Tools and Techniques for using digital platforms along with more traditional analog skills at the middle school and high school levels to further develop individualized expression. We will have some iPads to work with, but if you have a tablet with the Procreate app, please bring it for some hands-on practice!

This session explores the possibilities and potential of voluntary sketchbook drawing in the elementary art classroom. Through sharing children’s drawings and the stories that evolved from them, attendees will reflect on the importance of valuing young children’s perspectives/ideas, and integrating voluntary drawing into their teaching practice. 

Approaching topics including social justice, radical empathy, community engagement, and

storytelling, this session explores public art as a starting point for thoughtful and critical

engagement with complex issues. Resources and artists will be shared to prompt the reimagining

of public art and spaces including Monument Lab’s field trip guide.

Welcome your students into your class and help them ease into the creative process with this scalable way to develop "voice" and "verve".  A great way to open a deeper conversation into the foundations of art and aesthetic thought.

This workshop will explore ways of integrating playful explorations of materials into art classrooms. We will be getting our hands dirty with projects that address the needs of students from preschool to  high school, especially those who crave sensory experiences. 

Participants will explore ways to support digital literacy skills in the visual art classroom. The presenter will highlight the importance of teaching students how to critically evaluate the digital text and images they encounter online, and how to activate their curiosity when confronting information that challenges their personal beliefs.

Establishing a National Art Honor Society program that offers students leadership & recognition opportunities! Learn how to start a chapter of the NAHS/NJAHS Chapter in your school. It’s a low maintenance way to reach your high performers and make art cool!

Media arts is a growing branch of the visual arts. Learn how to take text and

images to create beautiful art with a deeper meaning.  The purpose of this presentation is to share with participants how to do a beginning lesson on using photoshop/photopea. This is a great intro

lesson focused on text, images, theme, and design elements and principles. Participants will learn the method that allows for students to creatively “draw” the letters to fit into an image

while allowing the image to show through in the final design. Attendees will also receive lesson plans, project ideas, and worksheets for student documentation.

Learn about various techniques you can use in your classroom to teach printmaking with various materials. We will focus on creating monoprints from supplies you may use at home to ones you have in your classroom. These are great low-budget lesson ideas that surprise students every time and spark their creativity! 

Through the power of neurographic art, students learn to transform a concern into an opportunity for emotional growth. Self-awareness and self-management are explored as students become aware of their emotions. Students will find perspective regarding negative  occurrences and will have a new art-based calming technique.

RI contributors to NAEA’s best seller, Reaching and Teaching Special Education

Students Through Art, will talk about changes in the 2nd edition, 2024. Long term

impacts that are not always addressed in our teaching will be seen in stories from

the chapter on teaching Deaf and Hard of Hearing students.

This workshop is designed to empower participants with the confidence and skills to explore the clay medium, making it accessible and exciting for both personal and educational projects. Through hands-on demonstrations, attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of working with clay, equipping them to guide students in creating their own clay projects with confidence.