The Breakdown
Monitoring Standardized Tests Ten years ago, when I was teaching 9-12 art and started this website, we had to complete professional development that led us to monitor standardized tests yearly. We learned things like never sitting down, not being on your computer, and reading a book while students tested. We even saw examples of how […]
4 Questions to Help You Choose a College
If you’re a junior in high school, it’s the time of year when people ask you where you will go to college. It’s not easy to answer, so you’re likely asking your teachers for recommendations and turning to the college board for research. Create a list of schools to research and visit by reflecting and […]
How to Develop and Design A Postcard
Design My husband just walked through the door with his first tip of the holiday season; he’s a letter carrier, which reminds me that I need to figure out the design for this year’s thank you card. When developing an idea or new design, giving yourself some rules is essential. Don’t worry; you can break […]
High in the Tree and Low in the Soil: The Story Behind the Page
I like nature. Subconsciously, it works its way into many of my stories. I also like to write about things that generally have an obvious relationship. I then take that relationship in a not-so-obvious direction. It makes for thoughtful conflict; we all know a story needs tension or conflict. With that thought in mind, I […]
Revision and Starting Over
We’re taught that revision is essential but shouldn’t like it. It means that we should have done it better the first time. What if you looked at revision as a sign of learning, a way to demonstrate that you know more now than you did yesterday? An indicator of a desire and willingness to grow. […]
Are You Letting Ideas Pass You By?
There are ideas all around you; you just have to be paying enough attention to catch them. I just returned from a family trip to the beach. Something about travel prompts 1 million questions to carousel through my mind. This year, the theme was Pelicans… I bet you didn’t expect me to say that. I’ve […]
How to Understand What You See
I wanted to write you a mini-lesson on visual literacy specifically connected to the meaning of materials. But before we can talk about the meaning of materials, we need to start at the beginning and talk about seeing. Visual literacy is important for everyone. You might think that if you’re not an artist or aspiring […]
The Benefits of Picture Books: Why Every Home Should Have a Collection
While I was a big fan of the library as an adult, as a kid, I wasn’t. It wasn’t that I didn’t love books; it was the exact opposite. I loved them so much that I wanted to own them and fill the shelves of my bedroom bookshelf. Now, I do more of a balance […]
Books in English and Spanish
One of my favorite things about any creative project is experimenting and learning new things. Many of you asked for books in English and Spanish, but I wasn’t sure how to make it happen. After doing some research, I was able to hire a translator to translate The Weaving Book into Spanish. If this goes […]
Finding more Joy
I’m not an event planner, however, I did find myself planning a few events this year, and I must say that they were a success. The thing that I liked the most about them is that we did what we wanted, we did what felt playful, joyful, and surprising. I’ve realized that I’m looking for […]