Gearing up for Another Year

Artists Name: Samantha V.

School: Lakeview HS

In about a month, our classrooms will be filled with kids ready to dive into projects and materials. If you are anything like me, then you have been thinking about that for quite a bit of the summer and maybe have already had a few of those pre-school nightmares (you know the one where you end up with a class full of students revolting against your lesson or you run out of a needed material and no back-up plan).

Here are a few things that ease my stress when thinking about the new year:

1. Seating Charts - It is a simple thing that always does the trick for me when it comes to easing my stress over the start a new year. If you haven't checked out The Art of Education yet, you really should. In a recent post about seating charts, there are a list of great ideas for creating and organizing them. To add to their ideas, I would also include using sticky notes for student names on the charts (as shown here). This allows you to only have to write it once and simply pull it off the paper and re-stick it to a new location when changing seats. I always have my seating charts done before the first day and greet students at my door to introduce myself and tell them where their seats are located. If there is an issue with a seating arrangement, I can quickly pull the sticky note with the student's name and easily place it on a new spot on the chart.

2. Artsonia - I have been using this free online resource since 2007. I always try to get my classes organized before the new year with their rosters function and the fact that they allow kids to "graduate" into the next grade, makes that super simple. In addition to serving as a way for my students to share their work with the world, Artsonia does so much for helping raise funds for my classroom, supply ideas and tools for lesson planning, and documenting student growth. With the expectation of documenting student growth as a link to teacher evaluations, there's a lot of questions about how to do that in an art classroom. With Artsonia, documentation of growth is more manageable through the evidence of student artwork and accompanying artist statements. Artsonia has also added a lot of new features this year, as explained by Suzanne Tiedemann here.

3. Twitter - So, this is a new one that I am adding to my back-to-school regimen this year. I have been using this resource since Tricia Fuglestad urged me into it and I am so glad she did. I have been able to connect to teachers and artists from around the world that have enhanced my growth as a teacher. If you are on the fence about it, just check it out and see for yourself. Here is a post about how twitter is revolutionizing the concept of Professional Development and one specifically about how it works in #artsed.

What are some key things that help you get prepared for school and out of the pre-school jitters? What is a tool or trick that you cannot live without? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below.

Getting to the Core of Arts Standards

As the summer winds down and another school year starts, many of us are looking for new and engaging lessons that both capture our students' attentions as well as teach them valuable skills that they will use to grow as an artist and person. When I am developing lessons, I use many factors to determine artist, material, and subject being covered. I consider what is being taught in other content areas as discussed in this past post, I also consider the student population and what they are interested in learning through the use of Google Forms discussed in this past post, and I pour over the Michigan Content Standards and Benchmarks that can be found here.

Just as all subject areas are moving from various State level Standards and Benchmarks to the Common Core, the Arts are also being revamped through the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards. This group consists of teachers from various Arts disciplines who are working together to create "the Next Generation Arts Standards." In addition to including videos and documenting the progression of their work, the group is also looking for contributors to add to the discussion. You can find more information about this on their wiki as well as see that Michigan is being well represented in the Visual Arts group by 2012 NAEA Middle Level Teacher of the Year, September Buys.




Some pieces of information I found particularly helpful when looking through their site was the draft for the Overarching Framework as well as the Review of State Arts Standards. I highly recommend giving them a look if you are as interested in developing curriculum using outcomes as a guide via backwards design.

Even with these guides, the possibilities are endless as far as what and how we teach Visual Arts. It is hard to know what is the right way because there are so many different ways to do it. What are some things that you use to help guide you through the development of lessons? What lesson do you do each year that you feel is able to hit all of the marks both with content and artistry? If you have any helpful suggestions on how to create and execute lesson plans, please share below.

