I am so excited about today’s guest! Today, I talked to Mario Rossero, the Executive Director of the National Arts Education Association (NAEA). He had an exciting journey as an art teacher before joining the NAEA in January 2020, just before the world exploded. In this episode, we discuss his journey and experiences, but, most importantly, we discuss the direction of the NAEA and its priority as an organization.  02:08 - Mario talks about himself, his background, how he got into art education, his experience coordinating curriculum building for arts education, and teaching leadership through arts. 05:09 - Finding a role in art supervision and administration. 09:47 - Coordinating an arts program at the Central Office. 11:38 - Mario’s experience working in Chicago. 18:02 - Mario talks about his work with neighborhood art communities as the vice president for education at Kennedy Center. 20:55 -  How Mario got into the NAEA. 23:20 - The biggest challenge in art education. 27:55 - How strategy and welcoming decision-makers aid art education. 29:40 - How teachers can show the positive value proposition of art education. 32:40 - Resources for art teachers to learn art leadership. 34:22 - The challenge of policy and budget. 38:00 - How the events in 2020 affected Mario’s original vision for NAEA. 44:43 - The NAEA’s equity, diversity, and inclusion policy. 48:14 - Incorporating the ED&I framework into the continuous learning process. 50:37 - How to make space for inclusion and diversity. 52:40 - How a diverse approach to art learning improves art education. 55:20 - How the NAEA team responds to criticisms of the ED&I policy. 56:59 - What part of work is Mario currently excited about. 58:28 - The role of art-making in Mario’s life. 60:18 - Mario’s wall of art and drawing inspiration from them. 61:10 - The artwork that changed Mario’s life and how it aided a second-grade art class. Transcript at https://artclasscurator.com/82-state-of-art-education-mario-rossero/

Art Class Curator

The State of Art Education with Mario Rossero

* This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases and will be awarded a small commission at no extra cost to you in the event of a sale. * Positive moments in the classroom don’t just spring up out of nowhere. A well-run classroom makes teaching and learning fun for you and your students... something Michael Linsin has spent years studying, practicing, and offering in his guides on his website.  Michael was one of my first interviews on the podcast. It’s among my favorites, and I want to share it again. So in this re-released episode, he offers his amazing tips and insights on best practices for effective classroom management planning and forming relationships with your students, with a special focus on art classrooms. 2:19​ - Michael’s #1 tip for being a fun and effective teacher 4:56 - What makes a good classroom management plan and why consequences really don’t matter 7:17 - The most effective way to teach your students the classroom rules 10:30 - How art teachers can find a balance between teaching the rules and teaching the lessons 13:55 - Why you might want to ditch filling out reflection forms as a consequence 16:29 - One important thing that can make running an effective classroom a bit easier 19:36 - How you can still leverage relationship-building with your students even if you have hundreds to teach 22:39 - When to transition away from time-outs and effective consequences for older students 26:19 - Why Michael doesn’t recommend a rewards system for your classroom 30:05 - What you can do to encourage your students to develop a motivation to do the work 32:21 - Why you must follow-through on your classroom management plan Transcript at https://artclasscurator.com/art-classroom-management/

Making Your Classroom Management Easier and Effective with Michael Linsin

Guess who I have on as my guest today! Long-time listeners know that I love the Harry Potter and the Sacred Text podcast. One of the co-hosts, Vanessa Zoltan, has similar views about connecting with literature as I do with artwork. In this episode, she and I discuss her book Praying with Jane Eyre and how to use sacred text (or sacred art) as a tool to help you deal with some of life’s problems, do good in the world, and become a better person in the process. 2:24​ - Vanessa briefs us on her background in education and chaplaincy 4:46 - Vanessa explains why she loves Jane Eyre so much 8:15 - What it means for something to be sacred, according to Vanessa 10:22 - Exploring the idea of how treating text as sacred leads to treating your neighbor as sacred 16:35 - The gift Vanessa recently received while reading Jane Eyre that we can all heed 19:25 - A brief description of Vanessa’s book and why her chapter on destiny shook me so much 21:27 - How a recent controversy involving JK Rowling tested people’s capacity to separate art from the artist 26:05 - How problematic elements in Bronte’s Jane Eyre reflect a dark side of the U.S. 30:42 - How to find your own sacred text or art and work with it 36:02 - Why re-reading the same exact text can still produce a different experience every time 40:20 - The artwork that has changed Vanessa’s life for 20 years running Transcript at https://artclasscurator.com/81

