About the Author

Matt Christenson

Hello! My name is Matt Christenson, and I’ve been teaching visual arts and mural design for over ten years at City Arts and Technology High School in San Francisco, California. The majority of the amazing students I work with are living in impoverished conditions and are overcoming traumatic circumstances. My classes promote engaging curriculum, independent learning, open-ended problem solving, communicating with an audience, as well as an inclusive culture of collaboration. I have led over thirty mural projects with students and adults on the walls of our school and at numerous other neighborhood locations.

Outside of school, I can often be found walking my dog along the Pacific Ocean, disc golfing, hiking, reading, painting, riding my bike, and running around Northern California.

I’m really excited to join AOE and hope to stimulate artist teacher ideas, interests, and discussions!

Posts by Matt

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student artwork
Article

Is There One “Right” Way to Teach Art?

The more holistic an art education program is, the more powerful it can be. On top of leading youth in...
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student working on mural
Article

How to Develop Rigor in the Classroom

The term “rigor” in education has been a buzzword for at least a decade. It describes the result of work...
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student artwork
Article

Do Religion and Politics Belong in the Art Room?

Do controversial topics like politics and religion belong in the art room? In short, absolutely. Throughout human history, art has...
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kids working together
Article

How to Implement a Graffiti-Inspired Unit: Week 2

Starting the year with graffiti is a great way to ease students’ anxiety. There’s no pressure to draw something “realistic”...
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graffiti
Article

How to Implement a Graffiti-Inspired Unit: Week 1

Are you looking for an exciting way to start off your Visual Arts class this year? Bring the study of...
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drawing pencils
Article

Why We Must Avoid the “Mile Wide, Inch Deep” Approach to Art Education

Have you ever been in an art course where the teacher tried to cram in as many different mediums and...
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student talking about art
Article

Why Students Should Present Their Work in Public

Do you ever have students stand up in front of their peers to present their work in public? Public speaking...
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squeeze tubes in boxes
Article

5 Tricks for Keeping Paint Supplies Organized

Has organizing the materials you need for painting ever become a pain? Many art educators have expressed their distaste for...
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students working on mural
Article

It’s Time to Lead a Mural Project

Have you ever wanted to lead a mural project with students? Now is the time! Creating a mural is one...
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teacher teaching
Article

How to Use Film to Improve Your Work With Students

Are you looking for powerful feedback to make your art class better? One simple strategy is to film your class in...
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student drawing large on a wall
Article

Why You Should Let Your Students Draw Large

How large do you let your students draw? There are benefits to taking a small image and replicating it on...
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photo of dog and photo of cropped dog
Article

Take Yourself on a Summer Scavenger Hunt to Find Exemplars for Your Classroom!

Art educators often venture into the summer months on the hunt for artistic exemplars. Sometimes we’re searching for specific types...
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