What to do when you're stuck for ideas? ​Choose one element from each column to generate an idea for an art exploration or to plan a lesson.
 
Choices can be purposeful to meet the requirements of curriculum, or they can be random to promote exploration. When one is stuck for ideas, this can help break through.
 
The choice board can also be used to break down an image into its components for analysis or discussion. For example, van Gogh's Starry Night would be 3.B.I.a or c.

A color version of my choice board is available as a poster HERE.

This article is an except from my book ART ED GURU. If you have an Amazon account, you can read the eBook for free HERE. It is a comprehensive guide to art education & choice-infused teaching with 30+ years of pedagogical teaching advice for an art education program. Over 200 full color images and explorations to challenge the prospective art teacher or seasoned educator looking to offer more student choice in the classroom practice.

​I know students, for the most part, want to earn their “A” and anything less is a disappointment. Never mind that “C” is supposed to be average, or “B” is above average, they want that “A.”  I also think it’s unfair to “grade” artwork based on an emotional or arbitrary scale of good to bad. There is value in a Basquiat, a Picasso, and a da Vinci approach to art. Does a Jackson Pollock deserve less credit than Chuck Close because of some skillset? It's like asking is a rabbit better than a fish. 
 
I set rigorous goals in my projects and give a list to students to EARN their “A” or 90%. If they want a higher grade, they need to exceed expectations. To me 100% DOES NOT mean perfect… it means you have gone above and beyond the expectations in a significant way.
 
For example, some goals I may set for a project could be:

• Include tertiary color mixtures
• Incorporate a fully resolved background
• Include shadows that vary in intensity

Students would need to hit ALL 3 goals to earn their 90%.
 
I also create a list of optional things they can do to exceed expectations that are beyond the scope of the skills I am focused on in that particular project or unit.

• Include complex patters and/or textures
• Use complementary colors in shadows avoiding the use of black
• Incorporate a technique you have researched on your own

Doing just one of these three might earn 2 or 3 points above 90%. My rubric does include time management, so if a student is on their phone, socializing, or distracting others, they cannot earn a 100%.
 
The video below walks you through some real examples of my grading.

Meeting expectations earns a 90% on my project rubric. No matter their level of experience or artistic ability of my students, all can earn that “A” if they meet the goals/requirements of my project. BUT Just because a student CAN earn an “A” on every project does not guarantee they will earn an “A” for the course. Though 50% of their grade is based on projects, the other 50% is broken down this way:

10% is based on classwork/worksheets/homework
15% is based on quiz assessments
25% is based on tests, exams, reports
 
These non-project assessments moderate grades so many of my students earn a “B”,  or low “A”, and some earn high ”C’s”. Grades above a 95% happen, but they are rare. I believe the average student, in my course, earns about an 88%.  Half earn below that.

Summer is a time to detox, rethink, and recharge your batteries. I find I need a month to travel (I went to Japan this summer) and have some quality “me-time,” and then the next month I am relaxing but also reflecting on my year and bookmarking ideas I want to try next year. I have been teaching for 35 years and I still looking forward to trying new lessons with my students. (And new ways to make classroom management a bit better, ‘casue we can all improve there.)
 
If you are new to art education, please read this post. I have a lot of great information and resources there. But assuming you have been teaching art for a while, I’ll share with you some things I am going to try in this new year. I try to limit myself to just 3 things per year so I don’t overwhelm myself. Last year I renewed my National Board Certification, published my literacy resources, and entered a museum call for artwork by art teachers, and my painting was accepted for exhibition.
 
These are my three goals for this upcoming year:
 
#1. Cell phones have always been an issue. This year I put a cell phone rack and charger by my door so as students enter, they will store phones there and even charge them if they like. They can set a play list on workdays, and have one ear bud in and listen through Bluetooth.
 
#2. I have a new page of 8-Five minute passes I will give to each student (See Below). Each pass will be worth 1 point if they do not use it… and if they return to me a full page of 8 passes, they get a bonus 2 points. These 10 points will be added to any exam, project, report, etc as extra credit or to forgive 1 missing homework/classwork grade. The 5 minute pass can be used for the bathroom, locker visit, or to access their cell phone in the main office for emergencies. I have regular bathroom passes they can sign out when/if they use up their pass points.
 
#3. I am taking on a school trip to Japan in 2 years. In preparation, I will start a Japanese Language Club in school and incorporate a few lessons that focus on Japan. I have already done one on Origami Color Wheels which you can see HERE, but I am thinking to explore the scroll format to tell stories.

