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Montessori Art The Essential Elementary Guide – Second Plane 6-12

by Spramani Elaun

Are you eager to teach your students Montessori art lessons, yet uncertain about where to begin or what constitutes quality art instruction?

Ready to dive into the world of elementary art?

Spramani Elaun, an author, International Montessori Art Trainer, and art curriculum developer, is here to guide you. With her sensory art method and expertise as the founder of Nature of Art® art school , she has empowered tens of thousands of students to explore painting and drawing.

With the world wide web and social media saturated with Montessori art projects, many guides find themselves at a loss.

Which Montessori art lessons should take precedence?

How do you select the right mediums?

Do you need to be an artist yourself to lead art lessons effectively?

A Primer for Montessori Guides

Montessori Art –The Essential Elementary Guide – Second Plane 6-12

About this book:

This comprehensive guide offers clear, concise, and practical insights on establishing an art program tailored for elementary-aged children in the Montessori environment. Designed as an essential reference for Montessorians, it provides guidance, instructions, tips, and best practices in a structured and accessible format.

Delving into key visual art concepts, the optimal sequence of essential steps, and valuable insights accumulated over Spramani’s three decades of experience, this book offers actionable advice aimed at supporting beginner teachers and parents alike.

By simplifying intricate ideas surrounding art lessons and subjects, addressing common questions, and tackling challenges head-on, this guide empowers Montessorians with the knowledge and resources necessary to excel as an art facilitator.

This Essential Second Plane 6-12 art guide will:

  • Cover the essential visual art standards
  • Identify foundational building blocks and key initial lessons
  • Show you how to select suitable art materials
  • How to set-up art environments
  • Set up a proper Montessori art shelf effectively
  • Learn what art elements should be taught in elementary grades
  • Master Effective Teacher Management
  • Implement optimal art routines
  • Create Engaging and Meaningful Art Projects
  • Understand the Benefits of Integrating Art into the Montessori Curriculum
  • Foster Positive Art Dialogue and Encouragement
  • Receive guidance on crafting comprehensive art lesson plans

This book caters to Montessori teachers, art instructors, and homeschooling parents, equipping them with the knowledge and tools needed to excel in teaching art. By the end of this read, you’ll feel more confident and prepared to create a meaningful art program for elementary students.

Spramani shares foundational principles and practical examples drawn from her extensive 30 years of hands-on teaching experience. Her systems and processes streamline the art instruction process, making teaching art to children a rewarding and structured endeavor.

Embrace the vivid color pictures, rich examples, and insightful stories woven throughout this book to gain the confidence and support you need on your artistic teaching journey.

About the Author

Spramani Elaun is an author and art curriculum developer from San Diego California. She is a homeschooling mom, art teacher with a science art methodology. Her success is led by observations and real-life practice of how children cognitively and sensorially process art over twenty years. She is the founder of Nature of Art® Art school & Art supply company, Art Teaching Blueprint Montessori Certification Training Program. Spramani holds degrees in Graphic Design, Digital Media Design, Visual Communications, Print Media, and Fine Arts.

All Rights Reserved, © Spramani Elaun 2024

Other Books by Spramani Elaun

Montessori Art: Early Childhood Art Guide – Visual Arts Guide For Teaching 13 month olds – 6 years

Montessori Art – Esseintal Art Guide for Secondary 6-12 years

Early Childhood Art: Visual Arts Teaching Guide For 13 Months – 6 Years Old

Defining Visual Arts: Children’s standards for arts education, using the language of artist

Kids Color Theory: Contemparay color mixing guide with pigmented colorants for children.

Kids Painting: Teach young kids how to paint, materials & set-up guide

Clay Play: The natural art method that aligns with a child’s growth.

Nurturing Children in the Visual Arts Naturally

Introducing Visual Arts to The Montessori Classrooms: The natural art method that aligns with a child’s growth

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Montessori – Using Visual Arts to Support Language Development

By Spramani Elaun

Montessori - Using Visual Arts to Support Language Development

In today’s Montessori classrooms, students often miss out on opportunities to express their thoughts and emotions about artworks. However, your classroom can be an exceptional environment for empowering students to develop critical thinking skills and proficiency in the language of art. By encouraging students to engage in open discussions and reflective exercises, you can enhance their communication skills and foster a deeper understanding of art while also meeting art standards. Emphasizing the importance of self-expression and thoughtful analysis creates a nurturing space to support language development.