Lifelong Learning

Artists Name: Stella Lee
School: Northview High School

I recently engaged in a relatively short discussion with @wmchamberlain (one of many teachers I follow on twitter) about lifelong learning. The discussion started with a question he posed asking what people were learning over the summer and I responded by describing that I have spent the summer teaching myself how to sew (with the immense help of both youtube and books ordered from Amazon). He shared that he was experimenting with art making. I pointed to a website that I thought might help in his journey and he gave me some encouragement, too.

Even though the "conversation" lasted a few lines back and forth, it has got me thinking about the concept of lifelong learning and how we engage students in this. It also got me thinking about how I engage in my own learning and what motivates me to want to learn new things.

I have always had an interest in how things are made. It is one of the reasons I wanted to be an artist and it is also why I wanted to be an art teacher - I also enjoy teaching others how to make things. I have had a sewing machine since 2006, but did not start using it until about a year ago. Why did I not learn to sew earlier? It might be because inheriting the machine was the result of my mother-in-law's passing, it might be because I didn't want to pay for a class when I had other bills and monetary concerns to think about, but it was probably because I wasn't ready to learn how to do it yet.

You can lead a horse to water, right? Anyway, whatever the reason is for me not wanting to learn how to sew then doesn't matter now because I am engaged and interested and as a result have not only created things that I am proud of but have been able to share those creations with others.

As I reflected on my own process of learning (and the fact that a lot of it involved failure, frustration, retrying things, research on the internet, and some help from experienced experts), it got me thinking about my classroom and how I can infuse this experience there. If I want my students to experience learning the way I did then I need to create an environment where experimentation, investigation, and following interests are important. If I want students to be engaged, then I need to be open to the fact that they are all in different points in their learning careers and even though I may lead them to water, it is up to them to figure out when they are ready to drink... I also have to give myself a break (and my students, too) when they are not and realize that just because something doesn't work out once doesn't mean they (or I) should never try it again. The most important thing I will bring to my classroom from this experience is my story. I will share with my students how I learned to sew and how I taught myself by doing research, failing, taking risks, and finally achieving my goal.

There is a great lifelong learning opportunity coming up August 5-10 through the MAEA Summer Professional Development Institute. Today is the early registration deadline and if you have been putting off learning something because you weren't ready yet, hopefully you will take this opportunity to learn in a community of experts that will guide and encourage you along the way.

If you have a learning story from this summer, or have taken a workshop in previous Summer PDI's please share your story below.

Flipping Assessment

Over the course of the past year, there has been much discussion on flipping instruction, moving more resources online for students to access, and really changing the way teachers connect with kids through technology in the classroom. But what if we do more than just flip instruction? Recently I came across this tweet from a consulting firm that also applies to education:

Often times when teaching, we are putting on a performance that tries to engage students in new concepts, skills, and ways of thinking. Unfortunately, as dynamic as that performance may be sometimes just because we did it doesn't mean it reached all students. One idea I think is interesting in addressing this issue is the concept of flipping assessment. Instead of solely focusing on assessing students through projects, tests, and quizzes, turn the tables and have students assess how you are reaching them as a teacher.

This is something I have done informally on the last day of class so I can adjust and reflect on my performance as a teacher. Students write a response to the following: 1. What was something that I should change for next year? 2. What is something that should definitely stay the same?

Sometimes there are responses like "you shouldn't mark us down if we didn't bring in a project" or "you should let us sit with our friends all of the time" which is unlikely to be something that can always change, but often there are direct and pointed critiques of how lessons are taught and what could have been done differently to help them learn the topic more. It is also nice to receive the feedback on what went well. It helps you get an idea on what made the biggest impact on students and think about the circumstances surrounding the projects or lessons to make that so.

For my Digital Arts Camp, I tried a different approach. I used a Google Form to create a survey of why students participated in the camp, what they thought about the camp, and what could be done in future camps to make it a success. By using a Google Form, I am able to compile data and use that data to drive future decisions. This is a great tool to consider using in the beginning of the school year to create student interest inventories or types of learning styles. You could also use it throughout the school year to check in on student attitudes and feelings about the class. Because you can make responses anonymous, it allows students to freely divulge their opinions.

