Protected: Ultimate Winter Arts & Crafts Guide
5 Ways to Become an Art-Trained Montessori Teacher Over Winter Break
Usually when I tell Montessori teachers they can start teaching art in their classroom, they look at me like I’m crazy! So many of them tell me they have no training, they’re not creative, or they struggle with just drawing stick figures! Trust me though, you CAN become an art-trained Montessori teacher!
In fact, winter break is one of the best times to get started. Think about how excited your students will be to come back to school and find out you’ll be introducing art lessons to them. They’ll love it! Not only will it help develop their creativity and art literacy, but it helps them make connections between all the other subjects they’re learning—such as the Great Lessons.
So, now I’m sure you’re thinking, “Look, Spramani, I definitely want to become a better Montessori teacher, and it would be really cool to start providing visual arts in my classroom, but how can I become art trained in a matter of weeks? Winter break is only so long.”
I’ve done the hard work for you. After 20 years of observing the way kids learn art, I’ve created a simple way to teach art that works perfectly in the Montessori classroom. It really doesn’t require much leg work from you, and students get to explore the entire artistic process. Of course, you’ll have to sign up for my Art Teaching Blueprint and get all the info you need (I’ll touch on what the course is and why it’s so awesome further below), but here are five things to do to get you started to becoming art trained over winter break.
1. Buy Some Supplies
The first step to becoming art trained is setting yourself—as well as your classroom and students—up with the right tools and supplies. (I’ve broken down the essential art supplies every Montessori classroom needs in this blog post.) Starting with a stocked classroom gives you the foundation to explore the visual arts.
2. Set Up an Art Shelf
As you know, subject-based shelves are the basis of a successful Montessori classroom, so it only makes sense that you should set up an art shelf. You can read how to set up an art shelf in your classroom here. A proper art shelf supports art literacy and helps keep all your supplies organized in one easy-to-reach place for your students to access.
3. Build an Inspiration Gallery
Another way to get your classroom set up for teaching art is to create an inspiration gallery. It can give students a place to observe and talk about artwork, which can increase their art literacy, language, and self-esteem. While an inspiration gallery is a simple concept, there are some tricks to it. For instance, you don’t want to solely include fine art examples; it’s important to incorporate students’ own work too. (If you want to learn more about how inspiration galleries work, read this blog post.)
4. Pick Up a Book
Once you’re all set with supplies, an art shelf, and an inspiration gallery, it’s time to start your training. You can give yourself a great base by doing some quick reading. I’ve written two visual art books that create a framework for learning the subject. Defining Visual Arts focuses on the latest standards and the most important projects, mediums, and techniques to teach. Introducing Visual Arts to The Montessori Classrooms gets a little more specific in providing solid guidance for teaching art in a Montessori environment. Either one—but of course, both—of these books are helpful in giving you the context for how children learn art and are a great option in kicking off your art training.
5. Register for my FREE teacher course: Phases of Art Development Guides & Art Project Ideas!
I created a free video course to teach Montessori teachers like you the phases of art development—or what art skills your students are capable of learning in each age range. The course also includes three bonus videos of art lessons, projects, and techniques to use in your classroom, no matter what grade you’re teaching. Best of all, you can go through this mini training in the comfort of your own home (while on winter break!).
You can do it, YOU can become an art-trained Montessori teacher. I believe in you and your students will thank you for taking the time to learn how to teach art in your classroom. If you have any questions or want to connect with other Montessori teachers who are going through my course, make sure you go like my Facebook page.
All rights reserved © 2024, 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.
Setting Up Your Montessori Classroom Art Space
By Spramani Elaun
Inspiring children to be creative is my business! I’ve spent more than 20 years observing how they learn and teaching them visual art. In my experience, one of the most essential components of students exploring and learning art is their environment. Luckily, it’s actually so easy to set up your Montessori classroom art space!
If you’ve been following this blog, then you know I believe every Montessori classroom should have an inspiration gallery and an art shelf, so I bet you’re wondering what else you could possibly need. I can go on and on about all the things you can use to set up an art space, but to keep it simple, I’ll just share the five basic necessities with you. (Of course, you can dive deeper and learn about all the fun, unique, colorful, exciting things that you can add to your classroom by reading my books Introducing Visual Arts to The Montessori Classroom and Defining Visual Arts.)
