Wake me up when it’s all over! This end-of-year art teacher plea fills the air because it’s that time of year again. You and your students know exactly how many days, hours, and minutes remain until summer break. You meticulously count them down to motivate yourself to make it. Running on coffee and paint fumes, you need all the help you can get to keep you going.
Instead of sinking into an end-of-year slump, laugh at your beginning-of-the-year self compared to you now. Comedic relief helps keep your spirits up and gives you the energy to carry on. Nothing relaxes and motivates teachers like a little laughter! Here are a few relatable scenarios you may be facing to bring a smile to your face.
If you need more than just entertainment to get you through to the end of the year, check out these resources:
- “Considerations for the End of the Year (Ep. 219)”
- 3 Ways to Keep Engagement High Through the End of the School Year
- 5 Seamless Ways to Tie in Assessments at the End of the School Year
These hysterical scenes from the life of every end-of-year art teacher are sure to provide the comic relief you need to hold you over until summer!
Scene 1: A student asks to borrow a pencil.
Beginning-of-Year Art Teacher:
“Of course! Here—take one of these 300 brand-new pencils from my stock. And, you know what? You can just keep it. I’ve got enough!”
End-of-Year Art Teacher:
“What I can give you is this quarter of a pencil with a chewed-off eraser. But I need it back when you’re done because it’s the only one I have left!”
If this sounds like you…
Consider adding some digital artmaking to your end-of-year curriculum. No pencils are necessary!
Scene 2: An art teacher decides what to wear for the day.
Beginning-of-Year Art Teacher:
“I’m so excited to break out all of my rainbow clothes! Let’s see… For the first week, I have my rainbow beret, tights, cardigan, earrings, overalls, and crocs queued up. I probably shouldn’t wear them all together, right? Oh! I can use leopard print as my neutral to break it up!”
End-of-Year Art Teacher:
“Hmmm, did I wear my rainbow crayon dress last Monday or Tuesday? I can’t have another student calling me out for wearing the same rainbow overalls two weeks in a row again. Does lime green go with neon orange? Man, I can’t wait to wear all black all summer long!”
If this sounds like you…
Take your fashion-savvy self beyond the walls of your closet and use it to engage your students in some art history.
Scene 3: A student complains about the semi-dry red marker.
Beginning-of-Year Art Teacher:
“Oh no! I must have missed that one when I checked all the markers before school started. No worries! I’ve got you. Here is a brand new one from my mega classroom set of two hundred and fifty-eight markers.”
End-of-Year Art Teacher:
“Are you sure it’s dry? Here, show me. Does anyone else at your table have a red marker? It’s the only one left?! Well… Try shaking it around a little bit. Now try it. Oh, oh! I see a little bit of color coming out! There! That should work for you!”
If this sounds like you…
You can extend the life of your markers by storing them upside down. Make those markers last until the end of the year!
Scene 4: An art teacher prepares materials for a day of classes.
Beginning-of-Year Art Teacher:
“I’ll just add the tape to the fifth-grade bucket, and there you have it! The materials for each grade level project are carefully sorted into these color-coded bins, and my paper store is fully restocked. I even have time to catch up on the latest Art Ed Radio podcast!”
End-of-Year Art Teacher:
“Alright, ten minutes. Here we go! Who’s next? Fourth grade? No, third grade, right? What do I do with these brushes? Can I just throw them away? I’ll put them in the sink and wash them later. Ok… Tape. Where did I put the tape? I know third grade really needs it. Wait—has it been ten minutes already?!”
If this sounds like you…
Try some of the tips and tricks from the Run the Art Room YouTube mini-series to keep things under control.
Scene 5: An instructional coach inquires about the next unit plan.
Beginning-of-Year Art Teacher:
“No problem! Here it is. You’ll notice we are starting off by focusing on the Big Ideas of Inspiration and Creativity. I have tied these to the Responding and Creating artistic domains, and we will explore essential questions accordingly. My learning and language targets are mapped out in this section for quick daily reference.”
End-of-Year Art Teacher:
“Unit plan? Yeah, I definitely have one of those. Here… No, not that planner. It’s in this one. See, right here! I know exactly what we are doing each week. It’s all right here on this sticky note. What do you mean you can’t really read it? It says “Process Art Cities” for this week. Oh wait, we finished that last week. Don’t worry! I’ll come up with something for today!”