Treating Text and Art as a Sacred Practice for Growth with Vanessa Zoltan

The percentage of U.S. students who graduate from high school has never been higher in our history. But have schools ever been structured, resourced, or intended to educate everybody’s child? During Jeffrey Benson’s time as a teacher, mentor, and administrator for over 40 years, he worked with neglected, abused, traumatized, and autistic students who struggled with mainstream education. He now focuses on helping schools be more successful with more students through a better understanding of how people learn. In this episode, he and I discuss social-emotional learning and how to use it to improve your lesson planning and boost your students’ engagement for greater success. 2:21​ - Jeffrey’s background and the unorthodox way his imagination helped him make lesson plans 7:18 - Exploring the meaningful question from Jeffrey’s webinar that I loved 11:26 - How Jeffrey defines social-emotional learning and its main characteristics 16:06 - So many examples of how Jeffrey would incorporate SEL into an art lesson 29:43 - The value of praising versus redirecting students in class 35:28 - Digging into the idea of positioning yourself as a learner while teaching 38:41 - Advice to help you be more intentional about adding SEL elements into your lesson plans 41:39 - Other simple ways you can intentionally put social-emotional learning at the forefront 45:55 - Jeffrey’s SEl recommendations for teachers 49:07 - The artwork that changed Jeffrey’s perspective on art Transcript at https://artclasscurator.com/80

Boost Student Engagement and Success with Social-Emotional Learning with Jeffrey Benson

We sometimes talk about using art to make a difference. And while some may be cynical about that claim, my guest today isn’t one of them. Dani Coke has an incredible story to share about how her art went viral overnight, made a difference, and really changed her life, and she explains her artistic process. As you listen to her describe her journey, you’ll get chills at the power of her art, just like I did! 2:01​ - Dani briefly explains her history as a lover of art and creativity 5:56 - Dani reveals the events behind her art going viral on social media 11:45 - Dealing with the duality of personal, empowering success under awful circumstances 16:34 - COVID and Asian hate as an example of Dani’s process for creating art with a message 20:42 - How Dani manages to avoid dealing with people nitpicking her over semantics 25:07 - The teacher with an assumption about Dani that almost put her off the art path for good 30:01 - The chorus teacher who encouraged Dani on her creative journey 32:48 - Advice for teachers who want to have difficult conversations with their students about race, gender, and privilege 39:29 - Using your sphere of influence to bring about change for causes that matter most to you 43:43 - Where Dani gets her creative inspiration from and some book recommendations from her 47:48 - The work of art that changed Dani’s life Transcript at https://artclasscurator.com/79

Art as a Powerful Gateway for Conversations About Race with Dani Coke

In the wake of the pandemic last year, I recorded a conference, Called to Art, that brought together educators from across the U.S. It was an amazing experience where I used real-world examples of myself to discuss what we learn from looking at art, how we can become emotionally connected to particular pieces of art, and why you should show more works of art to your students. It was all about discovering and rediscovering the emotional power of art, and I want to share that presentation with you in today’s show. 3:50​ - How I developed my deep connection to art 10:36 - Why I switched from art history to art education 14:02 - A question to think about as you listen to the rest of the episode 16:02 - What you get out of art when you really slow down and look at it 20:36 - Embracing uncertainty and answers within through artwork 23:47 - The surprising amount of emotional fluency of the average person 29:37 - An exercise to discover your emotional connections with art 36:25 - Examples of my powerful, personal connections with art 49:06 - Four areas where you can prime your students to have their own emotional art connections Transcript at https://artclasscurator.com/78

Rediscovering the Emotional and Personal Power of Art

The 20th anniversary of 9/11 is right around the corner. So many people, including your students, weren’t alive when it happened. That’s shocking when you think about it because of how it changed our world practically overnight and still influences current events. So in this episode, I want to use the 9/11 Memorial artwork as a case study for bringing past (and present) events into the classroom and using art to process, reflect, practice empathy, and better understand complex issues. 4:57​ - How the 9/11 monument lesson inspired one particularly creative junior high student 8:59 - How art serves as a way for students to experience history, past and present 13:12 - A description of the memorial, who created it, and what it feels like to view it in person 20:10 - One of the lesson activities provided for the monument and other activity ideas 23:01 - Various ways you can apply this lesson (and others available in the Library) to your classroom 26:01 - How incorporating lessons like this can help you in other ways Transcript at https://artclasscurator.com/77