When we look at art, we usually focus on what we see. But it’s also important to talk about art with friends, family, and teachers. As art teachers, we can help students understand how different elements of art fit together. This means they can learn words to describe their own artwork, like colors and textures. For example, they might say, “I used light blue in the background of my picture and made wavy lines to show clouds.” By using these special art words, students can explain their choices and practice language development.

Montessori - Using Visual Arts to Support Language Development, Art Lessons For Teachers

Art language includes specialized vocabulary for discussing art, such as elements like colors, shapes, lines, and the emotions evoked by artworks. Teaching art language in the classroom provides students with a valuable tool for expressing their thoughts and ideas more effectively. Engaging students in discussions about art not only enhances their ability to communicate but also fosters their overall language development. Through the exploration and use of art terminology, students can expand their expressive capabilities, broaden their understanding of artistic concepts, and develop a deeper appreciation for the power of language in the realm of art.

Using the language of Visual Arts can also have a profound impact on brain development! When children create art, their brains are buzzing with neural activity. Not only have neuroscientists, science researchers, and art therapists recognized the correlation between early childhood art and brainpower, but my own two decades of studio-based observations have reaffirmed these findings. Through art, children have the opportunity to enhance their cognitive abilities and bolster their brain function. By encouraging and supporting their artistic endeavors, we can simultaneously nurture their intellectual growth and language development. Art truly has the power to shape young minds in remarkable ways!

How to Get Started Teaching Visual Art Language:

If you’re looking to enhance your art education skills, my book “Defining Visual Arts” is a must-have resource. This book is specifically designed to provide a solid foundation in art literacy. Inside its pages, you’ll discover valuable insights, including:

  • The true meaning of art literacy
  • How to align with art standards
  • The connection between artist language and teaching children
  • Suitable art projects for different age groups
  • Recommended art mediums for children
  • The intricacies of teaching artist techniques
  • The importance of spatial understanding in the visual arts
  • A comprehensive understanding of the artistic process

[Order the book online HERE]

All rights reserved © 2023, Nature of Art®

No part of this blog may be used or be reproduced in any manner whatsoever including reproducing, publishing, performing, and making any adaptions of the work – including translation into another foreign language without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Nature of Art® Publishing P.O. Box 443 Solana Beach, California 92075.

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10 Fun Big Bang Art To Share With Your Montessori Students

By Spramani Elaun

Fun Big Bang Art To Share With Your Montessori Students, spramani art album

As a Montessori teacher, you know it can be overwhelming to choose the best art activities for your students. That’s why I’m here with some guidance on which Montessori art activities for Big Bang lessons are most appropriate for your classroom.

Art activities related to the Big Bang are some of my favorites to teach. They allow children to explore their imaginations and get creative in a concrete, meaningful way. From drawing explosions to painting supernovas, students can visualize and understand such a big concept.

Integrating art with science helps kids express ideas creatively, stimulates their senses and provides tactile experiences. And when it comes to teaching the universe’s and the Big Bang, there is no shortage of art inspiration.

To get started, take a look at some of your books for visual inspiration. One of my favorites is “Born With a Bang: The Universe Tells Our Cosmic Story” by Jennifer Morgan. The illustrations are sure to inspire your students to create.

And for more ideas, download my top 5 Montessori Big Bang Art Activities. These activities can easily be adjusted to fit early childhood, lower elementary, or upper elementary classrooms. Click here to get started!

The Big Bang Theory is a fascinating science topic that Montessori teachers can incorporate into their art projects to make the learning experience interactive and fun. Below are ten art projects that Montessori teachers can use to teach elementary kids about the Big Bang Theory.

10 Fun Big Bang Art

1. Create a Cosmic Painting: Take your students on a journey through the universe with a cosmic painting activity. Discuss the Big Bang and the creation of the universe with your students, then have them create a painting depicting the birth of the universe.

2. Constellations: Give your students a chance to create their own constellations using paint or clay. Educate them on how the Big Bang gave birth to stars and how stars are the building blocks of constellations.

3. Paper Mache Planets: Introduce the concept of planets and solar systems by having your students make paper mache planets. You can use this opportunity to discuss the origins of planets and how they were formed following the Big Bang.

