Contributing to the Profession

The journey of being an educator is not for the faint of heart. The most valuable teachings come from resources that bring first-hand experience into lessons, stories, and professional development opportunities. I hope that the following resources are valuable to anyone who seeks to work as a visual arts teacher--just as these were helpful to me.

The Art Teacher's One-Stop-Shop:

One of the hardest things about being an art teacher, aside from thinking of creative ways to clean and manage art supplies, is finding resources to teach, share, and grow. This is why the Art of Education University is one of the best sources of information for visual arts teachers. I highly recommend seeing if the district covers the cost of paying for the membership or investing in it if they do not. It is worth having access to their Flex Pro curriculum especially when the library is divided by age group, theme, artists, movement, and other art-specific criteria. They are also accredited and allow teachers to learn current practices with the flexibility of online learning. They pride themselves in being a one-stop for all teachers to set and maintain a professional standard in a content area most people do not feel can be rigorous.

"Art educators deserve support at every stage of their careers. Discover a rich K-12 visual arts curriculum, professional development, relevant resources, online graduate courses, and rigorous master’s degree programs."

Click Here to Learn More . . .

Click Here to Learn More . . .

Lessons by teachers, for teachers

The beauty of Teachers Pay Teachers is not in the ease of access that educators have in last-minute lesson planning--it's the fact that when you purchase those lessons, you are supporting a fellow teacher. The site has everything categorized by content, grade, and age group-specific lessons. Additionally, there are resources like classroom posters, charts, or handouts for a small cost, with the money going to the hard-working educators who created them.

I have used this resource to look for easy art lessons I can adapt to my age group for wellness days, more rigorous drawing lessons to add to my repertoire, and following specific art teachers who i use a lot of like Tiffany Fox.

"TPT is the world’s largest marketplace of PreK-12 resources, powered by a global community of experienced educators. On TPT, educators can find endless innovative and inspiring ideas to address every learning moment. For first-year teachers and 20-year veterans alike, TPT has everything educators need to bring more creativity to their instruction, better engage students, and level up their teaching skills."

Equity in the Arts

This non-profit seeks to work with state legislators, educators, students, and many other stakeholders who want to advocate for the advancement of visual and performing arts education.

Create CA is a valuable resource because they have facts, case law, forms, and sources specific to what could be used in court, board meetings, or site budget talks where there is a need to push for equitable arts education.

"Our commitment is to work to address root causes of inequities…"

Click Here to Learn More . . .