After the NOW Conference and a presentation that highlighted the joys we find in teaching, it is time to revisit this episode from the archives to ask: Are teachers able to find joy in their jobs again? Kandice Stewart joins Tim today to answer that question--and many others--as well as talk about how we can be more intentional in our teaching. Listen as they also discuss creating and working with your students, helping others find joy, and what we gain from being reflective educators.

• Choosing Joy with Daniel Bryant
• Using Art to Create Joy and Inspire Others
• How to Prioritize Joy
• Read more from Jonathan Juravich

Straight off the NOW Conference, Amanda and Tim are back with another mailbag episode! After a very quick recap of their trip to Dallas for the conference, they dive into a bit of advice for a retiring teacher. The conversation continues with a conversation on DoorDashing supplies to your classroom, some good lessons for third graders, and a quick chat on their favorite parts of teaching fibers.

If you have a question for a future mailbag episode, email [email protected] or leave a voice recording at 515-209-2595.

• Ideas for bringing fibers into your curriculum
• Planning for a Successful Retirement as an art teacher
• Dive deeper into PRO Learning to see the weaving pack Amanda mentioned

With the 2024 Winter NOW Conference just days away, Janet Taylor joins Tim to talk about how they put the conference together, their excitement about everything coming with the event--including featured presenter Devon Rodriguez--and how teachers can make the most of their professional learning on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Join us at the NOW Conference on February 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, where we will share three days of PD that will have you inspired and excited for the rest of the school year! 

• Listen to presenter Jen Leban talk about Creativity Challenges Using Technology
• Hear presenter Meera Ramanathan on Collaboration
• Find all you need to know about the NOW Conference

Jen Leban is back on the show today to talk about her favorite creative challenges that can be found in Adobe Express and preview her upcoming NOW Conference presentation! Listen as she and Tim discuss making connections and creating challenges with tech, some of Jen's favorite projects with drawing and animation, and opportunities for learning and creating for both teachers and students. 

• Getting Creative with Tech
• Listen to one of Jen's previous podcast appearances
• Find all you need to know about the NOW Conference

Ahead of the 2024 Winter NOW Conference (which is now just 3 weeks away!), presenter Meera Ramanathan comes back to the podcast to preview her upcoming presentation on collaboration. She talks with Tim about the benefits students get from collaboration, how we can get even our youngest students involved in collaborative projects, and what it's like for her students to have the opportunity to work with a visiting artist. She also shares ideas on how the community can be involved in these projects and how schoolwide projects can bring excitement to your campus.

• Find Meera on Instagram
• See the work of artist Michelle Montjoy
• The Lessons We Learn From Collaboration
• The Case for More Collaboration
• Check out the NOW Conference!

Amanda and Tim are back with another mailbag episode to ring in the new year! Before getting into New Year's resolutions, they begin by talking about their break and why Amanda is so relieved that "all supplies are included" at her kids' origami class. The conversation continues with advice for teachers who struggle with student distractions, a discussion on elementary attention-getters, and some talk on the upcoming interview season and next month's NOW Conference.

If you have a question for a future mailbag episode, email [email protected] or leave a voice recording at 515-209-2595.

• Run the Art Room, Ep. 4: Call & Responses and Attention Getters
• Art Room Attention Getters
• The Art Teacher's Ultimate Guide to Getting Hired
• 25 Common Art Teacher Interview Questions
• Dive deeper into PRO Learning to see the packs Amanda mentioned
• Check out the NOW Conference coming up in February!

In this episode from the archives, Andrea Slusarski is here to talk to Tim about the psychology of creativity! Though we all teach it in the art room, the research into the psychology behind creativity runs deep. Listen as Slu explains a lot of this research, shares some great food analogies with Tim, and offers advice on how we can help kids develop and demonstrate their own understanding of what it means to be creative. 

• Challenges to Foster Creativity
• Cultivating Creativity in Our Students
• Listen to Slu on being a teaching artist and how you can love watercolor

In this episode from the archives, Tim is joined by elementary art teacher Laura Irmis to discuss if and how we can find the time to do everything that is expected of us as art teachers. Laura shares how she is making it work as a teacher, artist, mother, and graduate student. Listen as she discusses all of that with Tim and they both share thoughts on prioritizing, scheduling, and their love of ceramics. 

• Listen to the Everyday Art Room episode on Creating Time for Yourself
• Take a look at the Studio: Painting-Watercolor course
• See all of AOEU's Graduate Courses
• Check out Laura's Ceramics Website

In today's episode, Tim talks about his reflections on the podcast from the year and shares some highlights from podcast interviews over the past 12 months. He shares some of his own favorite conversations with Amanda Heyn and Janet Taylor, Kristina Brown, Candido Crespo, and more. Listen as the discussions cover creativity, assessment, art teacher myths, and working with the community. Full episodes for each of the conversations are linked below!

• Challenges for Creativity (Ep. 352)
• Using Assessments to Nurture Creativity (Ep. 377)
• Exploring Art Teacher Myths (Ep. 366)
• The Creatividad Project (Ep. 367)

If you've seen AOEU's Art Room Makeover, you've seen an amazing transformation! And today, you can hear the follow-up conversation about the YouTube series from Tim and Lindsey from AOEU, and Dalitso Chinkhota and Melvin Twine, high school teachers in the D.C./MD area. Listen to how an old, yellow, dingy room got a huge makeover where the team brightened, cleaned, decluttered, and implemented new organizational systems. Dalitso and Melvin talk about the changes in the room, how it has become a more inviting and engaging space for students, and the positive reactions from other teachers and administrators. They also share a few stories from behind the scenes and talk about how the changes are holding up a couple of months after the makeover.

• Join the Art Room Makeover Adventure! (Ep. 1)
• 4 Quick & Budget-Friendly DIYs to Upgrade Your Art Room (Ep. 2)
• The Big Reveal! Unveiling the Art Room Makeover (Ep. 3)
• AOEU's YouTube