Art Made Easy

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 types of events differently. There is a tremendous amount of pressure to stay put, not travel, hoard toilet paper and stock up on Chardonnay. So I thought it might be helpful to offer you a permission slip to slow down, calm down and take this pandemic day by day. There are so many opportunities lurking behind every bored moment, teaching challenge and frustrations. You never really know when you'll hit your stride of capturing moments for your students and children during this disruption. This episode shares insights on how boredom is the biggest precursor to creativity. How pulling back maybe the best way to ignite children's creativity. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - What I did to develop and nurture my own creativity when I was a child. - How giving your child unstructured time to think about what they like will lead to so many good things - A simple exercise you can start using today with younger students - Why you don't need a lot of tech or equipment to connect with your students while they're at home - What possibilities exist when children are home for an extended period of time - What I recommend you do (and don't do) while home during this time LISTEN TO THE SHOW: LINKS & RESOURCES: How the Enneagram Broke Me Wide Ame: AME 130 www.deepspacesparkle.com/enneagram-broke-wide-open-ame-130/ The Art Pantry Website www.theartpantry.com/diy/e-guides/ Join us in the Podcast Aftershow on the Dazzler Facebook Group. I'd love to hear your main takeaways from this week's podcast. www.facebook.com/groups/DSSstudents/ You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Facebook Instagram For help contact: support@deepspacesparkle.com

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. One of the biggest challenges for many art teachers, classroom teachers, and art volunteers is setting expectations for your art program. This is an often overlooked part of your program and if not addressed early on, can lead to some very uncomfortable conversations. And believe me, I've had a few. If you struggle with any of the above, then I'm happy to say that the solution is easy. Today, I'm sharing how a communication plan will empower you with a clear message that will virtually eliminate any confusion with parents, teachers and your administration. Download my worksheet below that will help walk you through each step of your communication plan. "When you are confident in your approach, art philosophy, rules and procedures, you can bet others will be confident in YOU." - Patty Palmer WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - How to draft an effective communication plan - Why it's never too late to send out a communication letter to the parents - How you can use social media to get your message out - Why this practice has been a positive experience for me - What can happen if you delay sending this information - Which topics to cover in your communication letter LISTEN TO THE SHOW: LINKS & RESOURCES: Click the yellow button below to download my worksheet to help you draft your own art program letter: Join us in the Podcast Aftershow on the Dazzler Facebook Group. I'd love to hear your main takeaways from this week's podcast. www.facebook.com/groups/DSSstudents/ You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Facebook Instagram For help contact: support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 it is that kids will fall behind. And that means a portfolio of unfinished work. One of the most effective ways to tackle unfinished work is to schedule a make-up art day for your students. Not only are they helpful in building the confidence level of your young artists but they’ll have more finished art to choose from for your annual art show. It’s a win-win! Why you should schedule a Make-up day: 1. Students can select which project means the most to them 2. Students feel a sense of accomplishment 3. Portfolios reflect the full body of work the student has created 4. More projects to select from for the art show HOW: 1. Set up your space to reflect how students will move through their projects. 2. Pull our portfolios and lay on table 3. Determine the projects that have the most unfinished work 4. Set up individual tables with the supplies to work on those projects 5. Allow children to move from table to table Join us in the Podcast Aftershow on the Dazzler Facebook Group. I'd love to hear your main takeaways from this week's podcast. www.facebook.com/groups/DSSstudents/ LISTEN TO THE SHOW: LINKS & RESOURCES: Podcasts mentioned in this episode: How to Prepare for a School Art Show: AME 148 www.deepspacesparkle.com/how-to-prepare-for-a-school-art-show-ame-148/ You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Facebook Instagram For help contact: support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 you might need is a change in how you engage with your students. Here are my favorite - and slightly unconventional ways - to connect with your students so your art room is engaging, happy and fun. 1. Get to know your students There is always a story behind the struggle and sometimes the most gentle way to show a child you care is to sit and ask them about their day/interest/hobbies. 2. Become aware of personality profiles Even younger children demonstrate a tendency towards a certain personality: who is the team player, who is the perfectionist, who is bossy, who demands attention. Play into these strong traits with humor, affection and acceptance. 3. Aim to connect with 1-2 kids each class Pick out 2 kids per class with whom you will sit with and give attention. Sometimes, this act allows you to really see a child for who they are. 4. Practice the Clean Slate Model In my mind, this is a game-changer for building trust, authority and compassion. If you have a classroom behavior plan and implement it, making sure to use the Clean Slate Model afterwards is essential. 5. Help kids be responsible for contributing to the class dynamics Determine who gets to help with prep or clean up or who gets to be the model for portrait demonstrations. Showcase or hi light a student's work of art. Develop a practice of critiquing each others works with kindness and curiosity. Anything that can build on the team dynamics of a class contributes to its overall effectiveness. LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES: Join us in the Dazzler Facebook Group for the Aftershow discussion with your favorite way to connect with students. I'd love to hear your stories! Books mentioned in this podcast episode: Classroom Management for Art, Music and PE Teachers by Michael Linsin: https://amzn.to/32t0qVx The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile: https://amzn.to/2Pq41OI Join the waitlist to be notified when our next enrollment opens! You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Facebook Instagram For help contact: support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 mail at all, it's usually because of two things: selling art lessons or saying you can teach art even if you're not an artist. I do both because I believe in both. Especially the latter. In this episode of Art Made Easy, I talk about the friction that can happen when these two types of art educators collide. I'll go over my strategies that can help you adjust your mindset in order to stay positive and be confident with the skills that you have. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - Helpful practices from my experience as a non-credentialed art teacher - How to overcome your feelings and change your mindset - Strategies to keep your focus on happy art and happy kids - Tips for staying motivated - How to avoid toxic thoughts LISTEN TO THE SHOW: LINKS & RESOURCES: Join us in the Dazzlers Aftershow Discussion  https://www.facebook.com/groups/DSSstudents/permalink/2889480827762556/ Podcasts related to this episode: 10 Rules for Art Teachers: AME 099 www.deepspacesparkle.com/10-rules-art-teachers-ame-099/ The Life Coach School Podcast by Brooke Castillo: https://thelifecoachschool.com/podcasts/ How to Lead for Female Entrepreneurs Podcast by Kris Plachy: krisplachy.com/podcast/