The most important thing to understand is that making a space for art means making space to get creative and have fun. Now, when I say that, I know a lot of teachers think fun means mess. While that’s the case sometimes, if you set up a designated space for making art, it’ll contain the mess, while still giving students the freedom to create as they please.
Setting Up an Art Space
Kids need an art space to doodle, draw, write, paint, craft, sew, knit, cut, glue, build, construct, and play with clay. For kids to make these types of art projects successfully, they need the proper space. Here are the five basic necessities for creating a place for art in your classroom.
1. Rugs & Floor Coverings
Spills are inevitable, so it’s important to consider the flooring of your art space. If your classroom has wood, tile, or linoleum floors then spills will be an easy, worry-free clean up. However you may still want to a rug to lay out that will protect your floors—especially if your floor is carpet.
Rugs come in many sizes and can be inexpensive or pricey. If you don’t want to invest in a rug, then you can use a drop cloth or tarp while your students are working, and then fold it up and put it away when they’re done.
2. Table
Table size will not affect your students’ ability to be creative, but the sturdiness of it will. I’ve witnessed kids create beautiful works of art on a surface as large as their lap, so don’t feel like you need a huge, glorious art table in your classroom.
When I’m hosting events and teaching art classes I’m usually setting up on the fly and rely on a small (but sturdy!), cheap, portable fold-up tables. These are great—not just for my events but in the classroom as well—because you can set them up when you need to and not be limited to a full-time art table since they can be folded up and tucked out of the way when not in use.
3. Chairs
Along with a sturdy table, kids need a sturdy chair or stool to sit on safely. A bench or folding chair can work just fine, as will pulling a chair from elsewhere in your classroom. Having a table and chairs available makes invites a child to create and lets them know art should be made in that specific place (containing any mess to that space as well).
4. Light Source
I’ve spent many years observing children making artworks, and the ways in which they visually perceive their work is key to developing their artistic skills. That’s why a good, bright light source is important—it helps them identify pigments and color hues. Natural sunlight is the best, but a lamp light source can work just as well.
5. Art Supply Storage
Every art space should have a place where art supplies are stored. I’ve found that children can be overly stimulated or even get bored if they’re given total access to every art supply in your classroom. The best way to keep them excited and engaged with art is to keep rotating the materials that are available to them. You can use jars, baskets, or closed plastic containers to separate different types of art supply and store them away from the art space when necessary.
Creating your Montessori classroom art space doesn’t need to be fancy or complicated; it’s really not that different from the areas you have set aside for other lessons.
If this has you inspired and eager to start teaching art in your classroom, you should definitely sign up for my online training, Art Teaching Blueprint. It’s a quick, seven-week course that takes everything I’ve learned about teaching art to students and breaks it down into 43 short, easily-digestible videos. It’ll help you build a foundation for teaching a quality visual arts program in your school or classroom. I’m so excited to offer this course to you and I really think it’ll empower you and give you invaluable teaching skills. You can click here to register.
All rights reserved © 2024, 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.
Teaching Montessori Art, Creative Making vs. Copy Making
By Spramani Elaun
In my twenty years of observing and teaching children of all ages to draw and paint, I’ve discovered the best ways for teaching art without stifling their creative spirit. My unique teaching method breaks down instruction into two balanced approaches: creative-mode and copy-mode.
When art instruction is balanced using these two methods, a child can develop skilled fine art motor movements, plus conceptualize original imaginative ideas. Understanding how to teach creative making and copy making is simple. I cover it in more detail in my book, Introducing Visual Arts to Montessori Classrooms, but here’s a quick guide to give you a foundation.
Creative Making
Creative mode is how children first learn to create art. In creative mode, you can introduce projects and demonstrate a medium, but refrain from giving students a point of reference or image to copy. The child creates art by exploring the medium and conjuring up their own creative images from their own imaginations, thoughts, and ideas.
