We all dread the art room aftermath in the days leading up to Winter Break. Our rooms have been ransacked and messes abound. It’s a flurry of activity, creativity, and sugar-fueled abandon.
In honor of art teachers everywhere, I felt the need to commemorate the occasion with a song.
Without further ado, I present The 12 Days of Art Mess.
(To the tune of “The 12 Days of Christmas”)
The 12 Days of Art Mess
On the first day of Art Mess
my students left for me:
An Overturned Jar of Glitter
On the second day of Art Mess
my students left for me:
Two Hardened Brushes
and an Overturned Jar of Glitter
On the third day of Art Mess
my students left for me:
Three Uncapped Glue Sticks
Two Hardened Brushes
and an Overturned Jar of Glitter
On the fourth day of Art Mess
my students left for me:
Four Dried Out Markers
Three Uncapped Glue Sticks
Two Hardened Brushes
and an Overturned Jar of Glitter
On the fifth day of Art Mess
my students left for me:
Five Pointless Pencils
Four Dried Out Markers
Three Uncapped Glue Sticks
Two Hardened Brushes
and an Overturned Jar of Glitter
On the sixth day of Art Mess
my students left for me:
Six Ruined Sharpies
Five Pointless Pencils
Four Dried Out Markers
Three Uncapped Glue Sticks
Two Hardened Brushes
and an Overturned Jar of Glitter
On the seventh day of Art Mess
my students left for me:
Seven Blobs of Wet Glue
Six Ruined Sharpies
Five Pointless Pencils
Four Dried Out Markers
Three Uncapped Glue Sticks
Two Hardened Brushes
and an Overturned Jar of Glitter
On the eighth day of Art Mess
my students left for me:
Eight Sticky Tables
Seven Blobs of Wet Glue
Six Ruined Sharpies
Five Pointless Pencils
Four Dried Out Markers
Three Uncapped Glue Sticks
Two Hardened Brushes
and an Overturned Jar of Glitter
On the ninth day of Art Mess
my students left for me:
Nine Mystery Puddles
Eight Sticky Tables
Seven Blobs of Wet Glue
Six Ruined Sharpies
Five Pointless Pencils
Four Dried Out Markers
Three Uncapped Glue Sticks
Two Hardened Brushes
and an Overturned Jar of Glitter
On the tenth day of Art Mess
my students left for me:
Ten Messed-up Paint Sets
Nine Mystery Puddles
Eight Sticky Tables
Seven Blobs of Wet Glue
Six Ruined Sharpies
Five Pointless Pencils
Four Dried Out Markers
Three Uncapped Glue Sticks
Two Hardened Brushes
and an Overturned Jar of Glitter
On the eleventh day of Art Mess
my students left for me:
Eleven Brimming Trash Cans
Ten Messed-up Paint Sets
Nine Mystery Puddles
Eight Sticky Tables
Seven Blobs of Wet Glue
Six Ruined Sharpies
Five Pointless Pencils
Four Dried Out Markers
Three Uncapped Glue Sticks
Two Hardened Brushes
and an Overturned Jar of Glitter
On the twelfth day of Art Mess
my students left for me:
Twelve Days of Clean Up
Eleven Brimming Trash Cans
Ten Messed-up Paint Sets
Nine Mystery Puddles
Eight Sticky Tables
Seven Blobs of Wet Glue
Six Ruined Sharpies
Five Pointless Pencils
Four Dried Out Markers
Three Uncapped Glue Sticks
Two Hardened Brushes
and an Overturned Jar of Glitter
May you all enjoy some peace and mess-free days during your Winter Break. They are surely well deserved!
What are the most dreaded school days for you?
How do you handle the days leading up to break?
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.
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