Google Form compiled responses to why students signed up for camp.

 What do you think about being assessed by your students? Do you already do something like this in your classroom and how has it changed your delivery of instruction? Please share all related insights in the comments below.

The Pink Slip Experience

Artists Name: Bhavna G.

School: Detroit Country Day

Spring time is the season of flowers blooming and chicks hatching; unfortunately, it can also be a time where the pink slips are arriving for hundreds of educators. I came across a couple of teachers this past week who were both pink slipped and it prompted me to think about my own experience and offer some advice to those of you who have found yourself in this situation.

I have had the privilege of being pink slipped three times in the course of a year. My first reaction was of course disappointment at the situation, but I was also kind of surprised that the form is not pink nor is it really a slip. Instead, each was a neatly typed letter using technical language to tell me that I was no longer going to be employed and that if the situation changed, I would be called back (which thankfully I was, each time).

It was a dark time, but also a time where I gained a lot of strength and insight about who I was as a teacher and person. It is often said that true character is revealed in times of trial, and the stress of being pink slipped without knowing if you are going to be able to do what you love where you have established a home and career can be a very stressing moment in a person's life.

With that said, here is my advice to anyone who is facing a pink slip:

1. Chances are you will be called back. I know it is not comforting to hear, especially from someone who has not been pink slipped, but with the technical details of No Child Left Behind, the switch to full-day Kindergarten, graduation requirements for students, and the fact that other content teachers need their prep-time, an Art teacher is a needed thing for schools and they will have to find someone to fill the requirements (chances are that is you). You may have been pink slipped simply due to the nature of the seniority list, which was the case in my situation.

2. If you have multiple endorsements, make sure to make yourself open to teaching them. I am certified in both Visual Arts and English. My first teaching job was actually more English than it was Art. Visual Arts is my first love and I am incredibly thankful that I get to do it full time, but I am also thankful that I have an option. If you do not have a second endorsement, consider getting one as a part of your continuing education that is required per MDE certification renewal. You might even be able to use credits from your undergraduate degree to go towards this. Here is a list of what classes can be taught with each certification.

3. Update your Resume, Portfolio and website, and put yourself out there. Although you would like to think that the school you have taught at will call you back because there is no way they could go on without you, sometimes it just doesn't work out that way. Now that you have experience under your belt, you will be able to use that to help get your next job. In each case of being pink slipped, my principal and other administrators readily wrote great letters of recommendation. Make sure to ask for those letters, and who knows, they might also be able to give you a lead based on their connections with other districts in your county. This website helped me keep up to date on what was available when I was looking for a job in Michigan.

4. Realize that it is not about you as a teacher or person, it is about a budget. You cannot control this; you can not take it personal. It is not your fault and you can only move forward. Chances are you became a teacher because you have a passion for the subject you are teaching and a caring heart for kids. I never hear any teacher say they do it for the money; you would not be able to go in each day and do what is required of a teacher if the only motivation was that. What charges me up and motivates me are those moments when a student reflects on a work they have created as "The best thing they have ever made..." or the moment when they hoot and holler over an artist they are excited to study. If that kind of stuff gets you going then know that you are a good teacher and being pink slipped is not the end of things for you.

I know that this can be a tough time, but realize you are not alone. If you have advice or a success story to share from your own pink slip experience, please post it below - all advice and success stories are welcome!

TEDxcellent!

what now

This is not so much a question or a theme, but a call to action from those presenters and participants at yesterday's TEDxGrandRapids event downtown and the Livestream for education at Forest Hills Fine Arts Center. The day was filled with thoughtful insight into ideas surrounding education, science, technology, social culture, and design. But more importantly within all of the speakers segments, it was really a discussion about the human condition and hopefulness for "being the change you want to see."