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 this together (or expected to) it's always a good idea to plan ahead. In this episode, I'll take you through each step to prepare yourself and what you can do to make sure your art show is a success. Download my Art Show Checklist below and follow along with me in today's podcast. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - How to select the right projects for display - Who you should contact to help coordinate your event - Why student portfolios are important - What are the most important things you'll need to do one month, one week and a day before the show LISTEN TO THE SHOW: LINKS & RESOURCES: Make sure to DOWNLOAD my free guide to setting up your own art show. Add your name and email and we'll send this PDF straight to you! Join us in the Dazzlers Podcast Aftershow Discussion to chat more about art shows and share your best art show successes: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DSSstudents/ Podcast's mentioned in this episode: 3 Steps to a Successful Art Show: AME 084 https://www.deepspacesparkle.com/3-steps-successful-art-show-ame-084/  Art Inspired Instagram Accounts: Sparkler Krista Hillman's Instagram: https:///www.instagram.com/artsatplaceracademy/ Sarah Krajewski's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artroomglitterfairy/ Additional Resources: Art Show Guidebook: https://www.deepspacesparkle.com/shop/art-show-guidebook/ (*Sparkler Club Members, you can access to this in the TEACHER AIDES) You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Facebook Instagram For help contact: support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 complete the lesson. The question is how do you do that? In this episode, I'll go over my experiences with different tools and technology that I've tried for art demos (what worked and didn't work.) Plus, classroom management tips that will really help you nail your art demo. Join the Dazzlers Facebook Group Podcast Aftershow to talk more about these demo tips + share pictures of your demonstrations style. https://www.facebook.com/groups/DSSstudents/ Need some more art lesson inspiration? Click below to check out more lesson posts on my blog: https://www.deepspacesparkle.com/category/art-lessons/ WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - Answers to the most common questions I get about art demos - How you can switch up your demos for different grade levels - What you can do to command their attention during a demo - How to teach a guided drawing to a class - The pros and cons of using a document camera versus demonstrating on your whiteboard and teaching around a table LISTEN TO THE SHOW: LINKS & RESOURCES: Yvette Ackerman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ackermans_amazing_artists Emily Gould's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sierramadres You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Facebook Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 periods of time — even as little as 30 minutes. They get bored or anxious, so they rush through the project in a haphazard way just to get to the next activity. If this is the reality then perhaps we can reconsider how we engage with our students. To hold a child’s attention, a new strategy might be the best way to get them excited to participate in the lesson. In this episode, I’ll offer my tips and tricks to keep your class focused and teach your students how to enjoy the creative process by slowing down. I've included a free handout for early finishers below, because there's no magic formula for timing lessons just right. This is a gift from us to help you with your early finishers. This is a condensed lesson from our Quick Activities for Early Finishers Bundle. Join us in the Facebook Dazzler Group - after show discussion to discuss your process in the art room. What are your tips to engage early finishers? What's the pace of your classroom? We want to hear what works for you, or maybe what areas you want to improve in. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - How to keep early finishers engaged - How your energy affects students (*if you get this down you're golden) - How to help kids make a connection to art using different mediums - How to encourage students to be invested in the project and develop craftsmanship LISTEN TO THE SHOW: LINKS & RESOURCES: DOWNLOAD a PDF from the Quick Activities and Early Finishers Bundle by clicking on the the yellow button below! Learn More About the Sparklers Membership Club Podcasts & blog posts mentioned in this episode: Perfect Timing: Solutions for Early Finishers: AME 029 What to do with Early Finishers Easy Tissue Paper Art Project for Early Finishers You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Facebook Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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, but no elaborate art projects. I felt like I jumped into the deep end without any preparation... But what I did have was a vision for what I wanted to accomplish. I knew I had a unique opportunity to inspire these kids. I knew it could be fun, exciting, and I knew I could make an impact. I decided to dedicate myself to making art class special for them. I backed my ideas up with lessons, then plans, and finally a curriculum that I was proud of. As the years went on, I recognized that I was getting better and I started to ask myself what's next? I created goals and identified milestones for myself. I wanted to maintain focus and stay confident in my teaching skills, without getting stale. In this episode, I'll walk you through the 5 Stages of Teacher Growth and give you the tools to move to the next stage. Listen in as I share my roadmap and help you identify where you might be in your teaching career, and how to start creating your own milestones. Be sure to download a copy of my 5 Stages of Teacher Growth below. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - How to define a Stage One teacher, and the way that their passion for art leads them to teaching. - What the goals and milestones are for Stage One teachers, including art fundamentals. - How you develop your style and start using different media and techniques as a Stage Two teacher. - Why a Stage Three teacher focuses on building confidence and adopting an art philosophy. - What ways a Stage Four teacher shares their expertise with others. - How Stage Five teachers can use his or her mastery to set and use processes. LISTEN TO THE SHOW: LINKS & RESOURCES: Click the yellow button below to DOWNLOAD my free, 5 Stages of Teacher Growth PDF. Add your name and email and we'll send it straight to you! About Guided Drawings: AME 125 Don Massey Art You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Facebook Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 reinvent ourselves in order to find happiness. To quote one of my favorite authors, "the primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it." - Eckhart Tolle The most important thing that you can do for yourself, to live a happy life is to be present. Don't worry too much on what will be in the future. Don't dwell on what was in the past... But be happy in the now. In this episode, I'll share my recipe for inner peace. Part of that is finding clarity, and using that clarity to help you create a more focused and intentional lifestyle. In this podcast, I will talk to you about how I use "I CAN" statements in my own life to help cultivate happiness and give you advice to help you align your thoughts with your goals. Join me after the podcast inside the Dazzlers Facebook Group to share your 'word of the year' for 2020 and let me know what kind of online course you'd be interested in. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - What lead me to choosing my word of the year, and the different approach I use for reflecting and planning. - Why our thoughts are so powerful, and specific examples of how they can change your life. - Why I don't like to use the word "resolutions" (and what I say instead). - What it means for me to have clarity going into 2020, and beyond. - And more! LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES: Oprah & Eckhart Tolle: A NEW EARTH Brooke Castillo Podcast You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Facebook Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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. It used to send me into a tail spin of feeling upset and discouraged about myself as an art teacher. But today I see it as judgemental and feel that it's time we have a very frank conversation about what it means when we say "cookie-cutter art" and what do we really mean to say. This episode is for all the newly hired art teachers to the well experienced art specialists, who can benefit from learning the various expectations we have of teachers, because we could all use more tools in our tool box that we can get! So we're going there... sharing how I think the term "cookie-cutter" should be used and the truth behind it's connotation. Join me after the podcast inside the Dazzlers Facebook Group to share your thoughts on how we can better support each other for the upcoming 2020 new year. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN - What are people implying when they say "cookie-cutter art" - My personal definition of "cookie-cutter art" - How so called "cookie-cutter art" can be a perfect platform for growth - How the many nuances of teaching art creates different results for every child. - Why we need to give grace and support to all the new art teachers LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES TAB: Teaching for Artistic Behavior Join the conversation about today's episode in the Deep Space Sparkle Dazzler Group You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Facebook Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 and paint. It isn't easy. If you've been feeling a bit discouraged with how your students are behaving in your art room - especially if their behavior is really causing you to rethink your occupation-- then it might mean it's time to take a step back and give yourself a little check up. Even if everyone tell you that you're doing fine or you're doing the best you can, sometimes there is a knowing that we can do better. Have you ever felt that? It's super hard to articulate. It can feel sticky ...that something isn't right but you brush it off and hope it goes away. I see it happening to member in my groups. It comes out of frustration. Something relatively easy to fix or solve feels monumental to the teacher. When that happens to me...when I get frustrated, or super annoyed or starting to really complain about someone...I know I'm blocked or unable to shift my perspective. Basically, it's on me to fix it. So this episode is all about the stickiest of things: behavior management (or lack of) in your art room. Yes...I'm going there...sharing what I think teacher need to hear if you truly want to love your job. Join me after the podcast inside the Dazzlers Facebook group to share your thoughts on my 3 suggestions and to offer your best strategies for classroom management. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - How children are always changing and why we have to adapt how we connect with them - The steps to take to create a classroom management plan (and stick with it) - How building a trusting relationship with your students before getting into the classroom will positively impact your entire year - Why teachers need to treat all students equally, and wipe the slate clean each and every day - How your emotional responses to misbehavior can affect the energy in your classroom LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES Classroom Management for Art, Music & PE Teachers by Michael Linsin Smart Classroom Management Website Easy Management Tips for Creating Your Dream Art Class: AME 012 Classroom Management Strategies that Work for You: AME 088 Join the conversation about today's episode in the Deep Space Sparkle Dazzler Group You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Facebook Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 are never too young or old! Janey shares strategies on what to read, when to read, and how to manage reluctant readers. Make sure to download Janey’s Freebie on her favorite books to read before Kindergarten. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: - When Janey started reading to her own children and why she says it’s something you should never stop doing - What parallels exist between teaching art to children and reading to them - How reading can be used as a tool to bond with your children - Why you need to be 100% present when reading with them - Janey’s top book recommendations and how the children’s books of today are different than ones from earlier years - What makes for an amazing children’s book, how Janey’s blog is helping so many people, and so much more! LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES: - Darling Readers Website - Darling Readers Instagram - Darling Readers Facebook Page - Janey Strong's Pinterest - What Do You Do with an Idea?* by Kobi Yamada *Affiliate Link You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram Join the Sparklers Club waitlist HERE support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 with her emotionally disabled students.  If low attention spans, below grade level art skills, or technology hungry kids are part of your classroom landscape, listen in to hear how Jennifers transcends these issues by creating connection. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear how it impacted you. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories and tag me @deepspacesparkle. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: - What type of school Jennifer teaches in and how she is able to help her students through art - Jennifer’s journey to becoming an art teacher - How to meet children at their level and strategies that can help you connect with them - Why it’s such a good idea to captivated your students through story (and how to do it!) - How to deal with obstacles that may come with using technology in the classroom LISTEN TO THE SHOW 1. What do you love most about being an art teacher? My favorite thing is when a student makes a mistake and then turns the mistake into the most interesting part of the project. When one of those precious moments presents itself,  I will say, “Did you see what just happened? You just tripped and fell into a puddle of art! Accidents can be awesome things!” I simply love instilling a “can do” attitude within my students. I work at a school that services student with emotional disabilities. Self confidence and stamina are huge areas of struggle for my students. I teach that, in art, a mistake is an opportunity to learn.   One of my most important classroom rules simply says:  “OOPS! Making mistakes is OK! Don’t give up! Keep on trying!”  2. When are you happiest in your art room? I am the happiest when I see the stresses that my students struggle with melt away when they allow themselves to disappear from the world, and disappear into their work. Those quiet moments when I am hanging up finished pieces, anticipating the look of pride on their faces when they see their piece, and hear all of the positive comments. Nothing beats that feeling of giving them these moments to shine! 3. Can you share an experience or moment that defines you as an art teacher? When I arrived at my current school, the art room and the program was not where it needed to be. The room was a mess. Weeks before school starts, I came into school to clean and organize the room. I wanted my room to be a place the kids would be proud to visit. I wanted them to see that they were important to me and I wanted to give them the most welcoming environment possible. Their faces as they walked in on day one was priceless. One of my goals for this program was to show my students, and the community, that anything our students would do in the art room would be on par with any other school in the county. Yes, our school is an exceptional education center, but that doesn’t mean that our work will look any different than any other school. At the annual county wide art show, I took time to survey the works of the comprehensive schools. My kids nailed it. Many of my fellow art teachers commented on the quality of their pieces. 4. What’s your favorite thing about the Sparklers Club? Yes, I am an art teacher. I am also a mom of 3 amazing kids. I am a friend. I am a nerd. DSS gives me the gift of time. DSS allows me to plan at school and do all those other things when I am not. My evenings and weekends are mine thanks to DSS! 5. What advice would you give to a brand new art teacher? My most important art room rule applies here too: “OOPS! Making mistakes is OK! Don’t give up! Keep on trying!” Not every lesson is going to be a hit. Be organized with your materials. Adapt lessons on the fly to keep reluctant artists engaged. HAVE FUN! YOU HAVE THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD!

