

I'm so excited to kick off our summer podcast series, Art Stories from Around the World! After starting Deep Space Sparkle's membership program last year, I couldn't help but marvel at what global ...

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Art Made Easy
Teaching Art to Children with Special Needs: AME 056 from 2017-05-31T16:00:49

There is a huge effort to mainstream children with special needs but often teachers have no formal training in the special needs area. Debi London experienced this first hand as an art teacher and ...

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Art Made Easy
How to Deal with Negative Feedback: AME 055 from 2017-05-24T14:33:33

The absolute worst experience for any teacher is receiving a negative comment from a parent or peer. When the negative comment comes in the form of an email asking why you disciplined a child the w...

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Art Made Easy
A Conversation with a First Year Art Teacher: AME 054 from 2017-05-17T16:00:34

Teaching art to kids in your home or at school for the very first time is exciting, but challenging. Developing your teaching style, understanding how children create, and determining what style of...

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Art Made Easy
6 Factors for a Successful Management Plan: AME 053 from 2017-05-10T16:00:20

Classroom management is one of the hardest elements of being an art teacher. If you don’t have a plan, philosophy or strategy then art-making takes a back seat. I believe it’s all about creating an...

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Art Made Easy
3 Techniques to Try with Tempera Paint: AME 052 from 2017-05-03T19:32:49

When it comes to painting techniques, most of us think about watercolor paints. There is so much you can do with these watery colors: resist, wet-on-wet, salting, etc. But if you use liquid tempera...

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Art Made Easy
Summer Camp Start-Up Advice: AME 051 from 2017-04-26T17:23:01

As the school year starts to wind down, now is a good time to consider your summer plans. I hope they involve a deck and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc but if your mind is wandering towards earning som...

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Art Made Easy
Retirement Dreams&Children’s Books with Sparkler Gloria Mathews: AME 050 from 2017-04-19T15:04:20

Today’s episode is special. Deep Space Sparkle member, Gloria Mathews is the quintessential Sparkler: creative, sharing, and kind. She is always the first one to comment, cheer on and celebrate oth...

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Art Made Easy
Teaching Art at Home: AME 049 from 2017-04-12T15:49:42

With the deadline of my first book approaching, I have uncovered a few differences between teaching art in a small group setting and teaching art in a classroom. Having a series of private workshop...

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Art Made Easy
A Chat with Team Sparkle Marisa Gebert: AME 048 from 2017-04-05T18:05:51

Marisa is a former K-8 art teacher from Georgia who was one of over 500 people who applied for a job as a standards writer for Deep Space Sparkle last Spring. Marisa helps teachers all over the wor...

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Art Made Easy
From Nurse to Watercolor Artist with Gina Lee Kim: AME 047 from 2017-03-29T16:00:06

Did you go to school for one thing only to end up doing something entirely different?  Most often these types of career pivots happen to us once we discover that we need to create. If you yearn to ...

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Art Made Easy
My Favorite Books: AME 046 from 2017-03-22T17:11:04

Whenever I find myself stuck for inspiration, I always turn to books. Picture books are a secret passion of mine. I love looking at the exquisite illustrations as it puts me back in touch with why ...

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Art Made Easy
How to Incorporate STEAM Projects Into Your Art Room: AME 045 from 2017-03-15T15:59:02

Are you wondering what STEAM based art education is all about?  Art teacher Amy Zschaber will shine the light on what’s possible for art educators. Quite honestly, I was never a fan of replacing s...

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Art Made Easy
Avoiding the Comparison Trap: AME 044 from 2017-03-08T18:48:43

Have you ever felt defeated when teachers receive more recognition than you? Do you wonder how others get more followers on social media or why some speaker's sessions are packed? If you ever felt...

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Art Made Easy
Family Art Nights: AME 043 from 2017-03-01T17:37:43

Hosting a family art night can be the best way to build support for your art program, boost parent involvement and advocate for your program within your community. In this episode, I share my exper...