If you are looking for new choice-based lessons to try out, I have a ton on this blog you are welcome to use for free. If you would like a consolidated version of just the best ones, I have written 2 books you may like. The color editions cost a bit more because of printing expenses. But I have black and white editions too for a lower price point. These books come with the rights to make copies of worksheets and examples inside for all your students.

​Though you may only teach high school, the elementary versions of the lessons will work with your special needs students and those with a 504/IEP! If you teach elementary, then the high school versions of lessons may be great for your more advanced artists so you can challenge them. Click on the covers to see the books on Amazon. ​

In some schools you may be required to cite how you are incorporating state/national standards, and/or your curriculum. This can seem a bit overwhelming for us visual learners, but if you are teaching art with a broad array of supplies, connecting with cultures, careers, history, artists (both historical and contemporary), incorporate some vocabulary, techniques, tools, and student do some writing and reflecting in your practice, you will likely be covering everything in your standards and curriculum.
 
You can gain some ideas for lessons by looking at the state or national standards you are expected to incorporate. I find it much easier to plan a lesson, and then review the standards, and cite them in my written plans should I be required to do so. (In the format mandated by my administrator)
 
For example, in my lesson for Origami Color Wheels (LINK) I know I will connect with many National Standards. For example, Under Create: VA:Cr1.1.8a Document early stages of the creative process visually and/or verbally in traditional or new media. VA:Cr2.3.7a Apply visual organizational strategies to design and produce a work of art, design, or media that clearly communicates information or ideas. VA:Cr3.1.8a Apply relevant criteria to examine, reflect on, and plan revisions for a work of art or design in progress. Under Present: VA:Pr4.1.8a Develop and apply criteria for evaluating a collection of artwork for presentation. Under Respond:  VA:Re.7.1.7a Explain how the method of display, the location, and the experience of an artwork influence how it is perceived and valued. Under Connect:  VA:Cn10.1.Ia Document the process of developing ideas from early stages to fully elaborated ideas.
 
You may be required to cite 1 or more standards you connect to. If you use state standards, they may use different verbiage to say similar things. For example, I currently work in North Carolina. So a few standards I might cite are: K.V.1.1 Identify various art materials and tools. K.CX.2.3 Understand that artists sometimes share materials and ideas (collaboration). 1.V.1.4 Understand characteristics of the Elements of Art, including lines, shapes, colors, textures, form, and space. 1.CX.2.2 Identify connections between art and concepts from other disciplines, such as math, science, language arts, social studies, and other arts…. (There are many more I could include) Just site them as required by your administration.

I don't actually write the whole standard in my lessons (unless required) and it will look something like this line added within my lessons plans, with a link to the standards. "NC Standards K.V.1.1, K.CX.2.3, 1.V.1.4, 1.CX.2.2."
 
I once had an administrator who micromanaged lessons plans. They wanted “proof” that I was meeting all the standards by the end of a course. I printed all the state standards, and as I taught and wrote lessons, I cited the standards I used in each lesson, physically crossing them off as I met the standard. Once one was crossed off, I would generally not cite it again. About 2 months into my 5-month course, I had included nearly every standard several times. Those few I did not, I made sure to incorporate those into my remaining lessons to meet the expectations of my supervisor.
 
In my current school I am not required to cite my standards, so I don’t. I know, from my 35 years of teaching, I will naturally cover them all in during my course. It’s nice to be treated like a trusted, certified professional.
 
If this has been helpful and you would like an additional resource to navigate the ins-and-outs of art education, you can read my e-book for free HERE if you have an Amazon account, or buy a physical copy. If you are seeking lessons for levels K-12, you can find all of mine for free on my blog as you scroll, or buy a consolidated book of my lessons. 50 HERE, and 51 more HERE. 

I started this blog because I passionately believe (and have the research to back it up) that Art is THE MOST important class a child can have in school. I KNOW that nearly everything in elementary school can be taught through art, most of middle school too. I know too that art enhances student's understanding of concepts and connections in high school. My students score, on average, 155 points HIGHER on their SAT exams because of my choice-based approach to art education.

I created this blog to post FREE information to art educators to understand their worth and inspire them to be "The best we can be."

I grew up in a very artistic family. My great grandmother painted until she was 102, her daughters were artists of some note, and their daughter, (my mom) was an art student. So creativity was encouraged in my family. With all that promise and support, you would think I loved art classes, but I actually had very bad experiences in elementary school. We were all forced to make the same birch trees, Monet bridges, and vapid cotton ball showmen as if we worked in a third-world sweat shop. Grades were based on how well we copied the teacher's example, so I rebelled and earned very low grades on my cotton ball horse, birch-legged monster, and Monet inspired fireworks. 