4. Galaxy in a Bottle: Encourage your students to learn about galaxies by creating a galaxy in a bottle. This can be a great way to explore the vastness of space and how galaxies form after the Big Bang.

5. Moon Phases Art: Discuss the moon phases and how they are caused by the changing position of the moon. Have your students create art that depicts the different phases of the moon using paint or chalk.

6. Starry Night Sky: Teach your students about stars by creating a starry night sky mural. This activity can help them learn about the different types of stars and how they are formed.

7. Cosmic Collage: Give your students an opportunity to create a cosmic collage by cutting out pictures of planets, stars, and galaxies from magazines and newspapers. Discuss the Big Bang and how all these celestial bodies came into existence.

Big Bang Art Montessori

8. Sun Catchers: Discuss the origins of our solar system’s star, the sun, and have your students create sun catchers using colorful tissue paper. This can be a great way to explore the different colors of the sun and how they are visible to us.

9. Universe Mobile: Make a universe mobile to showcase the Big Bang and the creation of our universe. Students can create planets, stars, and galaxies to hang from the mobile.

10. Astronaut Art: Discuss space travel and astronauts’ role in exploring space. Let your students create astronaut art that depicts them exploring the galaxies and space beyond, giving them a glimpse into the vast universe beyond our planet.

By incorporating these art projects into your Montessori lessons, your students can learn about the Big Bang Theory and explore the vastness of space in a fun and interactive way.

Montessori Art Activities | Big Bang Art Lessons
montessori art curriculum

Order my Montessori Art Books & Curriculum HERE

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Montessori Art Routines & Art Language Part 2.

Art Routines

Last week I started a series on the topic of art routines Part 1. By having routines in place you can stop chaos during art sessions. Having these routines in place has helped me in classroom management.

  • Art Smocks
  • Art Material Set-up
  • Art Language

Continuing on this topic I’m sharing my insights on art talk & the artist language we teach. If you are not familiar with what art language means, it’s how we describe artworks and our process. It’s art’s own language. You can learn more by reading these books Defining Visual Arts, or Early Childhood Art Guide.

Montessori Art Routines & Art Language Part 2.

Art literacy is not only about making art, but also teaching students how to communicate. Keep in mind I’ve been teaching children for over 30 years. These routines and expectations came together over a long period of time. So it will take time for you to practice.

Over the years I’ve had my share of students disrupting my art classes. At some point I reflected on the times I spent in fine art studios working with other artists. I wanted my teaching sessions with kids to have that same feeling of expressive openness. So I came to the conclusion that my role was not just to show them how to make art, but also how to behave and talk like an artist. I created fine art studio behavior models (art expectations).

  • Only communicate in art language
  • No negative peer critiquing
  • Observe like an Artist
  • Reading Instead of Disturbing

As a now roaming art specials visiting classrooms across the county, I use these with all ages from 3 – 12 years.

Only communicate in art language

This means you are talking about your art, your art process, or helping someone with their art. Not what you are eating for lunch, or what happened at recess. This is also how I can hear when my students are getting off track.

No negative peer critiquing

Unnecessary comments could affect a students confidence to express openly in the classroom. I make time to explain how acceptable critiquing is using art language. I explain that I will make time for open refection time. And any student can volunteer to share with the classroom their art. I describe what positive critiquing sounds like.

Example

Negative – “Why does that nose look like that, it looks weird!”

Vs.

Artful talk – “I noticed he used thick wavy green lines to create the nose. That’s not something I expected to see in his drawing.”

or ,

“I wonder why he put purple leaf shapes in his nature drawing, rather than making green shapes”.

You can model this type of art language with practice. If you would like to learn how to talk to children artfully, check out this mini art training course.

Observe like an artist

I explain that if they want to look at someone’s art, to walk quietly around them, and observe with eyes only. So not to interrupt a working artist. In fact I show my young students how to observe by putting their hand behind their back. The action is like they are viewing art in a museum, to not disturb the art. I explain it’s OK to be curious and look at everyone’s work, but observe like an artist.

Reading Instead of Disturbing

When a student is disturbing the classroom, I give them a choice. Join us in art, or dismiss yourself into reading quietly until we are done with art. This usually works because the student feels left out when everyone is enjoying art. Generally students usually ask to return back to art. I will ask if they agree to participate artfully, leaving it up to them.