From highlighting contact lenses that offer the ability to transmit and receive data, to using game play as a way of discovering self, clothing made of the result of feasting bacteria, and how to love those around us, the speakers of TEDxGrandRapids offered the audience a chance to imagine the future and take part through initiatives like Community Xprize and TEDed.

One of the more emotional moments of the day included the story of Linda Ragsdale, a survivor of the 2008 attack in Mumbai. Although she was shot and witnessed the murder of friends around her, including a young girl she had promised to teach how to draw a dragon, Linda does not harbor hate for those who committed such acts; instead, she challenges all of us to come from a place of love and peace when encountering others. Her story of the dragon is one that looks to blast myths and misconceptions behind what it is; that the dragon is a symbol of peace, "whose spiky scales are revealed to show he is made of hearts; all hearts have a point, each point leads to a direction" and you have to be the one to answer "which way will you go?" She chooses the path of peace, and during her 3 days in Grand Rapids will have worked with over 11,000 students in a community art project called "The Peace Dragon Project" to encourage them to do the same. Linda is an incredible person who was warm and inviting to each person she spoke with during our breaks at the Fine Arts Center. She is a genuine example of peace personified.

There are plans to continue this Livestream for education next year and I encourage you to participate. There were quite a few Visual Arts Teachers there, and it was a great time to connect and talk with others outside of our discipline about collaborative projects. Have you ever been to a TED talk or have a favorite one to share? Please leave your insights and share your "what now" moment below.

Evidence of Existence

For this day of service and remembrance, many teachers and students went out into their communities and gave their time in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

When reading through Dr. King's words, the common theme of equality is there; moreover it seems there is a strong call to being recognized. The evidence of existence and having that recognized by others is a powerful force. When a group or person is ignored, they are forgotten and disenfranchised as a result.  

Art allows students to see evidence of their existence. We reaffirm this through displays, web galleries, and blogs. Art allows students to express their thoughts, feelings, and attitudes about the world around them. In a time where standardized testing is a focus, Art gives students a chance to take risks, be creative, and communicate ideas that might otherwise go unnoticed. 

Knowing that our classrooms can offer this special kind of situation for students, we have a lot of power on how to direct students' energies. In a recent post by 6th grade teacher Amanda Dykes, she examines her classroom through a metaphorical comparison between Pinterest and Fail websites (specifically Cake Wreck). Her hope is like many of ours; when we walk through our classrooms we want it to be a Pinterest of things that are celebrating and engaging students, recognizing their talents and encouraging them to take risks. We do not want the fear of failure to paralyze them to stay in a box predefined by someone else.

In this day of discussing hopes and dreams, share in the dreams of Illinois Teacher of the Year and Social Studies teacher, Josh Stumpenhorst. I, too, dream of a day when students will be able to focus on their passions and be recognized for the content of their character rather than a score on a sheet of paper.

Evidence of Existence -- Holland, MI

Blogging into a New Year

To blog or not to blog, that is the question. Or is it? Maybe the question should be, "When are you going to start a blog?"

Over the past few years, blogs have become a much needed place for people to vent (Art Teachers Hate Glitter), share (The Teaching Palette), and gather information from others. For educators, blogging can be used as a reflective writing tool that documents educational thought processes in the classroom. This can give great insight into the success you might have had with a particular lesson or student. It can also serve as a tool to work through moments that were less than stellar.

In the e-book "Reflective Writing: A Way to Lifelong Teacher Learning," this concept is explored. It explains that "effective teaching depends upon thinking, reflecting, and evaluating;" when we write about our experiences in the classroom, all three of those criteria are being met (Burton, pg. 7). If we blog about them, we also open ourselves to the opportunity to hear feedback from others.