Though I have been "criticized" for saying it, I believe the cookie-cutter approach I was subjected to is destructive to our profession and our students. The video I made below explains why and the research that backs it up. It's not a critique, but a call to action, and I provide a path forward that has worked for me for over 30 years! My entire blog is dedicated to sharing my choice-based approach and making it intuitively easier to implement. 

It's not "reinventing the wheel" but adding wings!

I know that funding for some art programs is non-existent, so this blog gives you everything I know and have learned through trial, error, and collaboration for FREE. You can even follow me in YouTube for free as well.

If however you seek resources in print, I have many books that consolidate what I have shared here into a form you can use in your classroom. Nearly every book comes with the rights to make copies for YOUR students. My workbooks even come in student editions if you have a generous budget and would like to give students individual copies to write and sketch in to become a kind of portfolio. You can find all my books at www.firehousepublications.com  If you click on any book cover, it will take you to the book on Amazon, or you can order 2 or more books directly from the publishing website at a discount.

If you need professional development, I have several hours of resources HERE. You can view them ALL for free. If you want a certificate, I ask for a small donation, just check ahead of time if your district will accept it.

I passionately believe in the power of art education. We ARE the solution to failing schools in America. I have had some amazing successes in my program, and this entire blog is dedicated to sharing all of that with you, for free, before I leave this earth. Thank you for visiting. I hope you find something helpful, inspiring, and worthwhile. 

Join my Facebook group HERE to get the latest updates and "free stuff" I make available to my followers. You must answer the 3 questions to get in. This helps weed out bots and spam.

Consider chaperoning a small school trip, and go for FREE! 

Do your students love all tings Japan?

• Video Games
• Manga & Anime
• Martial Arts
• Robots & More?

I actually lived in Osaka Japan for a year an exchange student for my junior year of college at Kansai Gaidai University. This summer I had a chance to return and share an adventure with my spouse. My students overheard me and asked why I had not organized a school trip to Japan?
 
I assumed it would be too expensive, and when I looked at the pre-packaged tours, I was not thrilled with the stereotypical options. I lived there, and knew there was a richer experience to be had. I contacted E.F. Tours, who have been in the school tour business for over 50 years and asked if a custom tour could be arranged. Lucy Baldiga of EF Tours got back to me and we worked out a special tour that cobbled some of their best options with some I knew about that they had never heard of, like an Authentic Spy (Ninja) Meeting House.
 
We created a tour that would tap into all the best of Japan, from the shrines, castles, and gardens, to the Disaster Prevention Park where students can experience an earthquake simulation, and then visit the Miraikan Science Museum to see advanced robotics and STEAM Technology. There would be immersive art experiences at teamLab Planets Tokyo, and animation experiences in Harajuku and Shibuya, as well as an opportunity to collect the newest Manga, origami books, or resources about Japan in English at Kenokunia bookstore, Japan’s largest! We will have a cooking lesson, and learn to play Taiko drums. They will learn about the horrors of Hiroshima, and lay a wreath of 1000 cranes at the foot of the children’s memorial. THIS was the kind of tour I could get behind and am excited to do in 2026! I have made sure to coordinate our trip for the week of July 17 so we can witness the Gion Festival; Japan’s Largest and oldest festival with dozens of wooden floats, many 10 stories tall!
 
By planning 2 years in advance, students can save up over time with smaller monthly payments, and because EF Tours is private, well regarded in schools, parents and family can join in, making chaperoning the trip less stressful. For every 6 students that sign up, a teacher can come for free. We have, so far, 18 students and family members signed up, so our librarian, another teacher, and myself go for free. EF Tours also gives each student a fundraising page, so family members and friends can make donations for their trip in lieu of birthday or holiday gifts. For many, this will be a graduation gift for themselves. I have also set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for my students to help alleviate some of the cost. 
 
In preparation, I will be hosing a once-a-week Japanese language and culture club for all students, but will focus it on the students who have signed up to go. We will fold origami cranes for our donation, and make hand-made books to collect free Landmark Stamps sound at major destinations and many train stations all over Japan. I will also show them how to hand-sew some traditional sketchbooks too, this way we will all have treasures to take home, even if we spend no money on “stuff.”
 