Introducing Creative Making to Students
Creative making is all about giving students the freedom to explore. You can show kids examples of projects using similar mediums and technique but give them space to come up with their own ideas of images, colors, and even different techniques to finishing their artworks.
Young children should start their art experience in creative mode, then move on to copy mode learning and observations in the upper grades.
Copy Making
Copy mode refers to a systematic, step-by-step art instruction. When students are older they are able to learn to make art by mimicking or copying a visual image by following a series of steps, resulting in a similar finished project. In fine art adult classes, students learn to draw or paint by copying what they see an in image and studying its perspective renderings of line, form, light, value and composition.
Introducing Copy Making to Students
Start out by having kids copy a design step-by-step. For example, you can teach kids how to draw a butterfly in just three to four simple, systematic steps and most students will create similar butterfly shapes. You can then transition children into creative-mode thinking, by allowing them to color or paint their designs however they choose—tapping into their own individual creativity they harnessed at a younger age. The goal is to give kids the foundation to draw an outline of a basic butterfly shape (in copy mode) and the freedom to think creatively (in creative mode).
The Benefits of Creative Making & Copy Making
Copy-mode drawing can help develop muscles in students’ eyes, hands, and memories. Copying geometric or organic shapes can help students achieve similar shapes they might desire in their own creative drawings or designs. Limited copy-mode and step-by-step drawing lessons should be introduced to children in elementary grades.
Creative-mode supports children in developing ideas from their own imaginations. It gives kids free range to conjure up their own ideas; this also supports the artistic process. When children learn to create from their own ideas, they conceptualize original artworks through imagination, planning, and finally, constructing. These are the qualities of a creative innovator. Because young children have great imaginations, it’s ideal for children to being making art this way.
Teach by Balancing Both Methods of Instruction
For students to benefit the most, you should be balancing fun projects that utilize creative-making opportunities with occasional skill-building, copy-making techniques. Using both methods of instruction will support art literacy by guiding students through the artistic process. Children have the opportunity to create and imagine their own ideas and design, then explore and construct their art projects, and finally express what they create with words or written descriptions about their process.
If you require kids to follow too many step-by-step instructions and do not allow for any creative freedom, it can stifle their creativity or love for making art. Additionally, a child’s visual perception and fine-motor development develops slowly over childhood. Some children may not be developmentally or cognitively ready to copy at an early age and this can negatively affect their self-esteem and ability to think creatively on their own. Some copy-mode instruction can be introduced in early elementary, but should be directed more towards upper elementary grades.
All kids need artistic inspiration to serve as a springboard for drawing and painting ideas to get them started. You should always give kids some point of reference to copy initially, then allow their own ideas or designs to flourish. It’s really difficult for many kids to sit down and think of something to create off the top of their head without any guidance at all, especially if they do not have much practice in visual arts just yet. This is why it’s so essential for copy and creative making to work hand in hand! Simple copy-mode lessons can be used as inspiration. Just remember, copy making and step-by-step instructions should be options, not requirements.
If you would like to learn more about teaching art in your Montessori classroom, register for my next Art Teaching Blueprint training. I break down these concepts in simple, easily digestible lessons (that you can go through at your own pace) and help you start using these methods in your classroom. Trust me, so many Montessori teachers like you have been able to implement visual arts in their lessons and always come back to tell me how much their students love it and are benefiting from it. I want this for you and your students too! So, click here to register today.
All rights reserved © 2024, 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.
Making Gratitude Cards to Celebrate Thanksgiving, Montessori Activities
The holiday and Thanksgiving season are a time of reflection for most people—most adults, anyway. It’s a time we think about everything we’re grateful for, and it’s a practice we should be sharing with our children and students.
Expressing gratitude has the power to reduce stress, foster a sense of belonging, and yield a host of emotional and mental health advantages. Fundamentally, gratitude involves feeling thankful and appreciative of the positive aspects in your life. As educators, we have the opportunity to lead our students toward recognizing and appreciating the multitude of “gifts” they encounter daily, spanning from the wonders of nature to the joys of delicious food and the warmth of cherished friendships.