Love to hear your feedback!

Warmly,

Spramani Elaun – Art Instructor

All rights reserved © 2023, Nature of Art®

No part of this blog may be used or be reproduced in any manner whatsoever including reproducing, publishing, performing, and making any adaptions of the work – including translation into another foreign language without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Nature of Art® Publishing P.O. Box 443 Solana Beach, California 92075.

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Montessori Art Routines & Expectations– Part 1

I have been getting some good questions from parents and teachers about art routines. So I will be doing a 3 part series explaining my most successful Montessori art routines and expectations.

Montessori Art Routines & Expectations

Art Routines

Art routines can help you not worry about prepping daily, plus stop classroom chaos! When students understand routines they know how to encounter the art space. When you design art routines there’s less guess work for the student. Plus children actually thrive and succeed with routines in place. Outlining routines lays the foundation for actions and expectations from your students.

Montessori art routines can be simple and last only minutes. While others may be complex with students working up to an hour. Children already have routines that start the minute they get out of bed each morning. Like brushing their teeth, dressing, eating, and getting to school. In most cases you usually have your students in routines at the start of the day. So why not set them up for art.

Today I will share what some of these routines look like. I’ll share two key important routines to start with, and the others in part 2 and 3 in this series:

  • Art Smocks
  • Art Material Set-up
  • Art Language
  • Process-Based
  • Creative Flow

Art Smock Routine

These routines have worked with tens of thousands of children I’ve worked with. The first expectation is that art is messy and I have a system in place to ensure messes don’t spread around the room. This system keeps wet mediums from spreading around the room or on clothes. I have this conversation before children touch any mediums. Here’s how that might sound.

“Today I thought I would introduce you to the art space I’ve designed to work in, and how to manage the artist materials. The art space is available to those who agree to follow my simple rules.”

With that agreement, then you can move into the smock demonstration.

I explain how messes accrue from spills, hands and splatters. I further explain how the space is designed to manage that type of mess. The first thing I do is introduce the artist’s smock (apron). I explain how artists wear a smock when working on art projects. I explain the function of a smock is to keep their clothes and hands clean. I explain when their hands become spoiled, they will use their smock to wipe them, kind of like a big napkin. I explain that artists do not go back and forth cleaning their hands while working. This helps to keep mediums from spreading around. They stay in their work space and use their smock to manage that type of mess.

I don’t have rags or napkins nearby to wipe with. This eliminates paint, glue or pigmented mediums from smearing around the space. Cleaning hands happens after everything is put away, and they are ready to transition out of art. Then I show them what this action looks like by wiping my hands on my smock. I also show them where to find their smock, how to put it on, and where to return it.

I recommend you have your students always wear a smock or art tee-shirt when working in these spaces. If they are working like an artist, they should dress like an artist. It may take time to implement. But if you keep reminding them, everyone in the class starts to behave artfully.

Material Set-up Routines

Set-up presentations are key and can support your students in many ways. By introducing these routines children will be able to set-up independently. This helps with getting into creative flow states. They will be able to construct and use the materials in artful ways. They will be able to clean-up the materials on their own. They will also take on the responsibility of leaving the materials ready for the next student to use.

So what type of material set-up routines should you introduce to your students:

  • How to gather art materials
  • The expectations of how they will work in the art space
  • How to use tools & mediums properly
  • Where to store artworks
  • How to clean up the materials
  • How to return them for the next student
  • How to transition out of the art space

Most art activities require students to get everything they need to construct. So beforehand you will need to decide which materials to stage for easy access. Group work is where you set-up stations for students to pick up their materials, or you pass them out. Independent work is when you stage the materials for students to collect on their own. Either way you will have to be sure everything is ready to access. For both you still want to explain the expectations and procedures and order of work flow.

Example: You will gather around the circle so I can discuss the art mediums, how they work, and show art technique. And even share some artist samples. Then direct when it’s their turn to get their materials. How long they work, and where to store completed artworks. How-to return the materials back to their station, how-to be dismissed to put their smock away and wash up.

After you have presented a few times, your students will understand these routines.

