As an art teacher, it’s your job to develop and nurture a student’s creative side, assist with bringing more dimension and understanding to core subjects like math and science and help students express their individuality. That’s much easier done when you yourself are bright-eyed and bushy-tailed about the prospect of creation, right?
Well, there’s no easier way to keep your artistic spirit up in the classroom than to engage in fun, creative projects of your own over the school break. If you’re looking for a way to refresh your artistic side, try these awesome tips for staying passionate about art.
Doodle Like a Madman (Or Madwoman)
Nothing gets the creative juices going like Zentangle. There’s really nothing quite like the meditative effects of Zentangle, allowing you to clear your mind while engaging in meditative art. It really fosters self-expression and there are no rules! Adult coloring also does the trick, and there are tons of adult coloring books available these days.
Try Breaking a Few Rules
True geniuses know how to break the rules. It was Picasso who said “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist,” and that’s never more true than when you’re an art teacher. You’re teaching kids the basics of art, so you need to know the rules, but even more important is fostering an acceptance of breaking those rules. This is how you’ll teach kids to find their true artistic natures, so first experiment with it yourself. Mix untraditional media. Cut something up and put it back together in non-traditional, unexpected ways. Use words inside your pictures. Make art your own by breaking rules, pushing the limits and turning art on its ear.
Explore New Media or Techniques
Knowing the widest possible range of art education techniques will help help you be the strongest teacher you can, so it helps to constantly explore new areas. If you are stronger in some techniques (painting, drawing) than others (found sculpture, papier mâché), then experiment with these new spheres. Doing so will help you understand various art forms as well as how to combine them meaningfully.
Indulge in a Favorite Hobby
Spending time on a hobby you love can really help you recharge. Although it might seem like nontraditional advice, keep in mind that this hobby doesn’t necessarily need to be artistic in nature. Sometimes a non-artsy pursuit – hiking in the great outdoors, volunteering in your community, cleaning and organizing your art supplies at home, or playing tourist in your own city – can help with finding creativity even more than making art itself.
Next time you’re looking for rejuvenation tips to keep you in the right mood for teaching your students, try the ones above. They’ll nurture your inherent creativity, align your core artistic passions and help you bring your natural enthusiasm for art into the classroom.
How about you? What do you do to stay creative during school breaks?
