I remember those special days when I taught art in a public school and  an administrator would come to "evaluate" my teaching. In some schools, the administrator would warn me, while in others, they would do a "surprise" visit. I also remember the area on the evaluation forms which listed  whether or not I had grown in the area of "school leadership" and/or "extra-curricular" participation. Fortunately, I always sponsored an after school program or club and received good marks in that area. Last year we presented several different ideas for creating or facilitating art related extra-curricular programs. If you work in a school that already has an art related program that is sponsored by another staff member, here is a list of three non-art related programs you could sponsor or participate in:

1. Academic Clubs
When I taught elementary art, I sponsored and coached students to participate in a math league called Academic Games. I competed in the league when I was an elementary student and was excited to be able to give back.

2. Chaperone
During my teaching experience, I volunteered to chaperone for trips, proms, dances, evening programs, etc...... My participation allowed me to connect more with other staff members and have fun with some of my students.

3. Attend Games/Competitions
While I taught high school, I attended football games to show support towards my students who were players and cheerleaders. It always made them feel special when they saw me in the stands.

We would love to hear your ideas about sponsoring other types of extra-curricular programs.
Please share them with us by commenting below

One of the challenges in teaching art for any grade level is to present engaging and exciting art history lessons. Sometimes the subject of art history can seem boring to students. When I began teaching art to elementary students, I introduced art history lessons through songs, stories, and artist prints. Once I began teaching on the secondary level, I decided to incorporate "art history Mondays" into my art curriculum. This allowed me to have a consistent reading and writing component in the art room. It also allowed me to focus on one artist each month. Every Monday, I would teach a lesson or facilitate an activity related to that specific artist.  Below is a list of four fun art history activities  I used in the classroom.

1. Artist Bingo
 Students of all ages love to play games.  We offer exciting bingo games featuring artists such as Charles White .

2. Word Search 
I used this activity after introducing the class to an artist and their work. This activity is a great way to keep students focused and quiet. We have several word search activities, including one that features Frida Kahlo.

3. Crossword Puzzles
Crossword puzzles are a fun but simple way to foster critical thinking. We offer several crossword activities featuring artists such as Beauford Delaney.

4. Art Jounalist
Our creative writing lessons feature a newspaper template in which students write a creative story about artists such as Augusta Savage.