Diverse Learners

Chaos happens when students don’t understand their individual role. You might have diverse learners in your classroom. Some might be good at art, but not good at following the linear work flow. In this case you may need to group your diverse learners into a smaller group. To process the instructions slower giving them more time to go through the flow of the activity.

Some might get distracted or confused in larger group commotion. In this case I would recommend you set aside time to work with them in a slower smaller paced group.

You or an assistant can work throughout the work cycle showing them the steps. You may have to slow down every step. Showing them how each step looks like. Picking up the materials, working along side them, and how to store finished artworks. Even how-to gather and clean and return materials. Make time to answer their individual questions. You will eliminate the chaos and your studwents will fall into routines.

If you would like to know more about my art method, check out my books, curriculum and teacher professional development [PD] HERE.

Warmly,

Spramani Elaun – Art Instructor

All rights reserved © 2023, Nature of Art®

No part of this blog may be used or be reproduced in any manner whatsoever including reproducing, publishing, performing, and making any adaptions of the work – including translation into another foreign language without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Nature of Art® Publishing P.O. Box 443 Solana Beach, California 92075.

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Montessori Elementary Art | How To Bring Art In To The Classroom

How to bring elementary art into the Montessori classroom
Elementary Montessori

How to bring elementary art into the Montessori classroom

By Spramani Elaun

Every Montessori school should have an art environment. Whether an art shelf inside the classroom, dedicated classroom, or specials visiting. Elementary students should be engaging in some type of art. Allowing them to express creativity plus building basic skill sets. One of the reasons art programs exist is to expose children to different kinds of mediums. When exposed to different art activities students are likely to find the right art domain they enjoy. When children find the right art experience they enjoy, they become independent as they practice these skill-sets. When Montessori elementary students work independently they can also self regulate their own stress with hand work. Independent working students can also reach creative flow states! So where should you start with bringing Montessori elementary art into the classroom?

There’s six areas to focus on first:

  • Schedule Art
  • Choose Art Subjects
  • Teach Art Elements
  • Choose Art Mediums
  • Choose An Artist Technique
  • Teach Skill Building Foundations
  • Focus On Art Direct Aims

Schedule Montessori Art Lessons

Start with scheduling regular interactions with art making. Schedule daily, weekly or even bi weekly art lessons. Even bi monthly if your teaching schedule is super busy. I did this as a visiting Montessori art specials and I heard from Montessori guides how the children learned so much from just 4 visits! Once you have chosen the day, move to creating time segments. Be sure your timeline is specific to lower or upper elementary attention spans.

Art Subjects

Then move into deciding which visual art subjects you want to explore. I recommend choosing from my five art domains. Subjects like painting or color theory. Learn more about the 5 domains by buying: Defining Visual Arts Book HERE

Montessori Elementary Art | How To Bring Art In To The Classroom

Teach Art Elements

To meet the national art standards it’s important to teach children the Art Elements. The Art Elements cover things like line, color, shape – etc.

Each one of your art lessons should always focus on a key art element. I can’t stress enough how important this is to a solid art program. I meet many Montessori teachers not even aware of art literacy standards. Even the artistic process, or how-to scaffold art lessons, or what art sequences should come next. Learn more about the Art Elements by buying: Defining Visual Arts Book HERE

Mediums & Technique

Then the fun stuff starts by deciding on which mediums to experiment with first. This also includes what presentations and demonstrations to schedule. For example you could teach the subject of painting and focus on the watercolor medium. Then show children a crayon technique – wax resist marks. Or let’s say you decide to integrate a sensory craft with zoology. Like cutting sea life shapes from paper with a collage – technique.

Montessori Elementary Art | How To Bring Art In To The Classroom

Building Montessori Art Skill-Sets

The best advice I have for you is to teach how to set-up, clean-up, and prepare the environment for their next classmate, learning to complete the cycle in the Montessori way first is important. This supports independent work through the school year. Then foucs on building skill-sets and don’t waste time on the wrong type of art lessons. Like focusing on the Masters, copying images, or too much process- based art. Try not to focus lessons on copying the Masters artworks. These lessons can be lacking in developing independent art skill-sets or their own creativity. Montessori elementary students need the right order of skill-set lesson first.

