Mastering the Art of the Cart!

2020 has been a year of adaptation and sacrifice for everyone; however, few people understand how Covid protocol affects an art teacher/turned “Olympic Runner.” You might witness this teacher making a mad dash back to the classroom to snatch a forgotten art supply mid-lesson, or you’ll find these unsung heros awkwardly wheeling carts from room to room, sharing their passion like a door to door salesman.

We could easily compile a whole list of challenges created by the current situation. For example, I now share a room and office space, which is highly challenging for an easily distracted, creative hoarder. Others have lost their rooms altogether, so I thank my lucky stars that I’ve managed to hang onto that… a dreamy creative space with two-story windows that overlook the breath-taking Ben Lomand Mountain peak. This room, once full of busy, excited children, now sits vacant like a sad little 90s ceramic shop. Still, I’m not here to dwell on that. I was raised watching Pollyanna and hearing the phrase, “Chin-up Wilbur!” So let’s play the “Glad Game” and I’ll share a couple of tips and tricks that have eased my transition to the “Art Cart”.

Advantages of the Art Cart:  

Kids Are Genuinely Excited – When they see you roll in with your “wheels of wonder” they are excited for something new as they scan the cart, curious about what you’re going to do.  Already, they are warming up their creative brains.  Sometimes I feel a little like Mary Poppins with her handbag of tricks and Jane and Michael are eagerly waiting to see what is in our carpet bag. Our job is simply the best!

Hitting Technology Standards with Accessibility – At my school, students have a lot more access to technology. We used to just have a computer lab, but now each student has a Chromebook. We have a few standards about presenting Digital Artwork that I’ve never managed to solidly teach before, and new accessibility has allowed me to hit these standards.  Students also have an easy drawing reference with a simple google search and the click of a button.

Students Are Always On Time – Remember those classes that showed up five to ten minutes after art was supposed to begin, leaving you scrambling to condense your lesson?  Now it’s just your job to show up, so punctuality is the key to success.

Less Wasted Time In Transitions – Say goodbye to lining students up at the door and playing “If You’re Happy and You Know It” while you stall, waiting for a late teacher to pick them up.

Clean Up Is a Breeze – You know those action movies where they walk away in slow motion from an explosion behind them… I’m certainly not condoning it, (we are for sure there to support those classroom teachers) but sometimes… just sometimes, I can relate.  Kids always have a hard time stopping, and I do everything I can to have them put things away in their individual bins, but it’s nice to be able to walk away when I need to. 😉

Increased Teacher Support and Collaboration – Having another teacher in the room is tremendous support! They chime in more often or help hand out supplies.  When I’m in their classroom, I get a better feel for the content I’m integrating with art.

Tips and Tricks:

Establish Your Entry – Sometimes you might feel like you are interrupting as you enter and students call out “Hi! Is it time for art?!” I’ve talked to my students about that and I have them “Send Me Some Love” by just holding up the “I Love You” sign language to acknowledge that I’m there, and I always send it back (a little less distracting). Consider an attention signal to try to greet them in a happy way and establish a smooth transition.

More Movement – Before we start, I try to have the students stand up and touch their toes, stretch, or wiggle and warm up their fingers. Our students are sitting a lot more with less schoolwide rotation, so it is wise to find opportunities for them to move with quick “stand up, sit down” games or gallery walks during the lesson.

Collaborate and Communicate – This year, I’m doing a better job of communicating by sending the teachers a quick weekly email reminder of when I’m coming in, what supplies the students will need, and our learning targets/objectives. Allow the teacher to jump in and be a reference with integrated work during the lesson. It’s powerful when the students can visually make that subject connection through the teachers.

Simplify – It’s ok to lower the bar a little.  I’m not saying to “dumb it down,” but choose quality over quantity; rather than covering a lot of material, pick one and do it well.  I’m choosing simple supply projects that we can still go deep with, but that requires less prep or mess. This year, I am trying to make sure we use supplies most students could find at home. These kids are dealing with a lot of anxiety and stress, and I believe art should be a happy time to unwind, discover, and make connections.

Take Time To Reflect  – Make sure you leave a few minutes to debrief and reflect with the students on what happened in class. Prepare a couple of good questions such as, “What was something I know now that I didn’t know well before class?” Sometimes that’s when the most learning takes place; allow students time to ponder and give a reason to think deeply about the process and what they have learned.

Plan Ahead – I’m sure you do this anyway, but make time to prepare supplies. I keep an outline list of supplies with the lesson as a quick reference, so that I can grab what I need and set up quickly.

Slow Your Roll – Rather than rushing in and out of classrooms like a frazzled glitter bomb ready to go off: SLOW DOWN!  Slow the cart, pause in the hallway to wave and smile at cute kids peeking through the doorway of the classroom. Catch your breath and reset. Your enthusiasm is a breath of spring, but you don’t want to overwhelm or undermine the current classroom teacher. You are a guest in the room. It is a privilege to work in tandem with them.

Remember Your Why – In my head, I can hear Inigo Montoya from Princess Bride saying, “He told me to go back to the beginning.” Well, that’s what you should do.  Remember your “why” and the reason you are teaching. Do you like what you do? You may be pushing a cart, but you’re not working in a factory. Make sure that your original passion for art and children is visible as you teach.

I’m certainly not saying that “Art on a Cart” is the ideal. I can’t wait to get students back into the art room and expose them to more materials and supplies, but for now, I can do hard things with a smile and find the good in a tough situation. You can too! Why? Because we are creative people, and looking at the world differently is what we do best.  

“Action and adaptability create opportunity.” -Garrison Wynn

By Lydia Stewart