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Art Made Easy
How to Engage, Inspire and Create Art Room Magic with Sally Haughey: AME 042 from 2017-02-22T17:13:30

On today’s episode, I’m talking with Sally Haughey from Fairy Dust Teaching. If you’re not familiar with her work, you really need to check out her blog, Fairy Dust Teaching.  Sally and I chat abou...

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Art Made Easy
How to Talk to Administrators&Parents About Your Art Program: AME 041 from 2017-02-15T16:18:38

One of the hardest parts about being an art teacher is advocating for your art program. Feeling vulnerable to budget cuts, constantly aligning with new standards, accommodating everyone’s perceptio...

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Art Made Easy
Sparkler Spotlight&Small Studio Advice: AME 040 from 2017-02-08T18:08:54

Since the creation of Deep Space Sparkle’s Members Club (join waitlist) last June, I’ve made it my goal to help serve and support teachers on their path as art teachers. One of the newest features...

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Art Made Easy
Success Secrets of a Process-Based Art Studio: Art Made Easy 039 from 2017-02-01T16:40:11

After hosting pop up art classes in her garage, art teacher and blogger Meri Cherry listened to her intuition and opened her first art studio in Southern California. Eight months later, Meri serves...

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Art Made Easy
Same Project, Different Results: Art Made Easy 038 from 2017-01-18T16:40:03

Does this sound familiar? You teach a lesson and it goes terrific: the students understand the concepts and are totally engaged, but then you go to teach the same lesson at a different school, and...

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Art Made Easy
The Organized Art Teacher: Art Made Easy 037 from 2017-01-11T18:36:56

Do you feel overwhelmed when you look at your stacks of lesson plans and project ideas? Ever wondered how other art teachers store their lesson plans and samples? And what is the best way to store ...

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Art Made Easy
Incorporating STEAM Projects into your Art Room: Art Made Easy 036 from 2017-01-04T17:56:33

Are you looking to incorporate a few STEAM art activities into your curriculum this year? Ana Dziengle from Babble, Dabble Do is this week's guest on the podcast. If you haven't met Ana before, I k...

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Art Made Easy
Beyond Lesson Plans–Modern Ways to Connect&Collaborate in Your Art Room–AME 035 from 2016-11-30T16:57:18

Are you looking for ways to spruce up your art program? Move beyond traditional lesson plans with artist trading cards, a flipped classroom and QR codes. Nic Hahn, author of the popular blog, Mini...

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Art Made Easy
How to Handle the Holiday Crush–AME 034 from 2016-11-23T17:55

The holidays don’t need to be a time for stressful schedules and hectic classes. Make this season your best ever by determining what your holiday intentions are, how to navigate your school’s holid...

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Art Made Easy
Top Tips for being an Awesome Art Room Volunteer- Art Made Easy 033 from 2016-11-09T18:56:28

In today’s episode, I answer a question from Ashley, a member of Deep Space Sparkle's Members’ Club. Ashley asks, How do you train volunteers so they become an art room asset instead of a liability...

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Art Made Easy
The SPARKLE Method for Lesson Development–Art Made Easy 032 from 2016-11-02T16:06:30

Developing art lessons can be overwhelming to create with a busy schedule. Sure you can use the same art lessons every year but every now and again, you’ll want (or be required) to create lessons f...

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Art Made Easy
How to Manage Overwhelm: Art Made Easy 031 from 2016-10-26T13:55:36

Are you feeling overwhelmed? I must admit that this year has been an intentionally busy one for me. In order to prevent overwhelm, I fall back on 5 strategies that keep me focused on what is import...

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Art Made Easy
Crafting with Red Ted Art: Art Made Easy 030 from 2016-10-19T18:28:33

Do you love creating crafts with your kids? Or creating art based on famous artists? Learn how engineer turned crafter, Maggy Woodley started Red Ted Art, an arts&craft blog for kids. The success o...

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Art Made Easy
Perfect Timing: Solutions for Early Finishers–Art Made Easy 029 from 2016-10-12T16:38:29

Do you get frustrated when your students rush to finish a project to work on free drawing or a coloring sheet? Do you find you are constantly being challenge to find solutions for early finishers?...

