AOE LIVE The Art of Education

Check out AOE Live's final episode as the guys talk to Laura Lohman, elementary teacher and author of the incredibly popular Painted Paper blog. She was able to give us some great ideas for diving into paint with your kids, some insight into the inner workings behind her blog, and why she loves to share what she does with art teachers around the world.

Andrew and Tim had a chance to chat with Bob Reeker, the Coordinator of the NAEA 2016 National Convention in Chicago. The talk covered all things related to the convention, the role of NAEA in art teachers' lives, and why professionalism and positivity are of the utmost importance.

Addie Hirschten stopped by to talk about the role of storytelling and making meaning in art. Storytelling is a great tool for artists, teachers, and students alike. Addie is the author of the book “The Alchemy of Art” which compiles fifty folktales throughout history and cultures to detail the creative process.

Addie weaves themes and stories together to show how humans have always been using stories to teach ourselves how to build empathy, persevere, be patient, tolerant, and find inspiration.  Check out this podcast and the book (Addie’s website azhirfineart.com). We think you’ll really enjoy it!

Laura and Matt Grundler of "Team Grundler" fame stopped by to talk about their incredible Twitter chat #K12artchat which you can check out every Thursday at 8:30.  We discussed why art teachers should be interested in building an online presence, and how to create and make meaningful connections with a PLN or Professional Learning Network.  We heard the story of how a little idea for an online chat has turned into vital professional development for art teachers around the world.

Art teaching superstar Nic Hahn, an elementary teacher from Minnesota, stopped by the show to offer up her expertise on a variety of subjects. Tim and Andrew talked to her about artist trading card swaps, her Mini Matisse blog, and the idea of social media as professional development. Most importantly, the three of them dove into how the little things we do as teachers can have a big impact and create even bigger connections to the world around us.

Sarah Dougherty, Visual Arts Curriculum Coordinator and Turnaround Arts Program Coordinator for the Des Moines Public Schools, dropped in for a chat. She was able to share her expertise on all things grading and assessment, and how we can work toward "Taming the Grading Game". The guys talked to her about also ask her about the Turnaround Arts Initiative, Arts Integration, and why we should never grade behaviors.