Every year, around our Thanksgiving holiday here in North America, for as far as I can remember, I would have my children make gratitude cards for all our guests. We would place them around the dinner table for each guest to read when they sat down. Each card would be something simple, the guest’s name and a sweet sentiment of appreciation for who they are.
I would also surprise my own kids with tiny gratitude gifts as well, telling them how thankful I was to have them in my life. I still do this every year, even though they are all grown up! 🙂
I think it is so important to write and document these thoughts and feelings. I know this activity has always grounded my children and given them a heart of giving, rather than receiving. I still journal myself about what I’m grateful for, and give thanks all year long for the big and little things in my life—like the free lemons that grow in my garden.
Teaching Gratitude to Your Students
Children should be taught to say thank you when they receive a gift or a kindness from another person. Remember to teach them that the size of the generosity doesn’t matter. They can be grateful for a big gift, but also for a sunny day or hug from a friend.
Students in lower elementary can think a little more in depth and should be encouraged to reflect on their day. They can even create and keep a gratitude list of good things that happened.
Upper elementary students can also focus on keeping gratitude lists or journals. But introduce the concept of good coming from bad, and teach them they can be grateful in negative situations too.
Gratitude Card Making Project Idea:
Here’s a great way to combine a writing and drawing lesson that helps students express their gratitude.
Gather your students, talk about what gratitude means. Give examples of things you are grateful for, or suggest things they might feel grateful for. Then pass out index cards and have each child write, “I am grateful for…” Be sure to write prompts out to copy as an example.
Once they’re done, have them draw a picture about what the thing(s) they were thankful for. Students can make a booklet or paste their card to their picture. Be sure to check out the video below for supplies and simple instructions.
Supplies:
- Paper or card stock—any size, color, weight
- Stickers—any theme
- Stamps and ink pads—any colors
- Pencils
- Crayons
- Color pencils
- Glue
- Tape
- Scissors
- Washi decorative tape
Gratitude Cards from Spramani Elaun on Vimeo.
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The Phases of Art Development is a quick digital course that explains how art making can help students develop their creativity, fine-motor skills, and focus. More importantly, I share what types of projects students at every age are capable of completing safely, and without making a mess.
Best of all—it’s free! To sign up for the course, click here.
All rights reserved © 2024, 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.
Defining Art Literacy & Standards in the Montessori Classroom
I’ve learned from experience that if you’re like most Montessori teachers, you’re probably not trained in art. It can seem daunting—or maybe even unimportant—to teach art in the Montessori classroom. But the truth is, teaching visual arts and art literacy to students can have a huge impact on their education.
I get deep into all of this in my new book, Defining Visual Arts. I go over the standards for visual arts, how to understand artistic technique and process, and the art projects and mediums that are best for children. It’s really a quick guide to teaching art in your classroom.
Why Teach Visual Arts?
In my book, I also explain why it’s so beneficial for students to have art lessons as part of their Montessori education. Here are just a few of those reasons you should be teaching it.
Art offers a unique form of communication
Student learn diverse ways to communicate their emotions, ideas, and even other subjects they’ve learned in the classroom.
Art encourages critical and creative thinking
How do you express an idea like peace through watercolors? Through art, students get the chance to think creatively as they express themselves through different mediums and projects.
Art offers a tool for societal, historical, and cultural understanding
Art can be connected back to many different Montessori subjects, from science to literature to history. Experiencing art from other time periods or cultures can give students a different perspective on the other subjects they’re learning.
Art cultivates enjoyment and wellbeing
Being able to express themselves in a way that is neither “right” nor “wrong” allows students to find self-confidence and enhances their overall wellbeing. Plus, playing with paints, clay, and crafting materials is enjoyable and exciting for most students.
Art in the classroom leads to greater art literacy
Art literacy provides a standard for students to discover the artistic process. While art is usually considered to be subjective, having art literacy sort of evens the playing field for how students learn the subject.
What is Art Literacy?
To put it simply, art literacy is the knowledge and understanding required to participate authentically in the arts. It provides students with the opportunity to work through the artistic process, as a part of their education and using visual arts standards.
What are the Visual Arts Standards?