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Art Made Easy
Life After Teaching Part II–Art Made Easy 028 from 2016-10-06T16:47:58

Have you ever wondered whether you could run your own creative business? In this episode, I'll walk you through what its like owning a business, qualities you need to possess to be an entrepreneur ...

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Art Made Easy
Life After Teaching–Art Made Easy 027 from 2016-09-29T14:01:38

Are you dreaming of what life will look like after you retire from teaching art? Or perhaps you’ve had enough of teaching and are ready to move on?Today’s episode helps a reader bridge the gap bet...

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Art Made Easy
Unlocking Your Potential with Personality Tests–Art Made Easy 026 from 2016-09-21T14:14:53

In this episode of Art Made Easy I’m diving down the rabbit hole of personality tests. Don't know if you are a fan, but I've been literally obsessed with the Myers-Briggs test since I listen to The...

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Art Made Easy
About Guided Drawings: AME 025 from 2016-09-14T17:53:52

To start off Season Two of Art Made Easy, I'm answering a member's question about Guided Drawings. Gloria asks:"Sometimes when I am doing a directed drawing lesson, like the Matisse fish bowl, rab...

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Art Made Easy
Creative Books to Read This Summer–Art Made Easy 024 from 2016-06-15T14:25:49

Today is the last episode of Art Made Easy Season One! When I embarked on this podcast journey, my intentions was to test out the platform, see if anyone was interested in listening to what I had ...

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Art Made Easy
Your School Year in Review–Art Made Easy 023 from 2016-06-08T14:14:48

New Year's Resolutions aren't just for January! As the school year draws to a close, now is the perfect time to reflect on your year, celebrate your achievements, review what you want to improve o...

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Art Made Easy
How to Use Pinterest in the Art Room–Art Made Easy 022 from 2016-06-01T11:21:24

I'm excited for you to meet art  teacher and anointed Pinterest Art Queen, Donna Staten. Donna is an art teacher from Austin, Texas who is known for her HUGE following on Pinterest. And because of ...

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Art Made Easy
How to Break Down Barriers&Showcase Your Talent–Art Made Easy 021 from 2016-05-25T15:48:26

Art teacher and blogger, Ginger Bowerman-Pacer of Paintbrush Rocket shares how she pushed past the barriers that were holding her back from creating a platform for her teaching resources. In an ho...

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Art Made Easy
The Best Art Products to Use with Kids–Art Made Easy 020 from 2016-05-18T15:51:55

THE BEST ART PRODUCTS TO USE WITH KIDS: AME 020 Ready to order your first shipment of art supplies and don’t know what to order?Curious why some art supplies are better than others? Today’s epi...

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Art Made Easy
How to Talk to Kids about Art–Art Made Easy 019 from 2016-05-11T16:18:50

Do you hit the google search button whenever you need to introduce a famous artist before an art lesson? I know I’ve filled the white board with a few boring facts a few times. What if I told you y...

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Art Made Easy
How to Host Your Own Art Workshop–Art Made Easy 018 from 2016-05-04T18:11

Do peers ever ask you to share your teaching secrets?  Do you specialize in an area of art-making? Does generating extra income sound appealing? If there is a yes in there somewhere, this episode ...

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Art Made Easy
Teaching from a Cart–Art Made Easy 017 from 2016-04-27T14:30:04

Do you teach art from a cart? Or travel from school to school with your car packed with art supplies and resources?Today’s guest Heidi O’Hanley has spent most of her career traveling from school t...

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Art Made Easy
5 Mindset Shifts That Made a Difference in My Life–Art Made Easy 016 from 2016-04-20T16:06:28

Why do things always seem to work out for some people and not for others? Do you have goals in your life that just don't seem attainable? I'm a firm believer that you can achieve anything you want-...

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Art Made Easy
How to Draw with Kids&Create a Rockin’YouTube Show–Art Made Easy 015 from 2016-04-13T12:39:22

Drawing with kids is probably the best job in the world which is exactly what Rob Jensen does with his three kids 5 days a week. After starting Art Hub for Kids in 2012, Rob shares his love of art ...