I am retiring shortly after this trip, so it has additional meaning for myself. But if this sounds like something you’d like to explore, contact Lucy Baldiga, mention my name, and ask her for the same custom itinerary. It is NOT ANYWHERE on their website. Her email is [email protected] . If you would like to explore the possibility of leading an art education tour to any country, let them know I sent you with this LINK. eftours.com/invite/5pB8Eza

Below are my photos from my recent trip and a video I made about Nijo Jinya (The Spy House in Kyoto). 

Every year I have my advanced classes, Art 3 and 4 create a legacy project. This usually takes the form of a mural for our school. As we explored our building, we noted that the hallway for our history rooms was bare and boring so we decided to take that are on this year. 

Every location has challenges, and in this one, it is narrow but has heavy traffic. A mural would get scratched up, but individually framed artworks might work, and we envisioned this as a gallery of sorts. What better subject than historical figures?  Rather than focus on "dead white guys," I wanted students to reflect on heroes tied to their own cultural backgrounds and genders so that the "heroes" would reflect our own diverse urban school population. Whenever possible, I wanted them to first select individuals deserving of recognition right in our home state of North Carolina, but if that proved too challenging, they could expand beyond that.

I created this worksheet to research ideas before we began sketching.

This lesson was actually inspired y the work of Loui Jover and their deconstructed series. I created a slide show of the artist's work and we explored what the artist was doing visually to unify their work, and identify techniques they were using. I printed a hand-out with samples we would reference as we worked to stay true to the artist's style yet still have the freedom to not be trapped by the style.

Students created a Google Document and began to fill it with images they found from the internet on their subject, symbols, portraits, etc that would be shared with me to print in black and white. (They can be printed in color thought too.) Some students used images from Magazines as well. I printed them on standard paper and then enlarged them on a copier to 11 x 17 images (tabloid paper) We used Mod Podge and acrylic medium to transfer images to our 18 x 24 inch canvases. Their are many tutorials on YouTube for this technique. 

We did not glue anything down before doing a group critique and partner pair & share comparing the images to Loui Jover's work and asking how the artist might organize and embellish the images.

Our process:
Acrylic wash on the background
Placement of images around the canvas
Partner and Group feedback before gluing
We photographed completed collages before embellishing
We practice embellishing on color print-outs
Peer and group critiqued these
Used paint pens to embellish
​Stenciled names of our subjects
Added a QR Code to an academic resource (not Wikipedia)
Glazed the whole work with an acrylic coating to protect it.

These will be framed by administration and hung with bolts to the walls above where backpacks might scratch them. We also wrote about our process and subject and these were glued to the back of the works as a kind of time capsule.

I told my students that if they needed a point on their final grade to go from 79 to an 80, or an 89 to 90 I could use this as an assessment if they include crosshatching or stippling. (Techniques we have focused on this last semester.) I used a bamboo brush and leftover paint on watercolor paper to make 50 of these in about 20 minutes. Though I made these samples, certainly students could make them one day and then illustrate with them the next. 

I could see this working as well if you needed a quick demo lesson for a job interview. You could come with 4 swatches of color on cards, hand them out to students, and let them reveal what they see using pens to tease out the images.

Here are some helpful examples you can show to get your students primed for this short visual exercise. I encourage students to turn their paper in many directions and stare at the color blotches. Images will eventually emerge. If they get stuck, tell them to work with a peer partner to reveal images. Looking at the negative spaces can help as well.

Why I don't participate in art competitions seeking free student work.

Many art contests are exploitive opportunities to get free art by organizations that could be paying an artist a living wage, but instead get free submissions from children. Once in a long while I get “voluntold” to participate in an art contest by administration, but for the most part, I ignore contest emails especially when the prize is laughably small or nonexistent.
 
For example, I got an email from our local Red Cross for a mural competition. Within the email it said, “The selected mural will serve as a visual representation of our commitment to humanity, compassion, and community service. We believe that art has the power to inspire, unite, and uplift, and what better way to harness this power than by inviting budding artists to create a masterpiece that embodies the spirit of the American Red Cross?”
 
All well and good but the prize, “The winning artist will have the opportunity to paint their mural at the American Red Cross (building) during the summer months. The mural will be showcased during a community open-house event at the completion of the project. In addition, the art teacher of the winning student will serve as the advisor throughout the painting process, providing guidance and support.”
 
Translation, free child labor and the teacher must supervise the free labor with unpaid time to paint a 16 ft by 9 ft. mural, but thankfully “paint will be provided.” Golly gee, doesn’t that sound great?
 
