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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Article

5 Strategies for Working With High School Students Who Hate Art

Working with high school students can be challenging at the best of times, but when you have a student who...
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Article

8 Helpful Tips to Make Your Maternity Leave Less Stressful

Growing a human is hard work but preparing to be out for six to eight weeks makes it seem even...
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Article

4 Tips for Fostering Authentic Art Experiences in the Classroom

Recently, I’ve been hearing the term “authentic art” used in the art ed world more and more. People talk of...
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Article

4 Ways to Help Students Personally Connect With Art History

We typically have three main ways to decide which artists to teach our students about: The artists we learned in school...
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Article

Everything You Need to Know to Write a Stellar Rubric

Have you ever glanced at a rubric and had your eyes glaze over and your mind tune out? Rubrics can be...
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Article

Teaching High School vs. Elementary: What’s the Difference?

As art teachers, we are certified to teach a ridiculously broad span of ages. It’s not uncommon to wonder if...
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Article

How to Curb Questions and Empower Students With Anchor Charts

Has this happened to you? You’re teaching a lesson that is process based – possibly making clay pinch pots, weaving,...
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Article

Are You Using the Elements and Principles as a Crutch?

The Elements and Principles of Art are important, foundational material for any good visual arts curriculum. Many art teachers know...
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