Bringing the Past Into the Present: A 9/11 Memorial Artwork Case Study

Imagine that you’ve never experienced a whole lot of grief before. Then something devastating happens to you and leads to something beautiful. It happened to my guest today, Beryl Young. I’ve known her for several years, ever since I first started Art Class Curator at a blogger conference. Before working with teachers and schools on photography curriculum, she taught kindergarteners and 1st graders for 10 years. Listen as she shares the powerful story of how she started her photography business and how it’s evolved. 2:54​ - The painful incident that triggered Beryl's transition from photography hobbyist to entrepreneur 9:29 - How Beryl taught herself photography and what inspired her to create her first class 13:21 - How the pandemic served as a huge catalyst for Beryl to shift her business 21:04 - An overview of Beryl’s approach to the teentography curriculum 26:16 - Why Beryl focuses on making photography as accessible as possible 31:37 - Beryl discusses her teentography and kidtography kits 36:01 - The platform that changed Beryl’s life Transcript at https://artclasscurator.com/76

Pretty In Pictures: The Art and Business of Photography with Beryl Young

Art as a defensive weapon? It seems strange, but Pablo Picasso demonstrated its power in his painting Guernica. I’ve brought Jennifer Easterling back onto the show for another art conversation, and this time we discuss Picasso’s famous artwork. Both of us had strong gut reactions to it, so in this episode we talk about what it’s taught us and its importance in history. 1:47​ - Jenn recalls her reaction when she first laid eyes on Guernica  6:02 - I discuss my unexpected emotional experience seeing it in person  9:10 - Painting a picture of what this Picasso artwork looks like  14:20 - The diabolical history behind why Picasso created this painting 18:21 - Why we had such a strong reaction to seeing Guernica in person 21:48 - How the pandemic impacted Jenn’s connection with the artwork 25:18 - Legacy of the Jewish woman who secretly taught art to children in a concentration camp 33:06 - What I kept seeing in my mind when I went to view the painting 37:26 - Picasso’s ultimatum and Guernica’s lengthy journey from Paris to Spain 42:22 - Picasso’s view on symbolism in art 44:51 - Discussing the symbolism we see in his painting 48:08 - A difference I noticed in his drawings versus the final painting 54:08 - Picasso’s experimentation with the drawings 56:40 - How our husbands reacted to Guernica Transcript at https://artclasscurator.com/75

Why Picasso’s Guernica Paints Such a Powerfully Emotional Picture

Does the idea of writing a grant proposal intimidate you? Barbara Lardner is an art teacher who’s taught in multiple grade levels throughout elementary, middle, and high school for over 25 years. She also happens to be an expert at grant writing for the classroom. So in this episode, I’ve invited her on to share her experiences, tips, and best practices for how you can write a great grant proposal. 2:56​ - How Barbara was granted a trip to Paris 5:14 - Different types of grants offered and where to begin your search 8:54 - Crucial tips, steps, and goals to begin the grant writing proposal process 14:49 - One thing you might need (and shouldn’t put off) when writing your proposal 18:47 - Examples of vagueness, specificity, and clarity in proposal writing 22:49 - Why Barbara missed out on receiving an extra $2,000 for her school this year 24:39 - The kind of assessment requirements you need to follow after you get a grant 28:06 - Advice for making the grant writing process easier and less scary 31:11 - What to do before you finally submit your application 35:50 - Recap and more tips and best practices for writing your grant proposal 38:49 - Biggest piece of advice that gave Barbara the grant to attend graduate school 41:44 - What sparked Barbara’s interest in art as a 4-year-old Transcript at https://artclasscurator.com/74-getting-great-at-grant-proposal-writing/

Getting Great at Grant Proposal Writing with Barbara Lardner

What in the world is a SPARKwork? At Art Class Curator, we love to do things differently than what you’ll find anywhere else. Recently, I relaunched The Curated Connections Library with SPARKworks, a new name with new features for an established framework. In this episode, I walk you through what a SPARKwork lesson is, how to follow one step-by-step, and offer tips on how to use these sorts of lessons in your classroom. 3:21​ - Why The Curated Connections Library became more than just about art history 5:21 - Goals of the membership for teachers and their students 10:22 - What a SPARKwork is and where the name comes from 14:22 - SPARKwork step #1 and the 4 Cs to curate a good work of art for your lessons 19:48 - Leading your lesson with art discussion and the goal you should aim for 25:25 - How SPARKworks encourage student engagement and impress your administration 29:29 - Discussing ways to complete the 4th step in the framework 33:07 - New details and benefits of joining the recently relaunched membership 39:28 - Why becoming a member is a preventative self-care gift to yourself Transcript at https://artclasscurator.com/73-sparkworks-to-light-up-your-art-lessons/