One educator recently recognized in this year's Edublog Awards for Best Teacher Blog is New Jersey Art Teacher Suzanne Tiedemann. Her blog focuses on the happenings in her Elementary Art classroom and helps organize and direct readers to posts about specific projects in the classroom as well as various resources to highlight student work or encourage new production. Suzanne was kind enough to answer the following questions about her blog to be highlighted in this post:

Interview Q&A with Suzanne Tiedemann

 Q. What were some of the reasons you decided to start your blog (when did you start it, what did your district/school/community think)?

A. A few years ago, I created and managed a website using iWeb. It had mostly everything that my Brunswick Acres Art Website has, but it was missing a blog.  The reason for this was because my district policies at the time stated that teachers could only post student content to district hosted websites.  Over the course of a few years, I had numerous discussions with tech leaders and administrators expressing my desire to update our policies so that we could open the doors to allow teachers and students to utilize 21^st century tools to connect, collaborate, and create on a global scale.  During this time period, I shared the many success stories that other teachers were experiencing due to their ability to upload student content to public websites such as YouTube, Vimeo, teacher created websites, and more. I watched students of PS22 School in Staten Island New York collaborate and record music with celebrities and then sing with their choir at the Grammy’s because of the recognition they received on YouTube. I saw artists of Dryden Elementary being recognized on a global scale winning awards for their art movies that their incredible art teacher, Tricia Fuglestad had uploaded to Vimeo.  I noticed that teachers were receiving funding for special projects they had written grant proposals for on sites such as DonorsChoose.org, where photos of students were required as a part of the process.  It was so inspiring to watch so many wonderful things happen for other teachers and students, which is why I continued with my efforts to promote change in my district. 

I am fortunate to work with very talented and supportive tech leaders and administrators.  My supervisor reached out to me just before the end of the school year last year to inform me that she and her team were going to be meeting with a lawyer to update our web and media policies.  My input was valued throughout the process and the new policies were in place just before the start of the school year.  I began creating the Brunswick Acres Art Website, featuring a blog, as soon as I learned that the policies were in fact going to change.  http://bit.ly/pcTW5D

 

My administrators, colleagues, students, and families have shared that they enjoy my blog.  They like seeing videos of students working in the art room, reading about the learning that is taking place, and being kept in the loop with the exciting things that have been happening for our art program.  Each week I share a link to my blog with my principal and he adds it to our online Friday Folder that is sent home to parents via email. 

Q. How has blogging changed the way you work in your classroom?

A. Often I have my blog up on the Smartboard when students enter.  I try to use our website as a home base or starting point so that they will learn to do the same on their own.  When we view my student’s artwork in their Artsonia online galleries, or when we view Vimeo videos featuring students, we open these pages through my blog.  The idea is for them to learn to access the B.A. Art Website from home as well as in the art room so that they can independently access our news, videos, online galleries, and more.  

I like to kick off my class by sharing content from our blog when possible.   It is important for my students to know how much I value their work, as well as what others might say about what we are doing.  Some students have even started to add their own comments to our blog too.  We have a ClustrMap widget in the sidebar of our blog and many ooohs and ahhhhs can be heard in the art room when we click on the map to view the locations of the visitors who have been viewing our blog.  As of today, we have had visitors from 49 states and 45 countries.    http://bit.ly/t4Qgdl   I believe that many students are more driven and excited to do their best work when they know that the world is watching.  Sharing is a very important part of being an artist.  

Though my students and I have used our Flip Video and digital cameras in the past, our videos and photos lived on one computer in the art room.  Now, our new district policies enable us to share with the world on our blog, so we are shooting videos and taking photos more often.  This has been such a game changer for us. I was able to apply for and was awarded a DonorsChoose.org grant for digital iPad styluses http://bit.ly/rcczTn  . The required photos of students using the styluses will be featured on my blog soon.  A donor who wished to remain anonymous donated two iPad 2’s to my students and I after following our work, and I also just recently received a grant for two more iPad2’s from the South Brunswick Education Foundation after submitting a grant where I added links to student work and photos on my blog to support my goals for the proposal.  Recently, my blog won a 2011 Edublog Award for “Best Teacher Blog”.   Blogging has helped me to acquire new equipment for my students as well as set new goals that were not possible before.

