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Classroom management is knowledge-based; it is not something we instinctively know how to do. Dealing with extremely large numbers of students, their behavior, and organizing thousands of materials can be overwhelming for new teachers. We are here to help. You are not alone! We all experience similar issues in the classroom. Also, whether or not you agree with what is written, we value your feedback! Leave a comment or send an email to artteacherhelp4al@gmail.com.

"Managing the Art Classroom" was created to empower art teachers with the information needed to effectively manage their classrooms, thus enabling them to provide students with the best arts education possible. 

Studies show that students who have access to quality arts education have fewer discipline issues and lower drop-out rates, perform better on academic tests, and even have higher IQ scores! Recently, Dr. Tommy Bice, State Superintendent of Education in Alabama, made a statement that he found the common denominator of failing schools was a lack of arts courses offered.

Visual art teachers are more isolated than ever. 75% of art teachers in Alabama are the only art teacher at their school. Only 25% of us work with another art teacher at the same school, and there are at least 27 teachers in Alabama who are the ONLY art teacher in their ENTIRE school district. 

"A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back to back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." Ecclesiastes 4:12
  
It is so vital for the future of art education in Alabama (and everywhere) that art teachers work together to help one another survive and thrive!

THANK YOU to the art teachers all over the state who have responded to emails with great treasuries of wisdom! You can read their general advice in; "Letters To the New Art Teacher."

This website is constantly being updated, so check back often. It is our hope that you will find some tidbits of information that will help you in your teaching practice. 

Mrs. Shelly Bailey was the AAEA Alabama Elementary Art Educator of the year for 2013. She also holds a B.F.A. degree and M.ed. Shelly sponsored a huge art gala event each year to help fund her elementary art program at a large rural school. She also co-wrote a grant to fund an amazing arts integration program at her school. Shelly has 23 years of experience teaching elementary, middle, and high school art and currently is the Visual Art Supervisor serving art teachers in a large school district in central Alabama. 

Ms. Sharon Christman, retired after 25 years of teaching K-6 art, also teaches at the university level. She was the 2013 National Retired Art Educator of the Year, was National Board Certified in 2001, and co-chairs the Mentoring position on the AAEA Board of Directors. Sharon contracts in gifted ed. classrooms,  works at the Birmingham Museum of Art and holds Bachelors, Masters and EDS degrees in art education.

Mrs. Anna Nichols is the founder, editor, and web designer of  artteachershelpal.blogspot.com. She was the AAEA Alabama Middle School Art Educator of the year for 2013 (and 2018!) and currently co-chairs the mentoring position on the AAEA Board of Directors. She was awarded the AAEA Presidential Service Award in 2014. Also in 2014  she was honored with the Teacher of the Year award for her school and was one of the Top 5 District Secondary Teachers of the Year for Jefferson County. In 2008, Anna was awarded Second Mile Teacher for her school and was part of the curriculum writing team for the district's visual art program. She is entering her 20th year of teaching as a private Christian school art instructor serving PK-12th grade. 

Mrs. Jill Ritchey was awarded the NAEA Southeastern Art Educator of the Year for 2013. Also, she was honored with the Alabama Secondary Art Educator of the Year award for 2013. Jill has served as the Secondary Division Chair for AAEA from 2011-2014, and was a participant in the 2011 NAEA International Art Education Delegation to India. Jill served on the AAEA board as the National Art Honor Society representative and is the visual art instructor at a large central Alabama high school.

Notes:

We are very grateful to Ms. Lindsay Mouyal, Mr. Chris Screws, and to Mr. Tracy Wilhelm for their investment of time and for offering their expertise in answering questions throughout the first year of this project. We are also grateful to Mrs. Michelle Wilson as well as Mr. Olson Ross for their technological help in getting this website up and running. We also owe a debt of gratitude to Stacia Jacks and Christopher Anders for their support in this venture. 

Many thanks go to Mrs. Casey Williamson Gillespie for her efforts in supporting this project for 3 years as a writer, consultant, and mentor for the AAEA Mentoring Program. 

Thank you also to Mrs. Kristin Bloodworth, Mr. Larry Gibson, Mrs. Laura Mccants Reddick-Reichert, Mrs. Janice Cook,  Mr. Rodney Porterfield, Mrs. Natalie McKnight, Mrs. Kelly Whittington, Mrs. Tammie Clark, Ms. Linda Duffis, Mrs. Caroline McDonald, Mrs. Becky Guinn, Ms. Elizabeth Vaughn,  Mrs. Lauren Tucker Williams, Mrs. Gena Hoskey, Mrs. Pamela Jones Coffman, and Mrs. Lauren Fowler  for donating their time and expertise as mentors for the AAEA Mentoring Program. 

Finally, we owe the art teachers of Alabama many thanks for sharing their great treasuries of wisdom with us!

Email Survey Results (November 2013 - March 2014)

Below is a graph representing the most common concerns reported during my informal survey/study. I, Lindsay Mouyal, and my dad, Peter. E. Peters, emailed hundreds of (public) elementary, middle, and high school art teachers across the state of Alabama, asking what classroom management issue was number one in their classrooms. By far the common thread was in the area of students' work ethic. Many, many teachers reported having trouble motivating their students to work hard. 

To see more data about teaching art in Alabama, click on this link; "Art Teachers In Alabama."