The standards we use to teach visual arts were created after extensive studies and surveys of professional artists—from musicians to sculptors. Researchers observed and analyzed the way art is created, from visualization and ideation to a finished form. All these findings were evaluated and placed into a matrix called The Artistic Process, which consists of four actions: investigate, imagine, construct, reflect.
These visual art standards can be used by teachers all over the country to develop curriculum and evaluate artistic progression in their students. The National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS) is one of the prominent organizations leading the efforts to unify art standards across the U.S.
As helpful as these standards are, they do not provide guidelines or instruction for how learning in the arts should be delivered. They give teachers the four basic art process actions children should experience while creating artwork. Deciding on the medium (such as crayons or clay), areas of focus (drawing or painting), and technique are all up to you. This is where it gets a little daunting, right?
Don’t freak out!
I’ve done years of research on the development of art understanding and abilities in children, and I’ve tailored my experience and learning to be useful and applicable in the Montessori classroom.
I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed. Even if you don’t have an arts background, you can still teach visual arts! In Defining Visual Arts, I break down the subject into five simple domains, and walk you through the mediums and techniques to use in each one. You can purchase a copy of the book online for the ultimate guide on giving your students art literacy and bring art into your classroom!
All rights reserved © 2024, 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.
Ways to Stimulate Positive Art Talk in Montessori Classrooms
I know that if you’re reading this blog right now, then you want to teach your Montessori students visual art! And I applaud you for that! It’s such an awesome thing to see kids get excited about art and making things with their own hands—and one way to do that is through positive art talk.
I’ve worked with so many Montessori teachers over the years, and for the most part, their number one fear is that because they don’t have a background in art they won’t be able to teach it to their students. If this is your fear, I’d suggest enrolling in my new online course Art Teaching Blueprint; in just seven modules, I go through how children learn art, and break it down so it’s easy for you to understand and then turn around and teach—I even include several step-by-step lesson guides!
The truth is, you can get students interested in art without having a strong background in the subject, you just have to know how to talk to them and encourage them. Here are a few pieces of advice for the next time you talk to a student about his or her artwork.
Remember Their Skill Level
When kids are creating and then sharing their artworks, it’s important to remember rein your expectations. Depending on your students’ ages, they might be brand new to art still learning how to paint, draw, and craft. Most artworks made by young kids are simply experimental, led by curiosity and art play. For them, the point of art is just to create, and their finished pieces won’t look like anything at all. That’s perfectly fine—it’s still art!
Listen First
As students get older, they might be creating art to represent actual ideas or objects…but their finished work still might not look like what they intend it to. My advice is to listen first. Let them describe what they’ve made on their own. Listening is very supportive and won’t make a child feel judged or bring focus to their artistic skills.
Speak Second
I encourage you to listen first because you don’t want to ask too many questions about what your students painted and why, because it can quickly overwhelm them. One of the most common mistakes teachers is trying to analyze a student’s work like an art critic. We want students to create art for themselves, based on their own ideas, interests and creativity. If you judge their work—even positively—it can cause them to begin creating work they believe you’ll like or appreciated, which can stump their own expression in the long run.
Slowly Introduce Art Language
If you have a child that shows interest in discussing their artwork and skills, try to introduce art language slowly. Supportive and nurturing language can sound like, “I like your work, do you want to share with me what you created?” If they still look for some type of confirmation from you, then use neutral, observational comments about their work. For example, acknowledging their use of colors, shapes or textures can give them the approval they want, since it shows you’re paying attention to their creation, without putting a “good” or “bad” stamp on their finished work.
Download my Beginner Elements and Principle of Design Cheat Sheet for a list of Montessori early childhood art language terms. I’ve included definitions for each term as well, so you’ll feel more confident using them, knowing you’re using them correctly. In truth, these art language terms can be used in all Montessori classrooms, no matter how old your students are!
To download the Art Language cheat sheet, click here.
Remember That Actions Speak Louder Than Words
At the end of the day, you can create positive reinforcement of a child’s creativity by simply showing off their work. After the child has explained all they can about their art, ask if they want to save, showcase, or maybe give it away to someone special. A reassuring smile of approval and displaying it in your classroom’s inspiration gallery can do so much for their confidence when it comes to visual arts!
