Party in the Art Room Blog

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Authentic Art: 3 Ways to Rescue Cookie-Cutter Craft Projects
Pedagogy, Thought Leadership Amanda Koonlaba Pedagogy, Thought Leadership Amanda Koonlaba

Authentic Art: 3 Ways to Rescue Cookie-Cutter Craft Projects

For many kids, creating art can be one of the most rewarding activities.

Here's the thing, though. We really have to give careful consideration to what we are asking kids to do when we call what we are doing "art."

Without getting too far into the weeds of semantics, lets just say we are talking about what is known in the art ed world as cookie-cutter, copycat projects in this post.

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How to Confidently Pronounce Artists' Names in the Art Room
Pedagogy Amanda Koonlaba Pedagogy Amanda Koonlaba

How to Confidently Pronounce Artists' Names in the Art Room

I’m about to say something controversial, but here goes nothin!

It is not the job of the art teacher to know how to pronounce every artist’s name ever.

This is not included in the “requirements for art teacher” job listing! In fact, that would be unrealistic, too big a job for art teachers.

Now, let’s unpack all that.

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How to Create Unique Textures in Mixed Media

How to Create Unique Textures in Mixed Media

If you’re interested in learning how to create unique textures in mixed media, you’ve come to the right place! I’m going to walk you through the process of mixing up a plethora of basic textures for your artwork. Remember to use these tips with your students and in your own practice. You will get return on your investment in this media by greater engagement in the learning process and retention of skills.

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Book Review: CREATIVITY SUCKS by Phil Hansen
Leadership, Creativity Amanda Koonlaba Leadership, Creativity Amanda Koonlaba

Book Review: CREATIVITY SUCKS by Phil Hansen

If you’re looking for a sense of commiseration with a fellow artist, there’s no better book to buy than this one. This masterpiece is the creative bible for artists of all mediums and levels. This is the book you grab when you need encouragement, a guide through your artistic journey, or just a moment to share in the highs and lows of a creative mind. Phil Hansen’s book is 208 pages of brilliance!

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Top Tips for Painting an Exterior Mural with Students

Top Tips for Painting an Exterior Mural with Students

Art teachers and mural painters alike will tell you that the best way to learn how to paint an exterior mural is to paint an exterior mural. It can seem like an unreasonable and unrealistic expectation for the teachers at a school to take on the task of creating a mural with students. That's because there's a lot of things to consider, especially when the mural will be outside in the elements.

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Teaching Kids to Work with a Complementary Color Palette
Amanda Koonlaba Amanda Koonlaba

Teaching Kids to Work with a Complementary Color Palette

Complementary colors are those that lie opposite each other on the color wheel, and they work very well together to create interesting contrasts in color schemes. In order to create complementary color schemes, you have to have an understanding of color theory—but you don’t have to be an expert-level artist to teach children how to do it! Here are some ways you can teach kids about working with complementary colors in art education settings.

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How to Create a Safe and Supportive Learning Environment in the Classroom
School Leadership, Thought Leadership, pedagogy Amanda Koonlaba School Leadership, Thought Leadership, pedagogy Amanda Koonlaba

How to Create a Safe and Supportive Learning Environment in the Classroom

With the increasing awareness of trauma and its effect on the brain, there has been a new focus on creating a safe and supportive learning environment in the classroom. But what does this actually mean? What do teachers need to know in order to create that kind of space? This blog post will explore what trauma is, how students can react to trauma, and what teachers can do to create a safe and supportive learning environment for students who have experienced trauma.

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