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 to create--she goes much, much deeper. We chat about how to know if you’re ready to expand, and at the same time, how to slow down. We talk about the bigger issues of running a studio program for students: intention, environment, energy…all the good stuff! And of course, we talk about her new book, Play, Make, Create: A Process-Art Handbook. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: - What Meri’s journey of growing and expanding has looked like - How you, too, can be ready for that next step - Where to begin transforming, scaling, and growing - Why word of mouth advertising and the power of ‘moms’ is so important to your success - How your environment will become your third teacher LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES: - Meri Cherry's Website - AME 039: Success Secrets of a Process-Based Art Studio - Play, Make, Create: A Process-Art Handbook by Meri Cherry - Send screenshots of your rating & review on Apple Podcasts to support@deepspacesparkle.com *Affiliate Link: we get a portion of the profits from products purchased from this link You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram Join the Sparklers Club waitlist HERE support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 teaching it since 2014. Growing up and moving around a lot in the public school system, she experienced 23 different classroom settings by the time she was 28. She noticed the tense or chaotic nature of some classrooms vs. the calming and nurturing feel of others. It wasn’t until recently, at her own school, she noticed just how much support teachers needed when it comes to dealing with stress and anxiety, and how those feelings transfer over to the students. She made it her new mission to help teachers reclaim the joy in their classrooms. She can help you to create calming learning environments while also reducing your stress, by incorporating simple mindfulness practices into your daily routine. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: - How the relationship you have with yourself will impact the relationships with those around you, especially your students - How you can attempt to transfer negative energy away from you -  Why you absolutely CAN create your own environment - Kristin guides us through a mindfulness practice! - How gratitude has evolved and why it’s so important for each and every one of us to practice LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES: Make sure to download Kristin’s Weekly and Monthly Planner below - Live an OMazing Life - a 5 Week Online Mindfulness Program for Educators - Kristin's Website You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram Join the Sparklers Club waitlist HERE support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 devastating losses lead to a debilitating battle with anxiety and depression. Through daily calming practices, the right medication, and a full self-help toolbox, Felicia is determined to manage anxiety. She hopes that by sharing her story, other art teachers will earn to identify the trigger points and to find the necessary help. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: - Felicia’s journey to become an art teacher - How she deals with anxiety and the best tools available to help others do the same - What effect influential people will have in your life - Why it’s so important to say “goodbye” to challenging times in your life and career - How Patty finds her calm and reenergizes LISTEN TO THE SHOW Felicia's Autobiography: Being the youngest child, I always wanted to be “the boss” and was given an opportunity in Kindergarten. I was determined to be a teacher. I became a 2nd grade teacher and did so for 22+ years. After graduating from SDSU, my husband (of 32 years this month) and I moved to Northern California to get a teaching job, because I refused to be a sub! I loved it! I felt alive. I was in control. I had it all going on. I did a job-share for 10 years with many fabulous teachers, (some questionable) while I had my 4 children...Teaching was my passion. I was right where I belonged! Unknowingly, my path led my family and I to relocate to Southern California. For the past 5 years, I have been an ART teacher at the elementary level. This, amongst other roles I play, mom, sister to 8 other sisters and 8 brothers, friend, colleague, etc. I became an Art teacher! Who would’ve thunk? I guess I did! I didn’t even know it! As well as 2nd grade and ART, I have taught “Computer Coding” and “Health and Wellness” (both in which I am not formally trained). I am so thankful I have DSS as my go-to for art instruction and realtime art teacher support. I have a loving God. I have a loving family, (both immediate and extended) that have supported me 100% thru this journey called life. I do know that this thing we call Art is more than just that. It is a healthy, healing boat to be on, and I am embarking on it “full steam ahead”! I do intend to “sail around the world” of art and share it with my students who have not had such an amazing path to follow, strong support, or a loving ocean to sail on. May I be a conduit to help these young humans recognize this through “this thing called ART” as I boss them around. LINKS & RESOURCES: - AME 136: Finding Your Voice as an Art Teacher with Cassie Stephens - Summer Beach & Biz Book Reads - An Unquiet Mind* by Kay Redfield Jamison - The Power of Now*  by Eckart Tolle - A New Earth* by Eckhart Tolle - Calm.com *Affiliate Link: we get a portion of the profits from products purchased from this link You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram Join the Sparklers Club waitlist HERE support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 podcast feels right, and why it’s important to put social media in its place. And, just for the fun of it, a behind-the-scenes peek at what it was like to be a contestant on Nailed It. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: -- What’s happened in Cassie’s life since she was last on this podcast - How she’s learned to overcome her fears and start a new podcast (and more!) - Why she feels social media is a “Catch 22” and what she does to navigate this new world - How her appearance on a Netflix series came about, and the lessons she learned from this experience - What to say “No” to, and the opportunities to give a “Yes!” - What has sparked the most joy for Cassie, and what she says has been the biggest challenge for her LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES: - Cassie Stephens' Blog - Cassie Stephens' Instagram: @Cassy_Stephenz - Cassie Stephens' Podcast: Art Teacherin' with Cassy Stephens - Pre-order Cassie's new book being released on July 23, 2019: Stitch and String Lab for Kids: 40+ Creative Projects to Sew, Embroider, Weave, Wrap, and Tie* - Clay Lab for Kids: 52 Projects to Make, Model, and Mold with Air-Dry, Polymer, and Homemade Clay* by Cassie Stephens - Art Teacherin' Episode 6: Discovering Your Art Teacherin' Identity - The Art of Education University - AME 004: The Secret to a Joy-Filled Art Room & How To Teach Collaborative - AME 044: Avoiding the Comparison Trap - Nailed it! on Netflix - Get Your Teach On *Affiliate Link: we get a portion of the profits from products purchased from this link You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram Join the Sparklers Club waitlist HERE support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 sauce? Most likely, they’ve been inspired and nurtured by Jean Van’t Hul, the founder of The Artful Parent. Jean started The Artful Parent partly to chronicle and share the experiences with her children’s art group, and also as a way for her to focus more on what it means to her to be an artful parent. This episode is our conversation on what it’s been like growing the blog, writing books, and engaging her passions. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: - How Jean’s passion developed into a business where she can serve and inspire parents to incorporate art into their household - Ways to introduce art daily without creating the big mess - What an art invitation is and the purpose it serves for young artists - The challenges of turning a blog into a business that makes a real impact - How learning to let go of some responsibilities gives yourself room to try new things and serve more people LISTEN TO THE SHOW 1. What was your path/journey to teaching art? I loved art as a child, studied art history and studio art at college, and then worked in the art field (art museum, art magazine, art website, public broadcasting). But it wasn’t until my first daughter was born, my interest in art was revitalized. I realized that I wanted to raise her in an art-rich environment and to encourage her creativity and imagination as much as possible. I read books about parenting, of course, but also as much as I could find about children’s art. Guided by the ideas I came across, I started a Toddler Art Group in my home with several other moms and their toddlers. We met weekly, combining a play group with art activities. I started The Artful Parent blog partly to chronicle and share the experiences with the children’s art group, and also as a way for me to focus more on what it meant to me to be an artful parent. I wanted to parent in a way that encourages creative expression, imagination, joyfulness, and a love of learning, not just in my daughters, but in our entire family. 2. What do you feel is your best attribute or strength as an art teacher? I see myself as a children’s art enabler, rather than as an art teacher. I help kids explore the possibilities of art. Sometimes I do that directly with kids (mine, friends, children’s art groups and classes), but mostly my focus is on helping parents make art and creativity a bigger priority in their families. I do this by showing them easy and fun art activities they can do at home, and also through inspiration, motivation, and education, as much as possible. I have teachers, caregivers, grandparents, and others come to The Artful Parent for ideas, but my focus is on the parent and on the family environment. There are pros and cons to this. Being outside of the education system, I feel like I have more freedom to focus on art and creativity unencumbered by expectations and red tape. However, I have to get parental “buy-in”. Instead of competing for limited time and resources within a school system and convincing those powers of the importance of art education, I am competing for limited time and resources within a family and convincing a parent about the importance of children’s art and creativity. 3. What do you do well in the art room and how does this benefit your students? I am enthusiastic about the possibilities in any activity, material, or technique and love to explore, combine, experiment, and encourage children to do so as well. I feel like this approach helps children develop self confidence, self expression, creativity, and their problem solving abilities. 4. Why do you feel teaching art to kids is important? The benefits of art are tremendous and varied, but I believe that art is an especially excellent way to foster creativity in children.  LINKS & RESOURCES: - The Artful Parent

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 all. Throughout her years teaching art, her one main focus is to never stop learning, always move forward, and do what’s best for the students. Sounds like a good plan, right? WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: - What craftsmanship means to Emily, and how it plays a role in her career and teaching - How the expectations she has for her students helps them grow as artists - What can happen when people fall out of the creative habit - The importance of practicing lessons you’re teaching before hand, and how this can help you make an art lesson your own - The many uses of Emily's favorite, unique art supply: joint compound LISTEN TO THE SHOW 1. What was your path/journey to becoming an art teacher? My first art teaching job happened by accident...I had just graduated from art school, and I was sharing a painting studio with three other artists in Chicago. I needed a stamp because it was time to send the bills. There was an elementary school on the corner near my studio, and I remember thinking...a school could have stamps! So, I went into the school, and I didn't know I was talking to the principal. She said, "You look like an art teacher, and I need an art teacher.”  Maybe I looked like an art teacher because I had paint all over me?  I needed a job, so I told her..."Yes, I'm an art teacher!" I was hired! I immediately walked to the Chicago Public Library and checked out several books about teaching art (There was no internet in 1993.) 2. What do you feel is your best attribute or strength as an art teacher? Setting a standard of craftsmanship in the classroom that encourages excellence. Two  summers ago our summer reading book was, An Ethic of Excellence: Building a Culture of Craftsmanship with Students by Ron Berger. I've never thought "that's exactly what I think,” while reading a book as much as this one! Ron Berger is a carpenter, but also a teacher. He extends this idea of craftsmanship into the classroom. The book is all about setting a standard of excellence and how he inspires students to do this. I would recommend this book to all educators as an inspiration to revitalize the passion for excellence. The ideas in this book are truly inspiring and the educational goals are exactly what I strive for! It’s also important to build an arts community, to keep faculty and parents aware of what is happening in the art room. Student artworks are displayed on bulletin boards and in our hallway gallery space. Every student has an online art portfolio or gallery at Artsonia.com.  Whenever an art project is completed, student artwork is uploaded onto an online school art gallery. It is always open for viewing and can be shared with family and friends internationally. Part of the art making process is getting your art out there to be seen! I’ve noticed that students work harder knowing that family and friends will see their art in school art displays or online. 3. What do you do well in the art room and how does that benefit your students? I am good at inspiring students and teaching the life lesson of perseverance, by assigning art lessons that are challenging. I also feel that an environment that allows for some playfulness helps to promote creativity!  I was intrigued by a TED talk by Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO. He spoke about the connection between playfulness and creativity. He attempted to understand how one may lose their creativity. Tim Brown notes that "preschools are filled with shelves of building blocks, bins of crayons, tubs of play-doh. As children grow and move through the educational system all of these supplies that facilitate the creative thinker and once filled the classrooms get taken away…” I feel that a creative environment must not be an environment where students are intimidated to loose their playfulness.

