K12ArtChat the Podcast

In this episode, The Creativity Department is joined by the cofounders of the Zentangle® Method of artmaking – Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts! They share their story about Zentangle’s creation, the experiences they’ve had with students in the classroom, and the work they are doing with Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) researching the benefits of art on mental health. 

We use visual literacy in our lives every day, whether we’re aware of it or not. These skills help us interpret, evaluate, and learn about the world.  They help us create visual media to better understand and communicate! In this episode, Paul Kretchmer and Jennifer Holsinger-Raybourn join The Creativity Department to discuss the importance of Visual Literacy and providing opportunities for creating artworks to communicate meaning. 

Host of the Who ARTed Podcast, Kyle Wood joins The Creativity Department in this episode! When faced with a scheduling change that left him with no prep time and an ever-rotating roster of students, Kyle turned to gamification and transformed his art room into a fun and engaging game show one day a week! But what does that mean? What exactly is gamification? Listen in to hear Kyle’s process and how you can implement it in your art room. 

The Creativity Department speaks with Jason Blair about bringing a personal and humanistic approach to the art room. Schools aren’t just preparing students for college and career; they’re also developing active citizens in humanity. Since there is no dedicated class for this, Jason uses exercises in his art room to build safe spaces and help students feel more comfortable in social settings. Take a listen to hear how you can implement something similar!

The Creativity Department speaks with Visual Art and Social Justice Educator Alisha Mernick about decentering whiteness in art education. Alisha specializes in using art making to engage students in a critical analysis of issues of identity, social justice, anti-racism, and civic engagement. Listen in to hear how Alisha breaks from the Eurocentric mindset and broadening how we look at aesthetics! 

Youth Art Month has been around since 1961, but do you know what it’s all about? The Creativity Department talks with members of Virginia Art Education Association about Youth Art Month.  Learn how they’ve used the month-long event to help advocate for their art programs, collaborate with other educators, and inspire their students! 

Why do you teach art? What makes you passionate about it? In this episode, The Creativity Department speaks with long time art educator Fahmi Khan about the “whys” of teaching art! Be inspired by her story of transitioning from practicing artist to art teacher, the journey of becoming an art teacher, and how she found her own “why” when she thought she didn’t have one. 

The Creativity Department is joined by half of the Anti-Racist Art Teacher group for this episode! Body image is something we all struggle with, and it can be reassuring to know you’re not the only one with those feelings, especially as children. The Anti-Racist Art Teachers discuss their struggles with body image when they were students and share ways they help students with body image in the art room today!

In this episode, The Creativity department is joined by Julie Hasson, author of Safe, Seen, and Stretched in the Classroom: The Remarkable Ways Teachers Shape Students’ Lives – a book about how to make an impact on your students in and out of the classroom. The Grundler’s conversation with Julie dives into how the techniques and principles covered in her book can be translated to the art room.

In this episode, The Creativity Department speaks with author, artist and art educator Tim Needles about how to tackle conference attendance. From methods of implementing new learning to trends, takeaways, and connecting with your tribe, Tim shares expert insight into ways of getting the most out of your experience.