Art Ed Radio

In this October mailbag episode of Art Ed Radio, host Tim Bogatz welcomes back Amanda Heyn for an honest and practical conversation about the challenges art teachers are facing this fall. After a long introduction and some great introductions (skip to about 14:45 if you just want the mailbag), Tim and Amanda answer listener questions about back-to-back elementary art classes, advocating for a more workable schedule, protecting time for cleanup and preparation, and finding realistic ways to make a required curriculum more meaningful for students. The conversation also explores whether teachers can (or should!) continue a personal art practice when their work may be considered controversial, and why educators deserve grace when their energy changes throughout the school day. Resources and Links Come join the Art of Ed Community! Check out the AOE YouTube Channel Balancing Structure and Choice in Your Curriculum Making the Most of Every Minute

On this episode of Art Ed Radio, host Tim Bogatz goes solo with a mini-mailbag to answer listener questions from art teachers navigating the start of the school year. He shares practical advice for getting one challenging class back on track, creating shorter and more effective demonstrations, spending grant money with purpose, recognizing and responding to burnout, and becoming more organized without changing your personality.   Resources and Links Come join the Art of Ed Community! Run the Art Room: Classroom Management Resources Everything You Need to Know About Classroom Management in the Art Room How to Move on From Burnout (Ep. 009) 8 Things to Do When Teaching Is Taking a Toll on You Practical, Not Perfect: Organization Tips for the Disorganized Art Teacher

On this episode of Art Ed Radio, host Tim Bogatz welcomes back Jen Leban from the AOE Community for a conversation about engaging parents, caregivers, and families in the art room. Jen shares how art teachers can move beyond asking for supplies and begin building partnerships that support advocacy, visibility, volunteering, and community connection.   Tim and Jen also discuss simple ways to share the story of your art program, including using school social media, connecting with families where they already communicate, inviting parents to share their arts-related careers, and finding manageable volunteer opportunities. They also explore family art nights, art shows, school beautification projects, art clubs, fundraising, and how to determine which ideas fit your teaching context and capacity. Resources and Links Come join the Art of Ed Community! See the Community's September Giveaway! Watch the episode of Art Club Unlocked that Jen mentioned Picture Perfect Parent Involvement From The First Day of School Small Acts for Big Advocacy: 5 Simple Ways to Share Your Program 6 Steps to Communicate With Stakeholders to Benefit Your Art Program

On this episode of Art Ed Radio, host Tim Bogatz talks with Angela Matsuoka, a K–12 curriculum designer at The Art of Ed, about the new FLEX Digital Art I and Digital Art II curricula. Angela explains how FLEX curricula help teachers sequence lessons, build skills over time, and create cohesive learning experiences without taking away teacher flexibility or student choice. Together, Tim and Angela explore digital drawing, photo editing, graphic design, AR, and other tools, while still making space for student choice and voice. Angela also shares why teachers should begin with the artistic goal (rather than the technology) and how students can use digital tools to communicate ideas, solve problems, and make intentional choices. The conversation also examines AI, authorship, originality, bias, misinformation, and the role art educators can play in helping students become thoughtful, creative, and critical users of technology. Resources and Links Come join the Art of Ed Community! See the Community's September Giveaway! Take a look at AOE's FLEX Curriculum Explore the Digital Art I and Digital Art II curricula Discussing Digital Art and Technology What Can Technology-Enhanced Learning Look Like in the Art Room?

The beginning of the school year is the perfect time to slow down, build trust, and establish the routines that make a creative classroom thrive. In this episode of Art Ed Radio, host Tim Bogatz welcomes Janet Taylor back to the show to share practical beginning-of-year challenges, from personalized name tags and paper wearables to handmade sketchbooks, collaborative design prompts, and low-risk material explorations. They also zoom out to explore the bigger purpose behind these strategies. By giving students structured opportunities to collaborate, problem-solve, document their work, ask for help, and learn from failure, teachers can build a supportive studio environment where students take creative risks and help one another.  Resources and Links Learn more about the Art Ed NOW Conference! Come join the Art of Ed Community! Follow Janet on Instagram Strategies for Starting the Year (Ep. 431) Create Art on Day One With This Fool-Proof Lesson 5 Ideas to Revitalize Your Teaching Practice for the Year Ahead