One of the most exciting things that blogging has done for my students and me is that we are able to explore 21^st century learning in ways that we have never been able to do in the past.  Now that I know I can post student videos and more to my blog, students are able to be more engaged using technology in richer and more meaningful ways. My 5^th graders worked in teams, pretending to be app developers this year. They designed apps that they felt the world could use, wrote about app features, and designed logos. I shared my student’s work by sending a link to their galleries to a real app developer named James Alliban who lives in London.  Mr. Alliban invented a few apps that my students had used in the art room in the past such as “Composite” and “Konstruct” ( links to student work using these apps  http://bit.ly/nb4wd7 and   http://bit.ly/fkaeoP ), and I had been sharing our work with him over the course of a year or so.  Mr. Alliban was so kind in agreeing to participate in a Skype video call with us.  My students asked him questions and were able to hear all about what it takes to be an app developer.  Mr. Alliban also gave my students feedback regarding the apps that they had created.  It was pretty incredible to watch them interacting with Mr. Alliban (us in New Jersey and him in London) in such a significant conversation.  Students took video footage of the Skype chat, which I edited and uploaded to our blog.  The conversation in itself was thrilling.  Being able to share the video on our blog gave families, colleagues, and others the opportunity to learn from Mr. Alliban too (link to blog articles http://bit.ly/rti4qE  )

My students have also been able to connect with other students right within our own district through videos.  They shot videos of themselves asking questions to student artists from Greenbrook Elementary School about their artwork.  I uploaded my student’s video to my Vimeo channel and sent it to Mrs. Kipnis, the art teacher at Greenbrook School.  She shared the video and then had her student’s create a reply video.  Both of these videos will soon be featured on my blog, and it will be the first time that students in our classes have been able to connect and learn from each other using technology.  Being able to share the content my students create compels me to want to design more opportunities like this for them.

Q. What are some tips you would give to teachers who are looking to start a blog?

A. Honoring parental consent and abiding by district legal protocol is very important.  The first thing I would recommend that teachers do is review their district’s web and media policies.  Before posting any student content, legal documents should include language that clearly states that teachers may upload student work, photos, videos, etc. with parent consent.  If teachers discover that their policies are preventing them from creating a blog, I would encourage them to do as I did and start by talking to technology leaders and administrators about how beneficial it could be for students, teachers, the school and district to utilize these 21^st century tools.  Here is a link to my district’s updated policies http://bit.ly/s5Wdop

When I started my blog, I researched other blogs.  So many people have incredible layouts, cool widgets, and are wonderful at creating engaging features.  I learned a lot by looking at what others are doing and would definitely suggest learning from others too. 

It is very important that teachers share their blog posts.  I would suggest that teachers share with their administrators and school families by adding links to blog posts in school newsletters and online with people in their PLN’s (Professional Learning Network) and read their blogs as well.  If teachers have not created a PLN for themselves, I would suggest doing so by joining social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, Ning sites, Google+ and more.  

Q. What are some goals you have now that you have won recognition for your work?

A. Though my blog has won an award, blogging is still very new to me and I have a lot to learn.  I plan on continuing to use my blog as a communicative tool to advocate for my students and the arts, reaching my community and beyond.  I also would like to design new and innovative ways for my students to become more engaged with the blog.  Another goal is to try to find more time to read and comment on the many incredible blogs that the people in my PLN have created.  They inspire me to be better and provide me with such insight. 