What is a SPARKwork? Using SPARKworks to Light Up Your Art Lessons

Ever since I started Art Class Curator in 2014, I’ve heard a lot of teachers who haven’t tried our lessons tell me that their students can’t do them. They think the lessons are too high-level or their students won’t connect with the works of art. Oh how wrong they are! So today I want to dissolve the myth that your students can’t handle higher level thinking and gain a deeper connection with art in the classroom. 8:18​ - The only difference between age groups during art lessons 9:39 - One of the biggest fears of art teachers and why the worry isn’t necessary 14:32 - Why you shouldn’t underestimate your students’ ability to think critically 16:53 - How haiku and thinking like a math teacher can help you teach art 24:33 - Other ways we can help students engage with art lessons Transcript at https://artclasscurator.com/72

Destroying the Big Myth That Can Cause You to Underestimate Your Art Students

This year was one of, if not the hardest, for teachers in their entire career. Many reached a breaking point and decided to leave the classroom or retire early. And while it might be better going forward, everything isn’t fixed. The pandemic goes on, and teachers will still face many of the same worries as last year. The question to ask yourself in preparing for this year is, “How do I get the spark back and re-take power in my classroom?” So I decided to create an empowering program using our SPARK framework to help you do just that. Today the Reclaim Your Classroom free course begins, and in this episode I go through the program, giving you an overview of what you can expect after you join. 2:14​ - A quick overview of the 5 steps in the SPARK framework 5:32 - What to expect when you first sign up for the program 6:59 - How to take inventory of what’s going on with you right now 10:57 - The emotional exercise to expect on Day 2 and the tool that can help 14:52 - The simple, cool tool and method you’ll use for completing step 3 18:41 - Taking the A in SPARK and using it twice 20:39 - Bringing it all together for step 4 to start moving toward where you want to go 22:48 - What the K stands for this time and how to create your battle cry for this year 24:27 - Reading the manifesto I wrote for Art Class Curator Transcript at https://artclasscurator.com/71

Reclaim Your Classroom and Teaching Spark With Intention, Joy, and Purpose

The personal connection you have with works of arts--what it does for you and how you use it in your life--rubs off on your students too and impacts their lives and those around them. Author John Butler once said, “Art changes people and people change the world.” How? I did some research to discover what looking at art does for us as people and the countless ways art can change you. In this episode, I discuss how it benefits the broader spectrum of humanity physically, mentally, emotionally, and more. 5:38 - Hormonal and other health effects that just 30 minutes of art gazing has on your body 9:16 - How art rescued me during an emotionally vulnerable time on a week-long retreat 10:55 - How art alleviates feelings of isolation and increases empathy, tolerance, and compassion 18:56 - Why engaging with works of art makes you more insightful and creative 24:22 - Ways in which looking at art can transform and improve your thinking skills 29:32 - The impact of art connection on your relationships, communication, and emotion 31:46 - How seeing Picasso’s Guernica reflected in a real life event shifted my inner kaleidoscope 35:06 - Why yawns are contagious and what they have in common with looking at art Transcript at https://artclasscurator.com/70

The Countless Ways Art Can Change You and the World Through You

Jenn Easterling is back on the show today! She’s been in the classroom for 11 years teaching grades K-12 and has taught drawing, painting, and a little art history in her studio. Jenn joins me to talk about how learning and teaching art powers personal connection We also talk about some of the lessons offered at Art Class Curator as well as the fun, impactful insights and conversations those lessons sparked in our students and ourselves personally.  7:01​ - Jenn’s emotional perspective on teaching Art Class Curator lessons 10:23 - How teaching works of art fuels your personal connection 15:20 - Why using the same art work lessons for multiple grade levels still works 20:52 - How looking at artwork impacts students’ art creation in the classroom 24:52 - A lesson that bridged the gap between the art and the personal for Jenn’s students 34:58 - Why you don’t need to worry about bringing any works of art to your students 38:34 - What you’re not doing when you’re looking at and talking about a piece of art 40:22 - How students often have way more interesting interpretations of art than the official story 44:13 - Examples of fun lessons for Jenn’s students that also encouraged art connections across campus 49:19 - Ways that teaching art can instigate outside-the-box thinking Transcript at https://artclasscurator.com/69

How Learning and Teaching Art Powers Personal Connection with Jenn Easterling

This podcast is dedicated to empowering you to embrace teaching art with works of art. Each episode will dive deep into different aspects of teaching art - from passionate art teachers sharing their work, to mini trainings on art appreciation strategies that you can use in your classroom, to conversations about the highs and lows that come with being a teacher. Come back each week for an informative interview with an amazing art teacher!

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Art Class Curator

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