Looking Ahead to PACE in the Ozarks I am eagerly anticipating my first Plein Air Painting Convention. This May, I’ll be attending the 13th annual PACE Plein Air Convention in the Ozarks, and I’m heading into it with several goals for my professional growth as both artist and educator. Bringing Plein Air into the Classroom One of my main intentions is to integrate a plein air unit into my art classes. I want to bring students outdoors when the weather cooperates. This is no s

This year, I’m embarking on a journey to explore how mindfulness practices—like yoga, qigong, and meditation—can positively impact my students' experiences in the art room. I’ve decided to blog about the experience as a means of tracking our journey throughout this school year. Week #3 10/23/2025

1. This Week’s Focus We began class with “Making Popcorn FUNterval,” an activity contributed by our Occupational Therapist. Then, I led the group through a short body scan meditation, followed by continuing work on our Polygon Sea Turtle painting projects. 2. Two-Word Check-In Students, for the most part, felt “okay” and “a little tired” at the start of class. After the FUNterval and meditation, students said they felt “great.” 3. Mindfulness Activity Summary FUNtervals are

Last February, my Adaptive Art classes hosted my school's first-ever Turtle Love Benefit Art Show —a meaningful event that brought our school community together to celebrate creativity and compassion. The Turtle Love Benefit Art Show was the public product for our Project Based Learning PBL exploring, "How can we help sea turtles in art class?" The show raised donations for SEE Turtle's Billion Baby Sea Turtles Project , an organization working to protect endangered sea turtl

As a high school art teacher, I have the privilege of teaching two full-year Adaptive Art classes. This year, I’m embarking on a journey to explore how mindfulness practices—like yoga, qigong, and meditation—can positively impact my students' experiences in the art room. The Driving Question How can integrating mindfulness practices into art class help my students? This question will guide my reflections and observations throughout the school year. Introducing Wellness Thursd