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 differently. Today's guest, classroom teacher Hannah Coggins, teaches 1st and 2nd grade in Africa. She shares her strategies for engaging and slowing children down long enough to reflect on their art so they can truly be the best version of themselves. Hannah is a member of The Sparkler's Club and was featured as our spotlight teacher for May. Like all Spotlight guests, Hannah turns the interview around and asks Patty a couple of questions. Patty shares her experience teaching art to children whose English skills were very limited and how this strategy is equally effective when you have laryngitis. And why both Hannah and Patty recommend trying it! Behavior management and student engagement usually go well together.-- Hannah Coggins WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: - What motivates Hannah to teach art as a classroom teacher - How to address a child who wants to go down a different path from the lesson assigned - The biggest challenges Hannah has faced in the art room (this one will definitely resonate with you!) - Tips for teaching art to students whose first language isn’t English - Why it’s so important to incorporate a students' culture into the lesson LISTEN TO THE SHOW Here is Hannah's interview in our SPARKLE magazine. 1. What was your path/journey to becoming an art teacher. I trained to be an elementary teacher at university in the UK. This training included art, along with core subjects and other "specials". I've been teaching for 12 years and have always been able to include art in my weekly schedule. I wanted to study a degree which was varied, with lots of practical application. Teaching was a good option. In more recent years, I have taught overseas in a number of African Countries. This has enabled me to have more flexibility and ownership over the curriculum I use. Art has always stayed a key part of my schedule, both in weekly dedicated art time, as well as incorporating it into other curriculum subjects. 2. What do you feel is your best attribute or strength as an art teacher? I've been able to instill a strong sense of confidence in my students, allowing them to experiment and try new things without feeling like they can get it "wrong". Across my teaching, I encourage children to take risks and challenge themselves. We have a strong community within our class of support and encouragement, which also supports high standards of behavior and participation. 3. Do you have a specific classroom management strategy? I believe strong teacher-student relationships underpin everything else. I endeavor to be a cheerleader for each of my students throughout their studies. Behavior management and student engagement usually go well together. Partly because I teach one class all the time, I am able to hone these areas. I have clear expectations and boundaries which I think is beneficial for the students. They know how to ask question in a respectful way, and that I am open to hearing their ideas on additions or changes to a particular project. I have a fairly high-energy teaching style, but I try to pare this back during art. I try to create a slightly serious tone in order to allow the kids to focus on craftsmanship and high quality outcome. We still chat and laugh of course, but they tend to appreciate that focussed style so they can really invest in their work. This is very similar to how we approach longer writing projects, which also require quiet focus for maximum creativity and accuracy. 4. Why do you feel teaching art to kids is important? Within the classroom setting, I probably do about 50% art techniques/skills and 50% curriculum related projects to apply the skills. I love the fact that art can enhance the curriculum and gives students another avenue to express themselves and be creative.

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. What do you do next? That depends on you…today on Art Made Easy, I help you outline the best clean up routine for YOU. That little phrase always puts me in panic mode. Why? Because I didn’t have a system…at least, not one in which I identified as sound. I’ve always been honest about this failing of mine. I like to create not clean! This use to worry me and make me feel like a fraud..real art teachers know what to do. They have their classroom procedures under control. What I know now that I didn’t know then… But lucky for you, I have a few strategies that will help YOU identify the best clean-up routine for your art room.     There are three phases of clean up: 1. Getting Attention: How do you transition from actively working on projects to stopping? Do you ring a bell? Play a clean up song? Yell? Dim the lights? 2. Cleaning Up: What do you want the kids to do? Why? What will help you the most? 3. Exiting: Do you need time to offer rewards or calculate class points after the clean up? Exit games? Or do you just need them to get out. All three parts are unique to you. YOU get to decide how each phase looks for your classroom. The kids will respond to whatever YOU decide. The real trick is to do it consistently. I’ve found that there are 4 different styles of art teaching. Figuring out which style fits your personality can help you decide on a way to get your students' attention, and that style will flow into the rest of your clean up routine. It’s all about knowing what is best for YOU and sticking to it. The Manager: This is the art teacher who manages every minute of an art session: entering, transitioning, demonstration, creating, etc. They often use repetition as their classroom management tool—few bells and whistles. This is the teacher who thrives on managing expectations by never deviating from the plan. Clean up for the Manager often looks controlled, orderly and efficient. In fact, a good allotment of time is spent on transitions. The Manager does this systematically, so notes or complex charts are often not needed. The  Minimalist: This is the art teacher who likes to keep things very simple: as few steps as possible. 1. Art on Rack 2. Brushes & Paint on Sink Counter 3. Tools in Tray 4. Recycle paper The Minimalist gives the students simple tasks and oversees the execution. The Counter: This is the teacher who incorporates countdowns into every facet of the art sessions. Counting how many paper scraps children pick up or counting down to get kids to pay attention. There may be overlaps between the Manager and the Counter personalities, however the counter uses numerically based tactics. The Performer: This is the teacher who relies on fun antics and high engagement to get their kids excited about clean-up. There may be a song, dance moves, hand drawn clean-up posters, and/or props to get the party started. There’s often a reward system to motivate the students. This takes a lot of brain power and work if you aren’t naturally gifted in this area. I have included a helpful poster that may work for you and your class room. You can find the poster at the end of this blog post as a free PDF download. THINGS YOU’LL LEARN:  - How different clean up methods work for others in their classroom - The three phases of a clean up routine - Four teaching styles and different strategies that work for them - The importance of finding your style and fitting it into every aspect of your teaching method LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES: Download your free cleanup checklist poster by clicking the button below. Add your name and email and we’ll email it straight to you! Art Made Easy 130: How the Enneagram Broke Me Wide Open

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 the art room and finds herself in charge of 800 children ages four to seven. Her story is absolutely delightful, and will inspire anyone who has waited before putting their career goals into action. Eva Marie is our Sparkler Spotlight of the Month for April. She's one of the first to comment and ask questions in our private Facebook group, and is always there to support others. At the end of the episode, Eva Marie asks me two questions about suitable art activities for children with learning differences and how to establish a clean-up routine. 1. What was your path to becoming an art teacher? I studied art and education in college, with a desire to pursue graduate studies in Art History and become the children's program art educator in an art museum. The first day of graduate school, I was offered a kindergarten teaching position and my parents advised me to take it. Instead of continuing my art education, I spent five years in a classroom with children. After I married and had a baby, I retired from teaching and raised our three children. Twenty-two years later, I got the opportunity to take two different art teacher interns in one year. When one of these art teachers retired in the same year, a permanent position opened up for me. I finally landed my art educator job! Not in a museum, but in a wonderful primary school. 2. What do you feel is your best attribute or strength as an art teacher? My best strength as an art teacher is my passion for art and my desire to share knowledge with my students. I get very enthusiastic when I share an artist’s work or a new technique. The students enjoy it with me! 3. What do you do well in the art room and how does this benefit your students? I relate every aspect of a project to the appropriate elements and techniques of art. This benefits my students by giving a common framework of terminology to discuss artworks with. I also try to be encouraging and fun. 4. Why do you feel teaching art to kids is important? Teaching art, or at the very least, offering free choice art opportunities for children, is so extremely important. Kids are under pressure to perform well in their academics, where there is a right or wrong answer. The art classroom is that incredible space where the creative mind can create and explore. The end product is always “right” for the student. I love to see children flourish in the art room, but seeing a struggling student feel free and excel when handed a paintbrush or scissors brings me a special joy! There are so many art related jobs in the world -- kids need to explore their creative side. 5. Why did you join the Sparklers Club and how did being in the group help you? I joined the Sparklers Club after spending my first month creating lesson ideas and writing them down on color coded note cards for each grade level. I was having to dream up the supply list, make a sample, and guess how long it would take. I saw an ad on Facebook and joined the Club for a month to try it out. After seeing the EPIC curriculum, I was hooked and upgraded to the yearly membership. Having the lesson plans to choose from is a huge time saver! Besides the well planned lessons, the Facebook group is great. I feel like I am not alone in the art room, but part of a group of art teacher friends all working together. My husband says it’s the best money I could have ever spent on my first year back in the classroom, and I have to agree! WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Eva Marie’s earliest dreams for her career in art and the path she took to return to the classroom What she does to reward behavior and effort in her classroom and how she gets the children excited about art How she’s implementing what she’s learning in The Sparklers Club into her teaching

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 a podcast interviewing Ian Cron. I was intrigued. The podcast shared how valuable knowing your team’s personality profile and how it can help the team as they interact with each other. Being the team enthusiast that I am, I sent all of Team Sparkle a link to take the Enneagram Test with the expectations that we would share our results at our Team Retreat. We did and it was really fun BUT…as I explored the Enneagram a bit more, through Ian Cron’s book The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery, I felt a sense of awakening that I never experienced before. And that’s why I decided to make The Road Back to You, the Deep Space Sparkle’s book pick for Spring 2019. I can’t wait for you to listen to how this book impacted how I think about myself and the work I do to understand myself better but also how it has helped improve how I interact with my team and my loved ones. So What Exactly is the Enneagram? It's basically a personality test on how people are wired, both positively and negatively. Results are surprisingly accurate. The Enneagram isn’t just a personality inventory like Myers-Briggs. It’s a powerful tool for personal and spiritual growth that has many layers. The Enneagram is based on 9 personality types, but it's more than just the numbers. It is structured to determine not only your basic personality type (we are all born with a dominant type) but also factors in how as children we adapt to this personality type. There are many nuances to the Enneagram, like how healthy you are in your dominant personality trait or number and how your Wing factors in. Here are the 9 types: 1  The Perfectionist is principled, purposeful, self-controlled, and a perfectionist. 2 The Helper is generous, demonstrative, people-pleasing, and possessive. 3 The Performer  is adaptable, excelling, driven, and image-conscious 4 The Romantic is expressive, dramatic, self-absorbed, and temperamental. 5 The Investigator is perceptive, innovative, secretive, and isolated. 6 The Loyalist is engaging, responsible, anxious, and suspicious. 7 The Enthusiast is spontaneous, versatile, acquisitive, and scattered. 8 The Challenger is self-confident, decisive, willful, and confrontational. 9 The Peacemaker is receptive, reassuring, complacent, and resigned. Here are a few basic assumptions of the Enneagram: 1. People do not change from one basic personality type to another. 2. The descriptions of the personality types are universal and apply equally to males and females, since no type is inherently masculine or feminine. 3. Not everything in the description of your basic type will apply to you all the time because you fluctuate constantly among the healthy, average, and unhealthy traits that make up your personality type. 4. The Enneagram uses numbers to designate each of the types because numbers are value neutral— they imply the whole range of attitudes and behaviors of each type without specifying anything either positive or negative. 5. The numerical ranking of the types is not significant. A larger number is no better than a smaller number; it is not better to be a Nine than a Two because nine is a bigger number. 6. No type is inherently better or worse than any other. The last is the most important factor to understand and overcome…when I tested using the Rheti, I initially didn’t like my number…. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE: - What is the Enneagram and how it can serve you personally and professionally - What the nine personality types are - How my Enneagram number shaped how I perceived myself in a new way - Why taking the test not only helps you, but helps you see see others in a different light LISTEN TO THE SHOW