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Art Made Easy
From Blog to Book- Art Made Easy 014 from 2016-04-06T16:05:32

Jeanette Nyberg, author of the popular art blog Craftwhack and former professional artist, traded in her paintbrushes for a keyboard after the birth of her kids. Discovering that her love of kid’s ...

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Art Made Easy
The Scoping&Sequencing of Portrait Making: AME 013 from 2016-03-30T18:13:55

Creating a portrait in elementary school is a natural part of any art curriculum. Over my 13 years as an art teacher, I taught thousands of kids how to draw portraits--whether of themselves, a frie...

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Art Made Easy
Easy Management Tips for Creating Your Dream Class–Art Made Easy 012 from 2016-03-23T16:07:11

Do your students blurt out at random moments during your demonstrations? Do you have trouble getting kids to listen or take you seriously? Do you have children that always seem to be pushing your b...

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Art Made Easy
Working Through Mistakes- Art Made Easy 011 from 2016-03-16T12:44:42

If you teach art to children, no doubt that you’ve come across a child who is unhappy with their work. Some children become rattled by a torn piece of paper or even a color choice. What can you do ...

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Art Made Easy
Tips for Running an After-School Art Program–Art Made Easy 010 from 2016-03-09T13:00:31

Kathy Barbro was one of the first art educators to offer online art resources through her site, Art Project for Kids.  No doubt you have seen or purchased her wonderful artist-inspired collaborativ...

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Art Made Easy
From Art Educator to Art Entrepreneur: AME 009 from 2016-03-02T13:13:59

Megan Schiller is the founder of The Art Pantry, a design studio specializing in children’s creative play spaces. She is a former Reggio-inspired preschool teacher and art educator and her mission ...

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Art Made Easy
Secrets of a Teachers Pay Teachers Top Seller: AME 008 from 2016-02-24T13:10:10

Have your colleagues ever told you how well you explained a lesson? Or how creative you are? Do people always ask you for advice? If any of these questions ring true for you then you need to liste...

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Art Made Easy
How to Create a Thematic Art Unit with Laura Lohmann: AME 007 from 2016-02-17T13:00:06

Have you ever wondered how art teachers come up with so many fabulous lessons? Today I talk to Laura Lohmann from the blog, Painted Paper, on her strategy for designing&implementing her amazing sch...

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Art Made Easy
Tips to Help Gauge if an Art Project is Right for Your Class: AME 006 from 2016-02-10T12:30:41

How do I gauge if a lesson is too easy or too complicated for an age group? I get asked that a lot. And Heaven's knows, I've tried to answer that question myself on more than one occasion. But her...

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Art Made Easy
Artful Practices for Young Makers with Rachelle Doorley: AME 005 from 2016-02-03T12:00:58

Today is episode 5 of Art made Easy. I promised you back in November that if I decided to host a podcast, I would commit to at least 6-months. The learning curve has been steep and the investment o...

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Art Made Easy
The Secret to a Joy-Filled Art Room&How To Teach Collaborative Projects: AME 004 from 2016-01-28T12:30:01

Thank you so much for all of your support during the launch of Art Made Easy. I was super excited to see my logo in iTunes New&Noteworthy section of the podcast page (Kids&Family) and as the TOP po...

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Art Made Easy
How to Assess Student Artwork&Qualities of a Great Art Teacher: AME 003 from 2016-01-20T19:32:34

Welcome to my third episode of Art Made Easy! Thank you so much for the overwhelming support for the creation of this podcast. I can only say that I have a great line-up of guests and topics to sha...

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Art Made Easy
Steps to Hosting Painting Parties and Overcoming Obstacles with Heidi Easley: AME 002 from 2016-01-20T16:46:16

Today on the podcast, I interview Heidi Easley, owner of Texas Art&Soul. Not only is Heidi a part-time K-5 art teacher but she runs a thriving paint party business in Dallas, Texas. Heidi is going ...

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Art Made Easy
How I Became an Art Teacher&My Best Advice for Teaching Art to Kids: AME 001 from 2016-01-19T04:23:06

Yes, the day has come! After a long time deciding if, I finally said when.Thank you SO much for your encouragement, show suggestions and help getting Art Made Easy off the ground. Many of you...

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