Of course, this is just the beginning. Positive art talk is the start building up a child’s confidence and creativity. For more ideas and tips on creating a positive art environment sign up for my newsletter and keep up with my blog. I also strongly recommend that you register for my course, Art Teaching Blueprint. I share the very best way to teach art to your students—it’s taken years of study and experience on my end—but you get all the secrets in one place, in a flexible, easy-to-digest online course. It’s awesome, it’s fun, and I know you’ll love it and learn so much from it!
All rights reserved © 2024, 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.
5 Ways to Integrate Art Activities into Montessori Great Lessons
By Spramani Elaun
One of the most common questions Montessori teachers come to me with is, “How do I integrate art with my lessons?” When you combine the concepts of art and the Great Lessons, you can seamlessly support your students learning without any disconnection. And by incorporating art with what students are already learning you’re helping to instill the concepts of those subjects by putting them into a new perspective. You’re also giving their art context by showing its relationship to other parts of their world, which can lead to an increase in their art literacy. In this blog I want to share 5 simple ways you can start to integrate Montessori art activities.
Art Helps Metacognitive Reinforcement
The Great Lessons in themselves are bold, exciting; they’re a way to awaken a child’s curiosity, imagination, and even creativity. There are really simple projects you can set up that help bring art into your everyday lessons, or specifically, your Great Lessons.
Students are used to learning new ideas through text and images, imagine how much more they’ll be able to understand and retain information when you tie in a multi-sensorial process like creating art. It will help your students learn on a deeper level. Having children create with a multitude of senses helps develop metacognitive reinforcement! I dive deeper into this in my books and online course, but here’s the gist:
Art Activities Support Learning
When art lessons are integrated into the Great Lessons, you create new pathways to reach different learners in different ways, which maximizes your students’ learning on these topics. They learn to express diverse ideas through methods that can’t be done in most other academic subjects. Something I’ve discovered over the years of working directly with students is that they each have a unique way of demonstrating their true understanding. Art gives them a platform where there’s no wrong or right way to express themselves and their understanding. This is particularly why science today is backing STEAM education models!
You probably already have your calendar planned out for the year, so here are 5 simple ways to add in art and relate it to the Great Lessons.
First Great Lesson: Coming of the Universe and the Earth
With the first Great Lesson, you’re teaching students about astronomy, meteorology, chemistry, physics, geology, and geography. One of my favorite projects to teach is watercolor or acrylic painting of galaxies. Students can create stunning images of galaxies and stars they see in their lessons, or let their imaginations loose and paint their own interpretations. In my sample here we created cosmic rocks by acrylic painting them with the big bang, milky way, starts and so much more.
Second Great Lesson: Coming of Life
The second Great Lesson covers topics such as biology, botany, habitats, ancient life, and animals. I enjoy integrating nature into my projects whenever possible, making botanical art an exciting subject to teach! Be sure to explore my previous blogs where I detail various ways to incorporate fall leaves into projects. In the examples provided, we conducted a drawing lesson using oil pastels to depict rainforest animals. Another photo sample showcases drawings of natural elements like leaves, seashells, feathers, and other objects found in nature, combining pencil sketches with watercolor paint.
Third Great Lesson: Coming of Human Beings
History, culture, social studies, and invention are all parts of the third Great Lesson. Earlier this year, I partnered with a fellow Montessori teacher (for grades 4-6), and we integrated art into a lesson on ancient civilizations. Children learned basic ideas about settlements and how government is formed. I brought in several art lessons moving children through the artistic process of brainstorming, sketching, and building a 3D model of a settlement—either ancient, modern, or imaginary. If you want to learn more about how to do this, make sure you register for my Art Teaching Blueprint online course, I provide a step-by-step process for this lesson and a ton of others.
Fourth Great Lesson: Communication and Writing
The fourth Great Lesson covers different forms of communication including reading, writing, language, and structure. As students learn about pictographs and hieroglyphics, they can draw them out or create their own and then explain in writing what they mean.