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 Quicksall declared Communications as her major until a quiet suggestion from a loved one opened up a world of possibilities. Now into her second year teaching art, Kelsi has a passion for teaching, a love and connection to her students and a strong following on Instagram. She absolutely radiates positivity! Get to know Kelsi Quicksall!  1. Can you share how you got started as an art teacher? It took me entirely too long to realize that teaching art was a viable career option, and a super rewarding one! I always loved art and school. I considered myself an artist, took all of the art classes in high school... but for some reason, it wasn't portrayed to me as a realistic career. It wasn't until I found myself feeling out of place in my first major in college (Journalism) that I stumbled upon Art Education. Quite literally, too- I was in the car with my boyfriend at the time (now fiancé) after class, rambling about how I didn't know what I wanted to do with my future. He looked at me and my crazy outfit and said, "You know who you remind me of? Me elementary art teacher. You even dress like her. You ARE an art teacher!" After than, I made the switch to study Art Education and it all clicked. I graduated with a minor in Mass Communications (having started college in Journalism) and still enjoy media and writing, but mainly sharing on social media!  2. What do you feel is your best attribute or strength as an art teacher? My best attribute also is my worst... I have high expectations and goals for myself and my students, but I'm also a procrastinator. As a result of both, I work extremely hard at the last minute to put things together that meet my expectations. I hold my students to high expectations as well, and they create amazing work as a result! The downside of my "attribute"? Lack of time for anything else like eating, breathing, sleeping... just kidding, kind of.  3. What do you do well in the art room and how does this benefit your students? Get silly! I have been told I have a ton of energy. With minimal amounts of sleep, I don't feel like this is true, but I guess the coffee is doing it's thing. I find that when I am super enthusiastic and excited about something (a "new" art media, artist, technique, project, art show, etc) that energy is transferred to my students. I thrive off of their feedback. I use a microphone to enhance engagement- most would think it's for my students, but it's also for me. I love using that thing. I've been asked why I don't just use a hands free mic set (often provided by schools), and the answer is because I love holding the microphone and taking the "stage". I even have a second microphone for students- they are more likely to want to share with the mic! It really enhances engagement when we're analyzing artwork, sharing what they see/think/feel/wonder, or just what we've learned. If I notice that they're not excited, I know I need to make changes. If I ever feel like I'm "losing them", I immediately go for silly. Silly accents, songs, and call and responses really work for my students. As the great art educator Cassie Stephens always says, "silly sticks." It's so true!  4. Why do you feel teaching art to kids is important? Teaching art is so rewarding for both parties- my students and myself. Teaching is one of the most under-appreciated and underpaid professions, but that's not the challenge. The challenge is in the way teachers think and the time we spend thinking. Educators cannot simply "turn off" their brain. I now think of everything in life as a potential lesson, an art project, or teachable moment. That being said, teachers work hard. Countless unpaid hours planning lessons, money spent out of pocket on supplies,

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 inside the art room. But it never occurred to me to pick something to say loud and proud. Enter Sarah Krajewski, AKA Art Room Glitter Fairy. She created a mantra that is spoken before every one of her art classes. Sometimes with matching actions. Sometimes silently. But always with the students. Sarah shares her heart-felt strategies for connecting with her students in a very real way. You'll love Sarah's honest advice, her commitment to her own artistic pursuits and how she wins her art program. Make sure scroll down below to download Sarah's mantra poster! 1. What was your path/journey to becoming an art teacher. When I was in 2nd grade, I had a bet with my elementary best friend that I would become an art teacher before she would. Needless to say, I won that bet! I went to UW-Eau Claire for Art Education and have a music minor in percussion. My first teaching job was at Fontana School where I taught k-8 art for 4 years, and am now currently teaching k-5 art at Cambridge Elementary School. This is my 8th year teaching! 2. What do you feel is your best attribute or strength as an art teacher? I feel that one of my best attributes is making connections. These connections happen in lots of ways. Certainly, making connections with my artists is the first thing I focus on! It is very important to me that I have a strong relationship with each of my students! The longer I have been teaching, the more I have been realizing how important it is to make connections with working artists and businesses. For example, we have brought in a few visiting artists, and those connections for students have been huge! We also display art at local businesses or partner with them for our art show events. I also feel strongly about connecting with other art educators; we are such a strong team and can be such a great support to help each other! 3. What do you do well in the art room and how does this benefit your students? I set in place lots of positive affirmations that help drive our classroom atmosphere. For example, We have a classroom mantra that we recite at the beginning of each class. "My mantra. I am positive. I am creative. I am mindful. I am amazing. I am an artist." We also have a motivation board that changes quotes weekly. At the beginning of the year, we completed a collaborative garden collage that reminds us of our yearly motivational quote "Your mind is a garden, your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers, or you can grow weeds." All these reminders help students to know what kind of attitude we are practicing in the art room. 4. Why do you feel teaching art to kids is important? Kids need places to make mistakes. They need places to play, and get frustrated, and giggle, and get messy. The art room is the perfect place for this. More than anything, I feel that my role of teaching is to help kids figure out how to be good humans. We happen to practice this through art. So when they are having a good day and compliment a friend, that's a life skill. Or when they are frustrated and need to work through a problem, my role is to be there to help them and coach them.  Art is a beautiful way to practice all these important skills! 5. What is one thing that you do well that can help other art teachers? I think a strength of mine is classroom management and organization. Obviously, days differ from each other, that's what keeps everything interesting! But, I do feel that the structure of our art room works well for students. Over the years, we have gained a lot of tricks! (Call and response, volume charts, our mantra, master painters, bean table rules, musical response with instruments, sketchbooks, early finishers) We have a good routine going and that helps our art room run smoothly.

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 whole table be covered in paper? Fabric?  It took me a few years to figure out this placemat thing but when I did, it streamlined my prep and clean up substantially. Today's episode answers a question from Katie inside the Deep Space Sparkle Facebook Group. I thought it was such a great question, I decided to go a bit deeper, answering the WHY behind which placemat is best. Katie asks, Does anyone have an inexpensive way to make clay mats? My budget for the year has been used up, so I'm looking for out-of-pocket affordable solutions. Any cheap and quick ideas? I totally hear you, Katie! This episode is for you and all the art teachers who are wondering: - what type of placemats work best - when to use placemats - when NOT to use placemats - best mats for clay and ceramics Here's what other teachers had to say to Katie's question: Fiona Coulter I use the cheap but sturdy blue paper drop cloths from the hardware store. One side is more plastic and the other side more paper like. I use the plastic side for clay and the paper side for any painting and drape them over the entire table grouping (8) desks. Works like a charm and lasts a long time. Laurie O'Connell Longberry I use the plastic flexible cutting mats that you can get 3 for $1 at the dollar store. They last for years! Tina Leggs Maloch I use a canvas drop cloth from Lowes and cut it into 10 x 12" pieces - I have been using the same ones for 9 years and they work great.   I love the inexpensive version of using what I already have. At the beginning of the year, I would add an extra 50-100 sheets of 18" x 24" sulphite paper to my inventory order. This works out to be about $15. I found regular drawing paper works great for underneath most painting and coloring projects. At the end of the year, I would take the paint-splattered placemats and cut them into strips and shapes. These because extra media for collage and paper projects for the following year. For ceramic projects, I used basic paper as well as tablecloths but found that tightly woven canvas or indoor/outdoor  fabric works best. I found some Sumbrella fabric at a rummage sale, cut the bolt into squares and used them for years. Easiest clean-up ever! WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - How to start going "back to basics" in the art room and why this can be beneficial for you and your students - When and where not to use placemats in the classroom - What you can do to creatively reuse your paper placemats - What has, and hasn't, worked for me with this project LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES Tru-Ray Sulphite 18" x 24" paper Watercolor Easter Eggs blog post You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram Join the Sparklers Club waitlist HERE support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 - when the students wear you down so badly that you sink to a low point of frustration. I know I've been there. And believe me, there's no worse feeling than knowing you let down the students and yourself. Today's guest, Team Sparkle's own Amy Clay shares 4 powerful management strategies that will help you get your class back on track. Her years of being a sub empowered her to tackle classroom management head on. She shares her passion for being an art sub and ways you can ensure that any substitute teacher who walks into your art room is welcomed and ready to create art with your students. Make sure to download the free Art Substitute PDF. It's filled with helpful forms and worksheets that will allow you to feel confident during those unpredictable sick days. Amy Clay heads up the lesson development for Team Sparkle. She dreams, designs and creates the lessons that go into the art bundles inside our membership, The Sparklers Club. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - How substitute teaching gave Amy insight into classroom management - Why setting expectations for your students and following through is crucial - How you can be fair with your students, a protector and an adult - How our Sparkler's Club Substitute Plan Bundle can help teachers prepare when needing a substitute - How to implement seating charts into your classroom - Where to start with creating a classroom management plan LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES Download my free Art Substitute Information Binder by clicking the purple button below. Type in your name and email and we'll send it to you! Podcast mentioned in this episode: Classroom Management Strategies That Work For You: AME 088 How to Assess Student Artwork & Qualities of a Great Art Teacher: AME 003 You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram Join the Sparklers Club waitlist HERE support@deepspacesparkle.com