Exposure is not a prize it's exploitation. Students need scholarships, and teachers need pay for their time. Here are some articles in support of this idea.
 
https://messyeverafter.com/self-employed-journey/dont-work-for-the-promise-of-exposure/
 
https://charlestoncitypaper.com/2017/04/26/the-exposure-myth/
 
https://fineartviews.com/blog/30582/exposure-the-ugly-myth
 
https://wthspatriot.com/5210/opinion/paying-artists-in-exposure-is-not-okay/
 
There are several reasons why artists may choose to decline offers that promise exposure in exchange for their work:
 
1. Exploitation: Some individuals or organizations may try to take advantage of artists by offering exposure instead of fair compensation for their work. This can devalue the artist's labor and talent, making it difficult for them to sustain themselves financially.
 
2. Sustainability: Exposure alone does not pay the bills. Artists need to earn a living from their work to support themselves and continue creating. While exposure can help artists gain visibility, it may not always translate into tangible benefits such as sales, commissions, or future opportunities.
 
3. Professionalism: Accepting offers based solely on exposure can undermine an artist's professionalism and the value of their work. It's essential for artists to establish themselves as professionals who deserve to be compensated for their skills and creativity.
 
4. Quality of Exposure: Not all exposure is equal. Artists should carefully evaluate the reach, target audience, and reputation of the platform offering exposure to determine if it aligns with their goals and values. Exposure that does not reach the right audience or is not presented in a professional manner may not yield significant benefits.
 
5. Opportunity Cost: Accepting exposure offers may prevent artists from pursuing paid opportunities that could provide more substantial benefits. Artists must weigh the potential gains from exposure against the time and resources they invest in a project.
 
My email reply to the “recruitment specialist” was this...
 
We never participate in nor promote exploitive "opportunities." Please remove me from your list.

Some teachers like to dive into painting or clay at the beginning of the year as a way to create excitement for their class. If you are a new teacher this would be a horrible mistake. I have been teaching for more than 30 years and I’d rather stick forks in my eyes that do a painting lesson with a group of high school students I do not know, who do not know me, nor my expectations. You may also be building in unrealistic expectations and rewarding fun over the educational processes. I did a POST going over scaffolding projects, but here I want to cover scaffolding media.
 
When students ask me in the beginning days of my class “what are we gonna do?” I ask them, “What are you gonna show me that you can handle?” Every year begins with a drawing project. I tell my students, if you can handle drawing media, and clean up well, then you are showing me you can handle more complex stuff like painting. If you show me that you can handle painting well, then I feel confident you have the maturity to move onto sculpture with clay or plaster.
 
Each media has its techniques, challenges, and handling expectations. In a TAB setting with more choice, the choices expand as students demonstrate the maturity to handle those materials.
 
A progression generally goes from most easy to clean up with little danger to more difficult to manage explorations that may use tools like razors or hot glue. Messy watercolors do not cause permanent damage to brushes, while unwashed acrylic brushes may need to be tossed. A general progression of media may look something like this:
 
1. Pencil drawing (survey & assessment sketch)
2. Drawing with colored pencils
3. Pastels/Charcoal
4. Knitting/weaving/fibers
5. Watercolor pencils and water
6. Watercolors
7. Tempera paint
8. Printing
9. Acrylic Paints
10. Cardboard or paper sculpture (Hot glue & razors)
11. Wire/metal sculpture
12. Plaster/Paper Mache
13. Modeling Clay
14. Ceramic Clay
15. Oil Paints
 
If we get to charcoal, and the room looks like a coal mine exploded, I know not to progress beyond that until my students show me they can master cleaning the room and storing projects well. I know I can teach all of the art elements and principles with copy paper, crayons, and glue sticks. We can make paper sculptures with copy paper, and even color wheels with crayons. If that’s all my students can handle, so be it. I also let them know this. “You will show me what you can handle.” Supplies are too expensive to waste and our budgets are too small as it is.
 
If however, you are losing control because your students are board, or you have chosen to only do “cookie cutter” projects, then the problem is not “them” but you. Always reflect on your lessons and see if you are creating experiences that allow for personal expression or have you created a glorified sweat shop? More on that HERE and HERE, and HERE.
​
If you are a teacher seeking some pedagogy advice, you can read the Kindle version of my book for free HERE with your Amazon Account. If you are looking for scaffolded lessons for grades K through 12, organized by elements and principles, I have THIS book with over 50 lessons, and THIS second expanded edition with 52 more.   THIS video will give you a peek inside the first book.