Everyday Art Room

Teacher evaluations can be frightening! But they don't have to be, especially if you have the confidence to show off and promote what you are doing in your classroom. In this episode, Cassie talks about some of her favorite strategies to develop that confidence you need, including how to put together lessons for your evaluation (5:45), why you shouldn't go in without some experience (11:15), and how to make assessments work for your students (17:30).

How big of a role do holiday projects play in your classroom? And if you choose not to teach them, what other options do you have? In today's episode, Cassie talks about those ideas and more. Join her as she discusses why she doesn't teach holiday projects (4:15), some of her favorite alternatives to teach instead (12:00), and why guided drawing always has a place in her classroom (24:00).

• You can find all of the great lessons that Cassie mentioned in today's episode on her blog
• She also mentioned the amazing Don Masse
• What is the Role of Holiday Projects in the Art Room?

If you're looking for more stress in your life, the fastest way there is to let your classroom management go downhill. But if you want to make your life a lot easier, the management system Cassie shares in this episode is a great place to start. Join her as she talks about controlling the noise level in her class (6:00), helping kids take more responsibility (14:45), and rewards for good behavior (20:00).

• Kaitlyn's Instagram
• Art Teacherin' 101 on Classroom Management
• Cassie lays out the whole classroom management system in this blog post

Cassie absolutely loves chalk pastels, and today's episode is a deep dive into everything you need to know about how to teach them. Join her as she discusses how to 'address the mess' of rainbow chalk dust that always arises (9:15), tips for finishing chalk projects (11:45), and some of her (and her students') favorite chalk pastel lessons (16:45).

• Chalk Pastel Lesson #1 from Cassie's blog
• Chalk Pastel Lesson #2 from Cassie's blog:
• A simple chalk pastel gradient
• Check out these awesome marbleized prints using chalk!

Those comments like "I'm finished" and "What do I do now?" are enough to drive any teacher crazy? But what do we do with those kids who are done early? Listen to some of Cassie's ideas as she shares specific suggestions for early finishers (7:30), what her early finisher early project list looks like (10:15), and why you should probably invest in some dry erase boards (15:30).

• Follow Cassie on Instagram
• Cassie mentioned her 'Art Teachers in Training' episode of the podcast
• Take a look at the Time Timer Cassie mentioned
• And a few additional ideas on Cassie's blog

We talk to our students all the time about how to deal with bullies. But do we ever think about how to deal with them as adults? Bullying never really goes away when you get older, and you need strategies on how to deal with it. Join Cassie as she talks about how to reclaim your time, your talents, and your art supplies (8:00), how to stand up for yourself when you are in a bullying situation (13:15), and why you should picture bullies as annoying little yappy dogs (15:45).

• Dealing with Bullying and Social Media
• How to Teach Kindness in the Art Room
• How to Deal with a Bully at Work

How do we get your students to treat supplies well? How do we keep our nice things actually nice, so kids have the tools they need to create their masterpieces. Join Cassie as she talks about why your kids need to be using "the good stuff" when it comes to supplies (3:45), why you need to hold your kids accountable (8:30), and the various reasons you may need a backup set of supplies (14:45).

• Cassie mentioned the "Art Teachers in Training" episode of Everyday Art Room
• 10 Art Supplies You Can't Live Without
• Cassie's rundown of some of her favorite supplies

Watercolor painting isn't always the easiest thing to pull off with elementary kiddos, but they love the experience so much that it's almost always worth it. In this episode, Cassie talks you through the ins and outs of what watercolor painting looks like in her classroom. She also shares some tips about how you can make it work for you and your students. Listen as she talks about budget and supplies (4:45), what she calls "The Danger Zone" (10:45), and how to establish a successful cleanup routine (15:00).

• Check out this awesome watercolor lesson from Cassie's blog
• 7 Simple Watercolor Techniques
• If you're an Art Ed PRO member, check out the "Getting Started with Watercolor Painting" Learning Pack!

Were you ever forced to choose? Were you ever told that you had to decide between teaching and being a working artist? It's possible to do both, and more likely, doing both will make you an even better teacher. Cassie will telly you how and why that can work as she shares her own artistic journey (2:00), talks about the undergrad experience that every art teacher has been through (8:30), and discusses how your two paths can come together so you can do it all (13:15).

• The Radio Guys have a podcast on a similar topic--Do Art Teachers Have to Be Artists?
• Awakening Your Inner Artist
• Here's an old blog post from Cassie on how to make and sell your art

Social media is so incredibly prevalent in today's world, and it is a great tool to advocate for your teaching and your art program. This episode is a long list of incredible ways that you can use social media to your advantage. Cassie talks about her love of Instagram (4:00), why social media can inspire both teachers and students (9:00), and the reason she doesn't worry about her number of followers (15:45).

• The Radio Guys talked about social media last year on an episode of Art Ed Radio
• Here's a great article on using social media for advocacy
• 5 Instagram Hashtags to Use In Your Art Room