Focus on Montessori Art – Direct Aims

The other important thing I want to share is even if you can’t draw or paint you can still teach proper art lessons. Your own refined skill-sets are not the focus. What’s important is knowing your direct aims. Direct aims like preparing the environment, and presenting the right order of demonstrations. Scheduling and choosing age appropriate art lessons. Indirect Aims will happen like – your students brainstorming or conjuring up original ideas. Even exploration that leads to the most optimal state of creative flow!

Teaching art can be intimidating without any basic knowledge or experience. But I’m here to tell you I’ve taught thousands of parents and teachers. I have lots of preparatory teaching methods easy for you to follow. But here’s a secret… you will learn right beside your students, I promise!

Montessori Elementary Art | How To Bring Art In To The Classroom

Art Professional Development

I invite you… 

No matter what capacity of training you desire, I’ve built art teaching resources you can have access to!

Choose:

Blog Articles

Free Checklist

Art Teaching Books

Art Video Training

Art Lesson plans

Sequential Art Curriculum

Montessori Professional Development

Montessori In-service Training (email info@Spramani.com)

Montessori Art Certification

Custom Art Programing (email info@Spramani.com)

All rights reserved © 2023, Nature of Art®

No part of this blog may be used or be reproduced in any manner whatsoever including reproducing, publishing, performing, and making any adaptions of the work – including translation into another foreign language without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Nature of Art® Publishing P.O. Box 443 Solana Beach, California 92075.

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How-to teach children age appropriate art activities

I get questions every day on how to teach age appropriate art activities.

I’m going to share some tips to get you on the right track.

I’ll also be sharing lots of resources.

There’s only four important things you should consider when teaching age appropriate art activities:

  1. Use only safe non-toxic children’s art supplies
  2. Focus on discovery exploratory type of activities
  3. Keep steps very minimal
  4. Focus on introducing the basic 7 elements

Early Childhood Art Activities

Very young children from toddler to six years can not plan art ideas out yet. So their art activities should be very exploration and discovery in style. They should only do process based style art activities. These lessons should generally introduce art mediums and art tools. You should only be introducing the very basic elements of art like line and colors etc. If you want to understand what art programs should consist of you can order:

Defining Visual Arts. This book explains what art literacy is for children and what you should be focusing on teaching. If you want to learn all about early childhood art programming you can order: Early Childhood Art Guide, this book shows you how to design an age appropriate art program.

Elementary Art Activities

Elementary age students can plan and create with intention. They are able to imagine an idea and plan it out. They can also follow one to six step instructions. These ages should also work in an exploratory discovery fashion. Allow children full freedom to express their own ideas. This means you should allow them to change the final outcome of their creation and not insist they follow an exact example.

Safe Non-Toxic Art Supplies

I recommend children under the age of 12 years old not use adult grade fine art supplies. Many artist grade supplies may contain hazards pigments like cadmium, lead, formaldehyde, solvents. Some paints may add additives, mildew resistance or other chemicals. Or also have special instructions for handling. These chemicals could be harmful to children not aware of special handling instructions. Pick non-toxic kids products that bare the ASTM D 4236 on them. This is a U.S. labeling law to protect children from dangerous chemicals.

If you start with these four suggestions you will be starting out on the right foot. If you need more guidance I have many training videos, books and professional development. 

Warmly,

SpramaniE laun

Sign up here to watch for free: Phases of Art Development Video


READ BLOG: 

Montessori Early Childhood Materials List

Montessori Upper Elementary Materials List

Order Art Teaching Books HERE

Virtual lessons

Get professional development by taking the ART TEACHING BLUEPRINT

Need to train your teachers?

Book a free zoom consult call, email Spramani @ info@Spramani.com

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Early Childhood Montessori Art Lesson Training Video | FREE

Montessori art lesson

1-hour Montessori Art Lesson Training for Teachers

As a teacher, I sometimes struggle with coming up with the next art activity for my early childhood Montessori students. That’s why I created this Montessori art lesson for teachers just like you. I will be sharing all kinds of new ideas on how to pull together simple art lessons for you to teach to your students.

Teachers have these preconceived notions on what it takes to create art lessons. 

They often think they need to be an artist, or have to introduce the Masters to children, and even know how to appreciate the arts themselves.

This 1-hour video training is full of creative ideas on ways to teach simple art concepts  – Just by using children’s storybooks!

I share so many ideas, talk about what’s really important to teach and I share some tips on scheduling art projects through the school year. 