Q. What are some must use web tools for your classroom? Why?

A. Since this interview is about my blog, I should probably start by mentioning Weebly.com as a valuable web tool.  My blog is hosted by Weebly.  It is free and offers a lot of great layouts and features.  http://bit.ly/pcTW5D

• Artsonia.com is the world’s largest online child’s art museum.  I have been participating with Artsonia for about 10 years and find it to be very rewarding. Students have a great deal of pride when their work is published. They enjoy getting comments from viewers who support their efforts.  Students write artist reflective artist statements about their work during class and/or at home.  Many students purchase keepsakes featuring their artwork and 15% of all purchases is donated back to my art program to purchase more art materials and equipment.   http://bit.ly/18D5W5

• Twitter has been an amazing professional development tool for me.  Connecting with other art teachers, artists, and others has enabled me to collaborate with inspiring people who are also looking to learn and stay current with modern technologies as well as develop new and innovative ways to inspire our students through art.  http://bit.ly/v0xSL7

• Vimeo! I upload my student’s videos to our Vimeo channel and can easily embed the videos to our blog.  http://bit.ly/pFlnY7    We also enjoy infusing the award winning videos created by Mrs. Tricia Fuglestad and her students at Dryden Elementary into my art lessons.  See “Fugleflicks” on Vimeo here http://bit.ly/hBtlzi

• Animoto is a free video slideshow maker.  Within minutes, teachers and students can create slideshows with music that look very professional.  Teachers should apply for the free educators Animoto Plus account so that they can create unlimited videos that are longer than 30 seconds http://bit.ly/MVo5

• DropBox is a tool that I could not imagine living without.  I use it every day at school.  I take photos of student’s work using my iPhone and add them to my dropbox folder wirelessly so that I can access the files at any time from all of my computers and devices so that I can upload them to student online galleries.  Students can save their work to our DropBox folders when creating on the iPad too.  I also use DropBox as a sharing tool to share files with other teachers.  http://db.tt/de4U1Zp

• Flickr!  I created a Flickr Collection titled “Apps for Art Ed”.  Students like to refer to this gallery when they are looking for art apps to add to their devices.  It is also a great resource that I and other art teachers can refer to.   http://bit.ly/iyTjv8

• ArtEd2.0ning has been a wonderful place to connect, learn and share content with other art educators.  http://bit.ly/PdnGc

• Wikispaces is great.  I particularly enjoyed using Wikispaces as a collaborative tool with two other art teachers to document our findings for a presentation we are going to be giving at the upcoming NAEA Conference this year.  We do not live near each other, so our wiki provided a place for us to do plan.  http://bit.ly/qcsjGn

• ClustrMap has been very exciting for us this year.  Students like to track the locations of the visitors who have been viewing our blog.  http://bit.ly/t4Qgdl

• Pinterest is a fabulous visual bookmarking tool!  I enjoy seeing photos of content that my contacts and I have pinned and added to our boards.  http://bit.ly/vff1K6

• Quiz Revolution is a fun way to create online quizzes for students.  Students in 4^th grade brush up for their art assessment test using an online quiz that I created for them.  http://bit.ly/w4pMAB

• Here are links to my old and new pages featuring engaging art websites for students    http://bit.ly/w2obmW  and http://bit.ly/vtAbEC

In addition to web tools, I often refer to The Teaching Palette blog by Theresa McGee and Hillary Anrlik    http://bit.ly/tyVkP    and to the Dryden Art Fugleblog by Tricia Fuglestad   http://bit.ly/n8jCnp .  They are excellent award winning resources created by innovative and forward thinking art teachers and advocates.

Before blogging about your classroom it is important to consider your school district's policies concerning technology. What you write on the internet is forever. When reflecting on your classroom or posting about students, it is important to keep that in mind. Also, when posting images of students, you want to make sure you have parent/guardian permission to do so. Most districts have forms for parents/guardians to sign and in many cases it will also work for your blog or website as well. Here are some other considerations and sound pieces of advice about blogging from Lee Kolbert in her recent post, "Some things I know about Blogging."

We want to hear from you! If you blog about art, education, or both, please share any tips or tools you use and post your site and advice below.