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. Instead it was something she didn’t realize was noticed —  and her answer may surprise you. Barbara Hua, an art teacher from Conroe, Texas is a member in our Sparklers Club and is our featured Sparkler of the Month.  What we love about Barbara is her fresh approach to learning, staying curious and celebrating children’s creative expression. Her road to becoming an art teacher started with a decision to go to school in her forties. And she’s been paving the way ever since. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:  - How Barbara started her career as an art teacher - What Barbara considers are the biggest challenges faced as an art teacher - How to arrange a classroom with lessons for all children to be included - What you can do to handle the issue of politically sensitive books and art lessons - How to find art projects that both boys and girls will be engaged in creating LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES Join the Sparklers Club waitlist HERE You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 book isn’t what you think it is. It’s not a quick checklist of creative activities to do so you feel like you accomplished something. This book goes deep into the psyche of how creatives think. Not just visual artists but musicians, writers and dancers. It stabs you with truths and realizations that really make you think. So much that reading this book didn’t happen quickly. I would stop at a sentence and allow the words to sink in. It was hard to pick my favorite exercises and take-aways  but I managed to select my Top 5 Big A-Ha's from the book. After the episode, join me over on the Deep Space Sparkle Facebook page for a discussion on what you thought of The Creative Habit. Patty's 5 biggest takeaways from reading The Creative Habit: Learn it and use it for Life by Twyla Tharp:  1. Twyla's 5 Big Creativity Fears - people will laugh at me - someone has done it before - I have nothing to say - I will upset someone These are so universal, aren't they? I share my thoughts on these inside the episode.  2. Muscle Memory How copying and repetitive action leads to personal inspiration and mastery. I literally LOVE this one so much. It's an undervalued an underestimated practice.  3. Start with a Box The power of collecting ideas so they won't be forgotten is just so liberating. It helps creative folks "capture:" their ideas so they are free to move on with their day knowing their idea won't be lost. Such a powerful exercise.  4. Scratching Permission to do research and the hunt for nibbles of ideas. Go with an intention of not stopping until something triggers inside you.  5. Skill The importance of building skills in order to develop creativity means that sometimes you just need to step outside your comfort zone. "Success will happen by consistently doing the work of feeding creativity. Not judging the process. Not analyzing but just feeding, the sifting. Basically, experimenting without expectations." - Patty What do you think? Please join me over on the DSS Facebook page for a conversation about the book. Look for Book Club in the events. LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES Cézanne Still Life Artwork Henri Matisse Apples on a Table Artwork AME episodes mentioned in this podcast: My Mini Burnout and How I Plan to Recover: AME 120 The 6 Stages of the Creative Path with Nicholas Wilton: AME 112 Best Practices for Acrylic Paints: AME 091 You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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. And she maintains that the strong community she has created is why she has a waitlist for her after school art classes. Sounds intriguing right? In this episode, Rona and I talk about the language that helps her students not only feel welcomed but brave and curious. Rona drops an art tip a minute so listen carefully her great advice! Get to know and learn more about Rona Wilcox:  1. What was your path/journey to becoming an art teacher University and gained a diploma in Teaching and a Bachelor of Education. I was a general classroom teacher, teacher in charge of Visual Arts for Primary school and on the Arts Curriculum Development Team (24+ years). I did a Visual Arts Leadership Course to facilitate the implementation of the new curriculum into our school. Then I had an Art student from the States with me for her final 6 week teaching practice which highlighted how important art was and how much I loved it and wanted to teach more. So I started the specialist Art teacher role in my school 2-days a week and now I teach 4 days, and I began an after school art club, holiday art classes and an adult class.  2. What do you feel is your best attribute or strength as an art teacher? I think my best attributes are my creativity, adaptability and organizational skills. A particular strength is the ability to adapt a lesson to cover a variety of age levels. 3. What do you do well in the art room and how does this benefit your students? I am able to build strong, positive relationships with students, I am encouraging and my art room has a calm, well organized atmosphere. I excite and motivate students with pictures, books, video clips and props and I give clear instructions and expectations.  This benefits students because they feel secure, safe to take risks, ask questions and work through mistakes. I give students freedom to explore materials and ideas within clear boundaries.  4. Why do you feel teaching art to kids is important? I believe teaching art to kids is very important because it encourages thinking, observation, participating, communicating, perseverance, problem solving, self management, self evaluation, goal setting, exploration, experimentation, to ask questions, to learn about history, science, maths, different cultures, different points of view.  Art is a fun way to learn and learning should be fun.  5. Why did you join the Sparklers Club and how has the joining the group helped you? I did the free webinar a few years back on how to choose the right project and I heard about the Sparklers Club. Generally in NZ, classroom teachers teach their own art and we don’t have Art specialists therefore there is very little Art Professional Development for primary schools.  So I signed up for the Sparkler’s Club for a month to see what it was like. I loved it so kept going for a few months then showed it to the PD organizer at school and he agreed for the school to pay for the year subscription. It now comes out of our curriculum budget. Joining the group has helped by cutting down my thinking and planning time. It has given me all the skills to be confident in what I am teaching. I have expanded my repertoire of lessons – I love doing new things - new lessons. I have people I can share and glean ideas from.  I don’t have any actual formal art qualifications – so being part of the Sparklers, I get amazing PD, feedback on what I am doing, lessons done for me (I just have to fit it with our curriculum) I can support and encourage others, Ive made many new online friends around the world who I connect with through art – it’s like my safety net, my resource centre, one of my social events - I just love it!!!!! Something I Love Doing crafty activities and card making.

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 districts, art was not offered, so Pamela took it upon herself to begin an after-school art program. Pamela shares how she began her after-school art classes, what challenges she experienced and what motivates her to keep her vision alive. Take a peak inside her art room and see what two projects were a home-run for her K-4th grade students. As with all interviews with members of The Sparklers Club, Pamela turns the table and asks Patty a question. Pamela asks, What are some creative ways that art teachers like me, who are self-employed, can creatively market their business in their communities? To hear Patty's response, listen to AME 122 by clicking the play button below. Get to know and learn more about our February 2019 Sparkler Spotlight, Pamela Saunders 1. What was your path/journey to becoming an art teacher. I took a circuitous route! During collage I briefly worked with a non-profit art group developing a PR campaign as part of my course work in a grad level PR class. I ended up getting a summer job there teaching art to preschoolers and loved it. Years later, after becoming a decorative muralist and faux painter, I found my way back to teaching art at the preschool level. When my children reached elementary age, I started an art program at their school and added more schools after that. 2. What do you feel is your best attribute or strength as an art teacher? I am passionate about art and want my love of art to be contagious. When a parent told me that their child, who had never shown an interest in art prior to my class, was now looking up artists, asking great questions and talking about art movements with his parents at the dinner table, I was elated. The mom told me that she looked at her husband and said, "who is this kid?!" 3. What do you do well in the art room and how does this benefit your students? I am respectful of individual expression. In their art curriculum, they are expected to do things in a specific way. In my art club, I allow them to make artistic choices withing a framework. That is, if the assignment is to make a cat and the child asks if the cat can have big ears, I'll tell them, "you are the artist, so you get to decide." They are usually excited by the freedom to be expressive and that makes the artwork that they create more meaningful and interesting to look at! 4. Why do you feel teaching art to kids is important? - Children need space and time to get lost in their imagination - Art enables children to learn not just hand-eye coordination, the elements of art, how to use materials, but more importantly how to collaborate with others, how to problem solve, how to focus, how to observe something from different points of view, persistence, working through frustration, time limits... the list goes on.  5. Why did you join the Sparklers Club and how has the joining the group helped you? I joined because I needed some fresh ideas. It was taking me hours each week to develop lessons for my classes. Since I had so many repeat students session after session, I always tried (and succeeded) to never do the same lesson twice. It was exhausting but when I found DSS, I felt like I had all these incredible lessons at my fingertips. What I didn't realize was that by joining the Sparklers (and I am a founding member), was that along with it came the unexpected human resource - some refer to it as a tribe or sisterhood, a group of professional women (and men?) who understand the life of an art teacher like nobody else does and they are for you when you have a question, a problem, or a success. Being a Sparkler is priceless. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - How Pamela's creative background and love of art eventually led to her art career