Fifth Great Lesson: Numbers
In the final Great Lesson, students learn about numbers, mathematics, geometry, and the applications of these topics. Using clay to mold and create shapes can illustrate geometrical concepts to students, such as similarities and angles.
This is just the tip of the iceberg! I get so excited about integrating visual art and the Great Lessons and have so many more easy and practical ways to do so in your classroom. There are two ways to get more info and ideas on this: 1) sign up for my newsletter to keep up with my blog, and 2) get dozens of ideas, all in one place, by registering for my course, Art Teaching Blueprint. I can’t wait to inspire more of your Montessori lessons!
Sign-up to receive video
The Phases of Art Development is a quick digital course that explains how art making can help students develop their creativity, fine-motor skills, and focus. More importantly, I share what types of projects students at every age are capable of completing safely, and without making a mess.
Best of all—it’s free! To sign up for the course, click here.
All rights reserved © 2024, 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.
Why Every Montessori Classroom Needs an Inspiration Art Gallery
Why Every Montessori Classroom Needs an Inspiration Gallery
By Spramani Elaun
The best part about art in the Montessori classroom is that as soon as you give your students instruction, they can take off and be creative. Some students need a little extra push, especially during weeks you don’t give them a specific project to work on.
If you give your students enough inspiration, their creativity will explode.
And the easiest way to give your students the inspiration they need at any time throughout the year is with an inspiration gallery! It gives students a place to observe and talk about artwork, which can increase their art literacy, language, and self-esteem.
While you may think hanging up fine artwork is the way to go, it can actually be intimidating or overwhelming for many students—since doing this can place high standards on their work. In fact, using fine artwork as inspiration can actually stifle students’ creativity. So, what’s the best way to set up an inspiration gallery that actually works?
Setting Up a Montessori Inspiration Gallery
It’s perfectly acceptable to display some fine artwork as part of your inspiration gallery, you should include simpler examples too. Consider creating a space that features projects from students from all grade levels. Giving them art that is closer to their skill level will inspire them in new ways. For instance, they might notice a technique or theme they then decide to try.
There are different ways to set up an inspiration gallery in your classroom. One way that makes it simple to trade out paintings is to hang a sturdy string across the gallery area; then use clothespins to hang the artwork along. You can also attach a grid of clipboards to the wall space, to effortlessly trade out their artwork as necessary. Another idea is to mount a large sheet of metal, and use magnets to display and rearrange their drawings and paintings every week or so.
Clay or craft projects can be exhibited on the top shelf of your art shelf.
Why an Inspiration Gallery is Important
Of course, the obvious benefit of an inspiration gallery is that it helps to inspire students. It can do so much more though! When students realize their artwork might be hung up for the entire class to see, they’ll be more attentive in what they’re doing and put more effort into their creations.
Being able to see and reflect on their project after they’ve created it helps to develop their art literacy. Days, weeks, and even months after they’ve finished their masterpiece, they might realize the value of their efforts and be able to speak artfully about it. I’ve heard some of the most interesting comments come from students describing their own artwork! It’s an additional step in their comprehension and appreciation of their art. And as they see it in context of their peers’ and others’ work, they’re able to better understand the role art plays in a community, such as their classroom.
If you’ve been following this blog or have signed up for my free mini-course, Phases of Art Development Guides, then you know that art can integrate with other subjects. The inspiration gallery be a conduit for connecting the topics as well. For example, if your student created a watercolor painting inspired by a lesson on the cosmos (science), have them write a small explanation of their subject and technique (writing) on an index card to display next to their artwork.
A gallery allows all grade levels to get creatively stimulated in a safe environment that is open to uniqueness. It’s a fun and easy way to brighten up your classroom, and it serves as an integral tool in helping your students learn visual art.
If this is a topic that excites you, then make sure you sign up for my new online course—The Art Teaching Blueprint—which teaches you everything you need to know about teaching art in a Montessori classroom. I break down the learning process and give you a ton of project ideas and inspiration in bite-sized videos that allow you to go through the course at a pace that works for you. To get on the waitlist and be notified when registration opens, click here!
