About the Author

Melissa Purtee

Hi! I’m Melissa Purtee and I teach visual art at Apex High School outside of Raleigh, North Carolina. I’m passionate about student choice, supporting diversity and creating pathways for authentic self-expression. I’m also the author of The Open Art Room, which is all about incorporating Choice in the secondary classroom. Read more of my writing on my blog, Thoughts on Arting.

 

Posts by Melissa

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supplies in bins
Article

4 Tips to Consider as You Make Your Transition to TAB

You’ve been struck by amazing, meaningful, student-directed work. You value student choice and see the many benefits of including it...
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Article

What Do You Do When Kids Make Bad Art?

It’s three days before winter break. I look around the room during my fourth-period class and I don’t like what...
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Article

10 Things I Wish I Had Known 10 Years Ago

Teaching is undoubtedly difficult, but it gets easier with the sort of wisdom that’s learned from experience. When I started...
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Article

4 Engaging One Day Activities

Ah, December. The magical time of year when holiday cheer is in the air and good behavior disappears in the...
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Article

Five Ideas for Awesome Art Teacher Apparel

Being an art teacher can come with a lot of pressure. Since we are so cool, fun, and creative the...
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Article

Why You Should Never Compare Yourself to Other Teachers

The work was stunning – full of bold color and movement. It looked advanced and child-like at the same time,...
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Article

Four Reasons I’m Thankful to Teach Art

I didn’t always want to be a teacher, though art has always been a huge part of my life. In...
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Article

Simple Strategies for a Bring Your Own Device Art Room

Cell phones have taken over our lives – adults and children included. The struggle to get kids to put them...
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student working with chalk
Article

Why It’s Time to Stop Using Craftsmanship Rubrics

What sort of art is the best? Is it the highly realistic painting with fruit so dimensional it looks like...
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Screen Printing Picture
Article

How to Flip Your Classroom Without Making Videos

Flipped instruction is a popular teaching method, and for good reason. It gives teachers more class time to delve deeper...
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student brainstorming
Article

How to Push Students Beyond Their First Ideas

Creative thinking is an essential skill for successful art students to develop. It’s also a very teachable one if you...
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close up of Starry Night
Article

Amaze Your Students With Google Arts and Culture

Do you ever wish you could take your students to museums and historical sites around the world to show them...
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