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 lbs. might be more challenging to understand. Today's guest, fellow art teacher and friend Cindy Ingram, bravely opens up to share her story of what it was like to move through the world with the challenges she carried around: not just her weight but suffocating debt. Her story is inspiring and uplifting and shows that with the right mindset, you can accomplish anything. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - The struggles Cindy faced and her ability to conquer them - How losing a significant amount of weight has benefited Cindy personally and professionally - Cindy's three main goals with her weight loss, debt reduction and building a business - What has been the biggest business challenge she's faced and the mindset shifts she's made to get to where she is today - What advice Cindy has for others experiencing similar situations and how she is pursuing her next big goal LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES For more information on the Art Class Curator, visit their Website and Podcast. Podcasts and blog posts mentioned in this episode: How to Talk to Kids about Art: AME 019 Art of Simple Podcast James Wedmore Podcast Keeper of the Home Travel Blog You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 left me worn out and uninspired. But today is a new day and it's because I realized one important thing: the cause of my depletion was actually depletion. The lack of creativity (or not enough of) had a profound effect on me: weight gain, lack of tolerance and the feeling that I just wasn't myself. I started to spend more time on social media seeing what others were doing and then feeling the opposite of inspired. I noticed I was cooking less and eating out more. NOT my normal preference. Watching TV every night instead of reading. OK for a few nights, but a whole month? Nope. Not me. I knew what was happening. I've always been diligent about my daily habits: 1. Rest, which means a full 8 hours a night 2. Eat healthfully with treats in moderation 3. Create something daily: art, food, blog post, etc. 4. Spend at least 1/4 of my day alone doing the above (the introverted me requires this) And when one of these is eliminated, I know I've gone off my own little rails and need to make a change. And the solution lies where all solutions lie...in a good book. But I need your help if I'm going to get my creative mojo back. Join me for my very first Deep Space Sparkle Book Club selection and how I plan to use it to help me banish my creative depletion. In this episode, I share 3 ways to identify burnout and what to do about it. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - Why I felt the need to take a break from the podcast - How my recent experiences could apply to you, and help you in your own situation - What are 3 telltale signs you're ready to take some time off - How I've noticed I've been changing, as a result of not being creative enough - What I plan to do to refill my creative cup and a special invitation I have for you to join me on this journey - Why you won't want to miss next week's special Art Made Easy episode... DOWNLOAD THE FREE BOOK CLUB CHECKLIST LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life by Twyla Tharp You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 unthinkable. Or, you may be of the belief that its far easier to do the task yourself rather than take the time to explain it to someone else. This episode shares the secret benefits of reaching out for help, ways to ask for help that benefit everyone and insights on how asking and receiving help has helped me become a happier teacher and business owner. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - How to tell if our pride is getting in the way of asking for help - Why it all starts with you giving yourself the permission to ask others for assistance - What the benefits of asking for help are - Where to begin when asking for help - How you can address your fears and limiting beliefs LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES: Podcasts mentioned in this episode: Behind the Sparkly Curtain: AME 114 You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 recently that are struggling with this very problem. So what's an art teacher to do? An effective classroom management plan is necessary yet sometimes our plan is not clearly defined or easily attained. In fact, we may start the year with a great plan only to have it waver. Students test the system and soon you find yourself immersed in a situation that isn't benefiting anyone. The first thing we might do is try new strategies: a new reward system or a new game only to find the class back where we started. When practical solutions are no longer serving you, it helps to take a look at what's going on in your own head: Here are some questions I used to ask myself when I felt a bit threatened in my class: 1. Is it my ego talking or is this student truly evil? Another way of saying this is: Have I looked for solutions for this problem or justifications of my feelings? 2. Am I qualified to help this student? Have I reached out to my peers or admin for assistance? 3. Is my art room set up in a way that meets the needs of this particular group of students? WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - How to tell when your losing control of your classroom - What role your ego plays in your classroom management process - Why there's power in confiding in your fellow teachers - How to determine if your art room is set up for the needs of your students - How past episodes of AME can help you with your classroom management skills LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES: Make sure you participate in our 7 Sparkly Days Giveaways Podcasts mentioned in this episode: Classroom Management Strategies That Work For You: AME 088 How To Cultivate Craftsmanship in Your Art Room: AME 092 Head, Heart & Hand: The Waldorf Approach to Managing Young Artists: AME 090 6 Factors for a Successful Management Plan: AME 053 You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 intuition to lead us to the perfect job. Today's guest is Sparkler Jackie May Hiller who after a career as an occupational therapist, followed her bliss and began teaching art in her children's school. Jackie and I talk about where we get our energy, the value of online classes, the importance of community and how to cultivate online friendships in the art teaching world. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - How to introduce different styles of learning techniques to your students - Why earning trust with children is key to teaching - What to do to recharge yourself and help balance your life - Why planning and enjoying the process will allow time to develop and grow with your students LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES: Join the waitlist for The Sparklers Club You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 art project. If you need an injection of inspiration or an alternative way to approach teaching art, I invite you to listen to today's episode. Kat's journey to becoming an art teacher wasn't easy. She didn't have a curriculum or guideline in which to develop her program. Perhaps like many of you, she had to come up with her own lessons and teaching style. Her philosophy of "start by making a mess" and "do it your way" evolved quickly because of her innate ability to see art through the eyes of her students. Today's episodes shares Kat's 5 Step Framework that she developed to help her students think about their own creativity and to provide lifelong skills that children could use beyond the classroom. It's a brilliant process and we're happy to share it with you. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - What allowed Kat to have confidence and courage in her creativity - How she got started in the school system and what led her to becoming an art teacher - Why seeking out creative a community was important to Kat's development as an art teacher - Kat's 5 Step Framework that she uses for every lesson in her art room LISTEN TO THE SHOW DOWNLOAD Download a free 5 Step Framework PDF by clicking the image box below. Enter your name and email and we’ll send it to you! LINKS & RESOURCES: 100 Painters of Tomorrow by Kurt Beers on Amazon You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 Sparklers Club, shares how she went from teaching art in a public school to running a successful art business in her home town of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Maureen shares what made her decide to move out of her home and into a rented space, what she charges for her classes, what her biggest challenges are and her own special take on paint parties. If you’re an art teacher considering the big move outside your art room to owning your own business, this episode is for you. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - How Maureen got her start in the art industry and what led her to owning her own studio - What services Maureen offers to her community and her strategy around pricing - What Maureen's biggest struggle has been as she builds her art teaching business - Why she enjoys teaching adults and how she uses mixed media in her classes - Why becoming friends with other small business owners is important LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES: Keep up with Maureen Marks through her Website, Facebook Page, and Pinterest. You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 identity or that somehow my intentions were misguided. The it I'm talking about is how I transformed an art teacher's side hustle into a thriving business that employs nine people and impacts thousands of teachers worldwide. The it is Deep Space Sparkle. Today, I'm taking you behind the Sparkly curtain to share with you how I run DSS. From sharing how my early mentors influenced how I created content to how my current business coaches have literally changed the trajectory of my life. In the past two years, I retired (or liberated as he puts it) Neil from corporate America, hired 7 ladies and developed a membership site that has over 5000 active members. It hasn't been an easy road but it was one fueled by passion, purpose and instinct. If you know anyone who could benefit from this podcast, please share! It's really easy. Just open up your podcast app on your iPhone, search for Art Made Easy and click the share button. And while you're there, please consider adding a rating or review. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - How I got started selling my first few lessons and why I was so excited with the possibilities - What I gained from taking an online course and how it's influenced what I create now - How to know when it's time to focus more effort on your side business - What going "all in" with Deep Space Sparkle looked like, including renting office space and hiring a team - Who influenced me the most for building my dream business LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES: Watch How Neil and Patty grew Deep Space Sparkle HERE Find out more about my mastermind coaches, Stu McLaren amd James Wedmore Deep Space Sparkle Shop and Teachers Pay Teachers Shop Join the Waitlist to be apart of my Sparklers Membership Club Podcast's and Bloggers mentioned in this episode of AME: Holly Becker Blogging Your Way Amy Porterfield Podcast Pat Flynn Podcast You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 shares what the most popular projects are, how her auction committee manages the tasks and how she decorates the venues. If you are considering doing an art fundraiser, this episode will leave you inspired! We selected Krista for November's Sparkler Spotlight and as a result, she gets to interview me! Krista asked these questions: - Is there a medium you really dislike using? If so, how do you work around that in the classroom knowing it's best to expose the kiddos to as much as possible? - Do you have a favorite artist, art movement or genre? - Your lessons are always successful with my students and one of the reasons I use them time and time again. What is your process for creating these and testing them to be sure you have created something with such guaranteed success? WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - How Krista transitioned from teaching English to Art - What Krista has done to generate revenue for her classroom by running shows - How she got started using Instagram and the ways she uses that platform to build support for her program - What is my own process for creating art projects and a big mistake that I see many teachers making - What Krista's best tips for classroom management are and the reward systems she uses with her children LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES Download Krista's free resource, Cozy Holiday Cats by clicking the image below. Type in your name and email and we'll send it to you! You can connect with Krista on Instagram at artsatplaceracademy Deep Space Sparkle projects & podcasts mentioned in this episode There's a Dragon In My Art Room Blog Classroom Management Strategies That Work For You: AME 088 Best Practices for Acrylic Paints: AME 091 You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com  