If this sounds like you…
Pull out a one-day art activity your students will love. Intentionally fill the gaps that often come at the end of the year.
Scene 6: A student points out the poster coming off the wall.
Beginning-of-Year Art Teacher:
“Oh my goodness! Thank you so much for letting me know! You know what? I’m going to go fix that right now. I have a few extra minutes, and I would hate for any other students to find the decor in my room lacking in any way.”
End-of-Year Art Teacher:
“Yes, you’re right! Very observant. Just like last week. Do you want to try to slap it back into place? If you do, I’m sure it will hold for a few more days. Yes, just like that. Wait—Oh no! It’s crooked. Oh, never mind. I’m sure no one will notice!”
If this sounds like you…
Use a hot glue gun or a repositionable glue stick to ensure your decor stays where you want it.
Scene 7: An art teacher tackles meal prep and lunch break.
Beginning-of-Year Art Teacher:
“This year, I’m really going to take time for myself during lunch. I’ll bring in my neatly packed mason jar salad and join my music teacher friend for some stimulating conversation on balancing teaching and creating.”
End-of-Year Art Teacher:
“I am starving and forgot to think about lunch again! I’m sure there’s something around here I can eat. I thought I saw some chocolate at the bottom of one of these drawers. Oh, wait! Here’s half a bag of chips I confiscated last week. They’re probably not too stale!”
If this sounds like you…
You may need some new ideas on making wellness a priority in your art teacher life. It’s never too late!
Scene 8: A student asks for the artwork they turned in last week.
Beginning-of-Year Art Teacher:
“Sure thing! It’s right here in my file folder under Artwork from Students. I took the liberty of making a few constructive comments for you to consider as you move forward. I think the way you use dark blue conveys sadness effectively. I’m excited to see what you do next!”
End-of-Year Art Teacher:
“Your artwork. Sure! Let me see… Ah, yes. I remember you handing it to me while I was scraping oil pastels off the floor. I’m sure I put it right here in this drawer. Yeah, here you go. Don’t mind the coffee stain. See, it looks a little like a duck; I’m sure you can work with it!”
If this sounds like you…
Check out the “Simple Artwork Storage Tips (Ep. 2)” video that is a part of the Art Room Hacks YouTube mini-series.
Scene 9: An administrator asks about your growth metrics charts.
Beginning-of-Year Art Teacher:
“Yes, of course! The growth metrics are carefully labeled and categorized by grade level and classroom in my Google Drive. I shared them with you last week so you can review them before you get bogged down with everyone else’s.”
End-of-Year Art Teacher:
“Growth metrics… Right—growth metrics! Oh, you needed them two weeks ago. I’m so sorry! Umm… I’m sure I took some notes. They have to be here somewhere. Hmm… Maybe under this very important pile of papers? Or this one. Do you mind? Can you hold this stack for a minute?”
If this sounds like you…
Suggest more practical ways to measure student growth in your art room. Growth metrics don’t have to be daunting!
Scene 10: An art teacher contemplates their year.
Beginning-of-Year Art Teacher:
“What a year it will be! My students will amaze me with their ingenuity, creativity, and imagination. We will have fun, take risks, and make some amazing art. Whatever comes, we will face it one day at a time. This is sure to be the best year yet! I’m so glad summer break is over.”
End-of-Year Art Teacher:
“What a year it has been! My students amazed me with their ingenuity, creativity, and imagination. We had fun, took risks, and made some amazing art. Whatever came, we faced it one day at a time. This has been the best year yet! I’m so glad summer break is here.”
If this sounds like you…
Congratulations! Despite the ups and downs, you remember why it’s all worth it. If you need a reminder, check out these 26 reasons to be a thankful art teacher!
Now, you’ve had some fun and used up a few more minutes between you and your summer break. It’s time to get back in the game and wrap up the year on a high note. You don’t have to sleep through the time you have left with your artists. You’ve made it this far and have what it takes to finish the year. Drink in every hysterical scene you have left, and use the laughter to end strong!
What hysterical end-of-the-year scene have you encountered lately?
How is your beginning-of-the-year self different than the end-of-year you?
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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