Here’s everything I’ve got

This has been an enormous challenge for all of us art teachers. I regularly have people asking me for advice as to how to manage all of this, and I …

The Art Teacher’s Back to School Mask

So, it looks like Texas teachers will be resuming in-person instruction here sometime in the near future. I’m not going to get into the politics of this, or my personal …

Dismantling Prejudice Through Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Teaching

The many crises we are facing as a nation right now are showing the wide range of harmful effects of our nation’s long and ugly history of racism.  From unequal …

Attendance can be transformational.

I’m going to tell you about the simplest and most transformational act I have taken in my career as an art educator.  It started with identifying one of my weaknesses. …

Move into the now

Sometimes we art teachers can get stuck in the past. And I get it. For most, the past is awesome. We grew up in the past. We have fond memories …

“Greatest Teacher Ever!”

In a quiet moment, just before the start of a lecture and completely out of nowhere, a student blurted out loudly, “Mr. Clumpner, you are the GREATEST TEACHER EVER!”  I …

Reload the Western Canon

Reload the Western Canon Whenever I ask students to list as many artists as they can, usually they give me the highlights from the western canon of art history.  Their …

Arting my way through PD

I’m spending this week in an AP Summer Institute which has been giving me a lot of time to make some art.  Hopefully you’re spending a little time making art …

A Victory Lap

The year has ended, and as such, it’s important to reflect on what we as teachers have accomplished, as well as what we didn’t.  Today I’m thinking about an accomplishment. …

Use the buddy system when entering the teaching pool

I’m a grand-teacher now. After eight years in the profession, my first students now have students of their own. They’re wrapping up their first year and comparing notes on their …