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. Nicholas calls this the Hibernation Stage, which according to his 6 Stages of the Creative Path is the stage practically everyone is in: those who wanted to make art but can’t seem to find the time. Can you relate? Nicholas offers a strategy that helps us understand the natural flow of creativity and how to move from one stage to the next. And even if you are not a working artist or have no desire to be one, his insight into our creative process can be applied to most anything we do. About Nicholas… Nicholas is the founder of Art2Life, an online platform that strives to build, empower, and inspire the creative community. His online programs provide artistic, business and creative coaching to artists. With over 20 years working with creatives, Nicholas has developed a systematic approach that brings authenticity, spontaneity and joy back into the creative process. He speaks and writes extensively on the subject of creativity, purpose and inspiration. Wilton’s paintings are seen in yearly gallery exhibitions, International Art Fairs, and are included in numerous private and corporate collections in both the United States and Europe. His paintings have also been used on the covers of the national bestseller “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz, and Brene Brown’s “The Gift of Imperfection.” Recently, the US Postal Service issued a stamp featuring Wilton’s artwork. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - How to identify and move through the different learning stages of art - How to integrate your knowledge and preferences into your art work - How your creativity and confidence will increase when your intuition comes into play - What his membership group can do for you, no matter what stage of your career you are in LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES Learn more about Nicholas Wilton by checking out his Website, Facebook page, & Instagram                       Books mentioned in this podcast The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz The Gifts of Imperfection and Daring Greatly by Brené Brown You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 is a dreamy example of what's possible. Yvette is a former classroom teacher turned art teacher for her local Charter School in Northern California. Yvette is also a brand new Sparkler having joined the membership last August and turns the interview to ask Patty questions about work-life balance, what's in the future for Deep Space Sparkle (BIG reveal here) and strategies for art assessment. Check out Yvette's Bulletin Board ideas with links to Pacon paper products in the Show Notes below! WHAT YOU'LL LEARN - What was the biggest challenge for Yvette as she started teaching art - How to communicate with the parents via Instagram while also using it as a tool to get kids excited about learning - Why Yvette puts so much effort into decorating her art room and making it fun, comfortable space for her students - How to truly make your space "your own" - What Patty does to balance her work and home life, and the BIG surprise for Deep Space Sparkle LISTEN TO THE SHOW Check out Yvette's Bulletin Board ideas she displays in her art room, using the Pacon Bulletin Board Background Paper to decorate her boards.   LINKS & RESOURCES Follow Yvette on Instagram Art Made Easy posts mentioned in this episode Word of the Year: AME 077 How to Assess Student Artwork & Qualities of a Great Art Teacher: AME 003 A Chat with Team Sparkle Marisa Gebert: AME 048 You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 the years and how it can help you create art with your kids. In today’s episode, I’m sharing the reason behind one of my biggest art preference …why don’t I use pencils in the art room. As Deep Space Sparkle reaches more and more teachers from around the world, I get asked a few questions a lot and one of them is why I don’t use pencils in the art room. This episode shares the 3 big reasons why pencils just don’t work for me. But don’t worry, I’m not a pencil-hater. I feel there is a time and place for pencils and I’ll share when and why I draw that line. To listen to the first and second podcast of my Book Chat Series, listen to Directed Line Drawings and How to Host Art Sessions in Your Home WHAT YOU'LL LEARN - The 3 main reasons I don't recommend the use of pencils - How to encourage children to draw larger without the use of pencils - Why I feel that pencils promote perfectionism - Why pencil techniques are more appealing to an older age group LISTEN TO THE SHOW CLICK TO DOWNLOAD A FREE LESSON FROM DRAW, PAINT, SPARKLE LINKS & RESOURCES Click here to purchase Patty's book Draw Paint Sparkle via amazon Patty's favorite paint brushes Royal & Langnickel Art Brushes Check out these blog posts How to Get Children to Draw Big You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Patty Palmer At Home Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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! Tamara Thomas Evans, teaches K-8th art in Hendersonville, North Carolina after a long career as a dance instructor. Tamara is a Sparkler and was invited to share her experiences as a relatively new art teacher. In the first half on the show, Tamara shares her systems for keeping her classroom calm and her students engaged as learners and helpers. Then, we switch the tables and Tamara asks me how to keep children practicing craftsmanship, how to carve out creative time and how to submit lessons for publication within the Sparklers website. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - Why Tamara decided to take the opportunity to become an art teacher after years of teaching dance - How to be prepared in the classroom, stay organized and finish your day, all while having a strategy - What will keep the children engaged with a project that can take two or three lessons - Why we put so much pressure on ourselves to create, be creative and force ourselves to get inspired - What kills creativity and the number one tool Tamara uses that makes teaching art feel easy LISTEN TO THE SHOW   LINKS & RESOURCES Draw Paint Sparkle You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Facebook Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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, hang/take down work, clean the room, and what ever the next thing is that admin assigns to me. This was a question posted last week in the private Sparkler Facebook group. Perhaps you feel the same way? I know that at one point in my career, I had similar thoughts. And I suspect most art teachers would say this would be true. But does it have to be your reality? That’s what I want to explore today on the show: moving beyond technical tips or strategies and digging a bit deeper into the origins of this question. We’re heading down the woo-woo path as I share my experiences with the Law of Attraction and how I used it to make me happier in my art room, happier at home and how I found my dream home. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - The approach I recommend to art teachers who are developing a curriculum - How your own energy will affect your happiness level and the children that you serve - What happens when you change your behavior towards children and the importance of consistency - What the Law of Attraction is, my early experiences with it in the classroom and why things really “happen” to us - How positivity can change your life and the way I got started on my journey of self-awareness Tips to Help Overcome Frustrations: 1. Find a Mentor - who at your school seems applicable 2. Accept what you can’t change but change what you can - resist leads to frustration and blame 3. Remember you are the teacher. Children look to you for guidance, energy (calm, fun, inspiring) and above all to teach.   LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES Christy Whitman Teaching Kids to Paint: AME 083 Quantum Success: 7 Essential for a Thriving, Joyful, and Prosperous Relationship with Work and Money Jess Lively You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Facebook Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 throughout the years and how it can help you create art with your kids. I taught in an elementary art room for 13 years before going full time with Deep Space Sparkle. And over the past few years of writing this book and helping parents in my membership program, the Sparklers Club, I realized that teaching or facilitating art at home is different than teaching large numbers of students. In today's episode, I'm sharing 5 tips that will reveal a few secrets that will set both YOU and your child up for art at home success. This will help your art-making sessions to be fluid, creative and stress-free. Real quick before moving to number 3, if you’re a parent who loves to do art with your children or recognizes that your child needs more art in their lives, you’ll love my new book Draw, Paint, Sparkle. You’ll discover easy ways to get started with art-making with basic supplies and flexible instructions. Create art based on celebrated painters like Van Gogh, Monet and Pollock and explore engaging subjects inspired by nature and animals. Be sure to head over to the book’s website: Draw, Paint, Sparkle to download a free art project and then, if you like it, order the book. After you buy the book, come back to the website to access your bonuses: 27 Drawing Guides that you can download, print and use with your kids. Like the book? I’d love for you to write a review on Amazon, which helps the distribution of the book so more parents can create art with kids. You can buy the DPS book from Amazon, Barns and Noble and wherever good books are sold. To listen to the rest of my Book Chat Series, click to listen to All About Directed Line Drawings and Why I Don't Use Pencils in the Art Room WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - The importance of trying your projects first before your students - How to develop a relaxed approach with art supplies to give children the freedom to experience art - Why children will get frustrated and what we can do to help - What playing music can offer for everyone’s experience at home LISTEN TO THE SHOW CLICK TO DOWNLOAD A FREE LESSON FROM DRAW, PAINT, SPARKLE LINKS & RESOURCES Draw Paint Sparkle You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 years and how it can help you create art with your kids. Today’s episode talks all about Directed Drawing. While directed drawing, or guided drawings, are a gateway of possibilities for a child, sometimes a child or a parent is resistant to the idea. I share my experiences working with directed drawings at home, help you navigate the often murky waters of creating art with your child and tips to avoid conflicts or frustration. Draw, paint, Sparkle Creative Projects from an Elementary Art Teacher is written by Patty Palmer and published by Roost books. You can buy the book from Amazon, Barns and Noble and wherever good books are sold. After you buy the book, head over to Draw Paint Sparkle to download your book bonuses: 27 Drawing Guides that you can download, print and use with your kids. And while you’re there, why not write a review on Amazon? This helps the distribution of the book so more parents can create art with kids. To listen to the rest of my Book Chat Series, click to listen to How to Host Art Sessions in Your Home and Why I Don’t Use Pencils in the Art Room WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - What is directed drawing - How to foster more art at home for 5-10 year olds - What to do when you face resistance from the children - How everyone can be an artist - How to build confidence with a directed drawing LISTEN TO THE SHOW CLICK TO DOWNLOAD A FREE LESSON FROM DRAW, PAINT, SPARKLE LINKS & RESOURCES Draw Paint Sparkle *To download your book bonuses for directed drawings You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 she reminds you of YOU. Ashley Bruce is our Sparkler Spotlight for September. Ashley started her own art business in San Diego, California and visits local schools to help start and support art programs. We chat about how her business started and how it impacted her life then and now. And because she is a featured Sparkler, Ashley turns the table on a typical episode to ask me questions. And this is where is gets good. I'm pretty passionate about a few things when it comes to teaching art and running a business. Can you guess what some of them might be? Ashley and I go deep on valuing your time, yourself and art. If you've been hired to start an art program in your school, you'll find Ashley's experience, ideas and resilience inspiring. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - Ashley's very first steps in starting her school's art program - What Ashley's goals for the program were and how it's affected the classroom teachers at her school - How to develop from a volunteer to a paid position - What significant mindset shifts Ashley had to make when it came to charging what she's worth - How to structure your business to impact all of your students - How to successfully balance your family time with work LISTEN TO THE SHOW DOWNLOAD Download my free Art Teacher's Toolkit PDF by clicking the yellow box below. Enter your name and email and we’ll send it to you! LINKS & RESOURCES: The Sparkler's Club Waitlist You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Facebook Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com  

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 ready to create art, but it's also very common to experience predictable issues like these: - Talkative students - Disruptive or disrespectful students - Students who refuse to work - Absent or continually tardy students - Loud of out-of-control behaviors Doesn't matter what type of teacher you are: one who values organization and control or one who values connection, fun and chaos. Everyone experiences one or more of the above. To manage the amount of frequency of the above behaviors, it’s all about setting expectations, establishing a flow and being consistent. This episode of Art Made Easy, is a recording of my featured presentation at one of my in-person art teacher workshops in Santa Barbara. Besides making art, I really wanted teachers to walk away with a few management nuggets. In this episode, you’re going to hear my approach to engaging with kids and how I use a positive mindset to create a safe, inspiring and efficient class. If you are a member of The Sparklers Club, the video for this presentation plus handouts, extra management video tutorials and worksheets are available under TRAININGS. Plus, you get a certificate for 1 Clock Hour. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN - The purpose of creating a management mindset - The time in your schedule when you have the most influence on your students - How to set your expectations for your students - When remaining neutral works to your advantage - My secret strategy: The Ten Minute Rule - What can happen when you truly engage a child with art LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES: Interested in more classroom management tips? Listen to: Art Made Easy # 053 6 Factors for a Successful Management Plan Listen to: Art Made Easy Easy Classroom Management Tips for Creating Your Dream Class with Michael Linsin Classroom Management for Art, Music, and Pre Teachers by Michael Linsin Pre-Order Patty's new book Draw, Paint, Sparkle Publication Date August 21 The Sparkler's Club Waitlist You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Facebook Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com

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 the one secret that I know will transform your school year...if only you stay open to it. The biggest impact for me, in both my personal and business life, has been asking for help. Knowing when my desires were too big to do alone or that my obsession with doing it all wasn't working anymore, wasn't all that easy to figure out. Asking and accepting help runs deep. I see the resistance everywhere: in my family, friends, business friends and especially art teachers. We think we are meant to do it all. But I think there is a better way and in this episode, I share my journey of when I started saying yes to getting help and the impact it has had. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN - The one thing that holds many people back - How to get clear about what you're saying 'no' to - Why getting help early on was so critical for me in my own journey as an entrepreneur - What happens when you give yourself permission to not always be good at everything LISTEN TO THE SHOW LINKS & RESOURCES: Pre-Order Patty's new book Draw, Paint, Sparkle Publication Date August 21 The Sparkler's Club Waitlist You can visit Patty through Deep Space Sparkle on Facebook and Instagram Facebook Instagram support@deepspacesparkle.com