Need Montessori art teaching tips from a pro?

Tap over and register for this limited time video training, and watch today:

How-to Theme Art Activities – 1 Hr. Video Training

Hosted by Spramani Elaun – International Montessori Art Trainer

1-hour video training 

REGISTER NOW TO WATCH!

Early Childhood Montessori Art Lesson Training Video | FREE, spramani elaun, how we montessori art lessons
Montessori Art Teacher Trainer, Spramani Elaun, Nature of Art®
Montessori early childhood

Early Childhood Art Guide

Visual Arts Teaching Guide
for 13 Months – 6 Years Old

This book includes:
✅ My proprietary art teaching method
✅ The proper and complete list of art materials
✅ A guide for staging and setting up a successful art environment
✅ Tips and art lesson ideas for early childhood
✅ A convenient three-ring binder presentation

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Montessori Teaching Art Lessons – 3 Tips For Teaching Art Lessons

Montessori Teaching Art Lessons – Plan, Organize, and Prepare

3 Tips for Teaching Art Lessons – Plan, Organize, and Prepare

Teaching messy art lessons can be stressful and have you quickly unraveling like a wet noodle!

Whether you are working with one child at home or shuffling large groups into your Montessori classroom each hour, the following tips will help. These tips are from my signature Art Teaching Blueprint™ training course.

teaching art lessons

Where to Start: Plan, Prepare and Organize

Plan

Always be sure you have created the art lesson ahead of time before you present it to your students. You will be able to work out the bugs and know how the artistic process will unfold.

Prepare

By doing the project ahead of time, you can test the quality of the materials, be sure you have plenty on hand and know they will yield the results you expect

Organize

Organize the materials to ensure they are ready for children to work in groups by having them staged on a shelf or table. When I have art materials staged, it’s easier for independent students to work and get their material, and it’s easy for me to get young students what they need by having everything staged ahead of time.

Additional Tips

Working smaller is my best signature tip that I can share here. It gives me more control as an art teacher. By shrinking all the materials, like papers, paintbrushes, and mediums, I can control the messy outcomes. I share this tip in many of my videos and books. I live by this rule. I’m still able to provide a quality art program; I just have children work smaller to help maintain the large masses.

If you want to learn more about my art teaching method, you can visit my blogs, watch my free videos, or order my books and digital courses.

Inspiring children to be creative and use their imagination should not put us as parents and teachers at the mercy of chaotic art lessons. I promise if you use these tips, you will love teaching children art lessons.

https://spramani.lpages.co/painting-materials-checklist

One Step Further: 7 Must-Have Painting Materials Checklist!

No more messy paint projects! 🎨

Ever had an art activity explode in your classroom and swore never to paint with kids again?

I have . . . lots of times, and it taught me some very valuable lessons I can now laugh about! 😂

Well, it’s not your fault. It’s truly all in the set-up before you even get started.

I totally get it, and I’m here to share my painting set-up tips and hacks!

There’s no way to know the secrets to painting with kids unless you’ve painted with tens of thousands of kids of all ages like I have!

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Montessori Art –How Art Lessons are Integrated into the Montessori Approach

By Spramani Elaun

Teach young children art

Can young kids learn art?

For the longest time, teachers of early childhood students have been told, “young kids can’t learn art.” That you couldn’t teach young children art. And based on that misinformation, as well as out-of-date art teaching practices, you might be thinking that’s true too.  

I’m here to tell you that’s not the case!  

Toddlers and early childhood students CAN learn art!  

Learn to teach young children art

It all comes down to HOW you teach them. After years of observing art, I’ve developed my very own teaching method that engages and excites young children; it introduces them to art in a way that makes sense to their little developing brains.  

If you have the art bug—and you don’t have to be an artist to catch it!—and KNOW the value of art in the Montessori classroom, especially for young students, then this book is for you!

  • Understand easy ways you can teach art lessons
  • Learn secrets to theming art with storytime books
  • Get quick planning ideas for scheduling art activities

MONTESSORI ART EARLY CHILDHOOD GUIDE – Book

Visual Arts Teaching Guide for 13 Months – 6 Years Old

✅ Proper and Complete List of Art Materials

✅ Staging and Environment Set-up Guide

✅ Tips and Art Lesson Ideas

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