PODCAST · education
Art Made Easy
by Patty Palmer: Art Teacher and expert in teaching art to kids.
Welcome to Art Made Easy, a weekly podcast to help you teach art to kids. I’m excited to bring you interviews with the best in the biz; inspiring art teachers, authors, creative souls and teaching experts. Join me to navigate the World of Kid's Art Through Stories, Tips and Practical How-To's!
Episodes
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10 Tips to Make the Most out of Your Summer: AME 095
Which statement rings true for you: summer is too short OR summer is long enough? If you're like most of us, you probably feel as though it is way too short. By the time you’re back in the classroom in August or September it can feel as those past two months was just enough time to catch your...
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Strategies for the First Day of Art Class: AME 063
Whether you are a brand new teacher preparing for your first art class or an experienced art teacher looking to change things up, knowing what to do on the first day of school can be challenging. We all have questions: Do you create art right away or do you establish a management plan? You may...
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Clean Up Strategies & Routines for the Art Room: AME 132
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...
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How to Cultivate Creative Thinkers at Home: AME 153
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...
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Your Communication Plan (and Why it’s Never Too Late to Create One): AME 152
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…
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The Secret Benefits of Make-Up Art Days: AME 151
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...
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5 Unconventional Ways to Connect with your Students: AME 150
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...
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How to Embrace Your Role as a Non-Credentialed Art Teacher: AME 149
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…
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How to Prepare for a School Art Show: AME 148
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...
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Nailing Your Art Demo: AME 147
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...
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The Art of Slowing Things Down: AME 146
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...
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The 5 Stages of Art Teacher Growth: AME 145
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...…
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How to Think Your Way to a Happy New Year: AME 144
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…
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What Do We Mean When We Talk About Cookie-Cutter Art: AME 143
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.…
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The 3 Things that Hold Teachers Back from Loving Their Job: AME 142
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…
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The Secret Benefits of Reading Aloud to your Children: AME 141
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...
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How to Engage and Connect with Children with Emotional Disabilities: AME 140
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...
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How to Grow a Customer Base for Your Art Studio with Meri Cherry: AME 139
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…
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How to Approach Teaching Art with a Calm Mind: AME 138
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...
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How One Art Teacher Copes with Anxiety & Depression: AME 137
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,...
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Finding Your Voice as an Art Teacher with Cassie Stephens: AME 136
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…
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Ways to Make Art a Priority in Your Family with Jean Van’t Hul: AME 135
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...
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Adopting a Growth Mindset as an Art Teacher: AME 134
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...
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How to Engage Students with Limited English Through Community Connections: AME 133
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...
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Becoming an Art Educator After Raising a Family: AME 131
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...
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How the Enneagram Broke Me Wide Open: AME 130
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…
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How to Rock Your First Year Teaching Art: AME 129
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…
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How to Use Mantras to Create Connection & Consistency with Your Students: AME 128
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...
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Budget Friendly Ways to Cover Art Tables: AME 127
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…
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4 Lessons I Learned About Classroom Management from Years of Subbing: AME 126
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...
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What it Takes to Become Teacher of the Year: AME 125
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…
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The Creative Habit: Our First Book Club Pick! AME 124
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...
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Creating a Community Connection in your Art Class: AME 123
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...
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Tips on Running an After-School Program: AME 122
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....
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How One Art Teacher Overcame Debilitating Challenges to Achieve Her Dream: AME 121
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...
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My Mini Burnout and How I Plan to Recover: AME 120
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...
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The Surprising Benefits of Asking for Help: AME 119
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...
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Dealing with Disrespectful Students: AME 118
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...
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The Importance of Cultivating a Community: AME 117
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...
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The 5 Step Framework That Will Transform Your Art Room: AME 116
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…
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The Inside Scoop on Running a Full-Time Art Studio: AME 115
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...
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Behind The Sparkly Curtain: AME 114
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...
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How One Art Teacher Raises Funds with Art Auctions: AME 113
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...
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The 6 Stages of the Creative Path with Nicholas Wilton: AME 112
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…
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Turn Your Art Room into Your Dream Art Space: AME 111
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...
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Draw, Paint, Sparkle Book Chat – Why I Don’t Use Pencils in the Art Room: AME 110
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...
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From Dance Instructor to Art Teacher: AME 109
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...
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Do You Feel Like A Machine? AME 108
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…
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Draw, Paint, Sparkle Book Chat – How to Host Art Sessions in Your Home: AME 107
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...
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Draw, Paint, Sparkle Book Chat – All About Directed Drawing: AME 106
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...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to Art Made Easy, a weekly podcast to help you teach art to kids. I’m excited to bring you interviews with the best in the biz; inspiring art teachers, authors, creative souls and teaching experts. Join me to navigate the World of Kid's Art Through Stories, Tips and Practical How-To's!
HOSTED BY
Patty Palmer: Art Teacher and expert in teaching art to kids.
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