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The Phases of Art Development is a quick digital course that explains how art making can help students develop their creativity, fine-motor skills, and focus. More importantly, I share what types of projects students at every age are capable of completing safely, and without making a mess.
Best of all—it’s free! To sign up for the course, click here.
All rights reserved © 2024, 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.
4 Fall Leaf Ideas for Your Montessori Classroom
Idea #1: Leaf Crayon Rubbing
Check out the video above for full details, or follow the instructions below.
Simple Steps:
- Place leaf facing down, vein side up.
- Place white paper on top of leaf.
- Hold paper and leaf firmly so they don’t move.
- Take crayon and start rubbing over the leaf area.
- The impression of your leaf should show up!
Idea #2: Leaf Pressing
Pressing leaves is a wonderful way to teach children how botanists preserve specimens. This activity can lead to many different types of art projects can down the road, such as leaf painting (see Idea #3, below). You can also let children come up with their own ideas of what to do with their pressed leaves once they’re done.
Simple Steps:
- Gently wipe off any dirt from the leaf.
- Place the leaf between newspaper sheets or in pages of a book.
- Place a note card with the date collected and any information gathered about the leaf, in a safe place so that you can retrieve it once the leaf is pressed.
- Pile a small stack of heavy books on top of the pages and press for 1 to 24 hours.
Idea #3: Leaf Painting
Allow your students to use leaves as a canvas and get creative with paint.
Simple Steps:
- Press leaves first—they are easier to paint when flattened.
- Select bright paint colors—acrylic, tempera, gauche, or craft paint will work best.
- Paint leaf with paintbrush as desired.
- Set aside to dry, then decorate note cards or other art projects with them.
Idea #4: Clay Leaf Fossils
A great way to show children how fossils are created is by compressing leaves into wet clay!
Simple Steps:
- Roll out a flat slab of clay with a rolling pin. Use air dry model clay (which dries overnight), or white polymer clay (bakes to harden).
- Place leaf, with veins facing down, onto the clay and firmly but gently press the compression by hand or with a rolling pin.
- Carefully remove the leaf by pulling it by the stem.
- Bake or leave to air dry.
Optional: paint fossil
The key to coming up with more engaging and exciting projects is understanding how kids learn and what would interest them. I’m launching an online course—The Art Teaching Blueprint—that teaches you everything you need to know about teaching art in a Montessori classroom and break it down into bite-sized videos so you can go through them at a pace that works for you. To get on the wait list and be notified when registration opens, click here!
One Step Further: Download My Fall Leaf Inspiration Print
I personally think the fall season can give us hundreds of art activity and project ideas, but just to make it even easier on you (which, really, is such a joy because I get to share my love of both fall and art with you!), I’m giving you a FREE Fall Leaf Inspiration Print.
You can print it out and use it on your art shelf or hang it in your inspiration gallery to during the season, or let students fill it in with beautiful colors. It seems like a simple tool, right? But trust me, it’ll lead to so many amazing, creative artworks! Download the Fall Leaf Inspiration Print by clicking here.
A Short Cut Just for You
Of course, fall is just one season of the school year. If you want the tools to be able to come up with art activities all year long, you need the foundation of understanding how children are able to learn art. In my online course, Art Teaching Blueprint, I give you everything you need to easily start teaching art to your your Montessori students.
And fall registration for Art Teaching Blueprint is about to open!
I’ve been helping Montessori teachers all over the world bring art into their classroom for more than 20 years. And I’ve honed and perfected my own art teaching method, and have developed it to complement and support Montessori philosophy, so that you can start teaching art in your classroom too. From setting up a proper art environment and art shelf, to giving your students age-appropriate mediums to explore with, I cover everything a Montessori teacher needs to know.
I’m so excited to be opening up the course one more time for this year! You can sign up for the course starting November 1. But if you want a reminder, and to save your seat now, click here to join the waitlist!
Sign-up to receive video
The Phases of Art Development is a quick digital course that explains how art making can help students develop their creativity, fine-motor skills, and focus. More importantly, I share what types of projects students at every age are capable of completing safely, and without making a mess.
Best of all—it’s free! To sign up for the course, click here.
All rights reserved © 2024, 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.