How Art Teachers Can Adapt to Change (Ep. 513)

In this episode, Tim sits down with elementary art teacher Khadesia Latimer (@thebusybrushes) to explore the biggest shifts she has seen in her 10 years in the classroom. From “learned helplessness” and declining problem-solving skills to the impact of AI and constant technology exposure, Khadesia shares both honest insights and practical strategies for helping students rebuild confidence, resilience, and independence.

You’ll also hear ideas for bringing back collaboration, using picture books in powerful ways (even beyond elementary!), and why giving students more choice can be a big part of deeper learning.

Full episode transcript below.

Resources and Links

• • How Art Teachers Overcome Our Biggest Challenges
  • How the Arts Promote Resilient Learners for Life
  • Everyday Art Room Podcast: The Best Children’s Books for Art Teaching
  • 6 Picture Books to Prompt an Awareness of Self and Others

Transcript

Tim:
Okay. Joining me now is Khadesia Latimer. Khadesia, how are you?

Khadesia:
I’m doing great, Tim. How are you?

Tim:
I’m doing great. I feel like we’ve known each other forever, but I don’t think you’ve ever been on the podcast before. So welcome to the show! Can you tell people a little bit about you—your teaching or anything else you want to share?

Khadesia:
Absolutely. First off, I want to say I love the podcast and I’m excited to be on it. My name is Khadesia Latimer, and I’m an elementary art teacher from upstate South Carolina. Next year will be my 10th year in education—I cannot believe it—but I’ve learned a lot along the way, and I’m still learning. I’m also very excited because we have spring break coming up soon!

Tim:
Everybody’s looking forward to spring break. We love what we do, but we also like to step away every once in a while.

Khadesia:
Or make our own things, you know?

Tim:
Exactly. I wanted to have you on because you were part of the roundtable at the Art Ed Now Conference, but we had some technical issues and didn’t get to hear from you as much as we wanted. So I wanted to continue that conversation here.

When you compare teaching now to when you started 10 years ago, what are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen—especially post-pandemic?

Khadesia:
I started teaching in 2017, and back then students could brainstorm and work in groups really well. Over the years, that’s changed. After the pandemic, students really struggled with collaboration. Being at home for so long made that transition back to school difficult.

I also think parenting has shifted. I call it “easy parenting”—and I’m guilty of it too. Sometimes we do things for kids because it’s faster. But that takes away their confidence to do things on their own.

For example, a student might come in and say, “I don’t have a stool,” and just stand there. Instead of finding one, they wait for direction. It’s those small problem-solving moments that are missing.

Tim:
It’s a real issue, even if it sounds funny to people outside education. So if students are struggling with problem-solving, what can we do to help rebuild that independence?

Khadesia:
My husband and I were just talking about this—he’s a teacher too. Project-based learning used to be a big thing, and I used to incorporate it into my art room. For example, building the strongest structure with marshmallows and spaghetti.

I stopped doing those kinds of projects because they’re time-consuming and expensive, and I assumed classroom teachers were still doing them—but they’re not, because of testing pressures.

Now students aren’t practicing those skills, so they don’t know how. I want to bring those types of projects back—giving students real problems to solve together.

Tim:
I love that. Art naturally lends itself to that kind of thinking, but we need to make it explicit and teach those skills directly.

Let’s shift to teachers. What’s your mindset when it comes to change?

Khadesia:
I’m going to be honest—I don’t like change at all. I’m very set in my ways. Even something small, like someone parking in my unofficial assigned spot, bothers me.

But I’ve learned that change is part of life. I remind myself that change encourages growth. If I want to grow, I have to be open to change. As art teachers, things can shift constantly, and we have to learn to adapt.

If we decide we’re going to be upset every time something changes, we’re going to stay upset.

Tim:
That’s a great reminder. What changes do you see coming in the next 5–10 years?

Khadesia:
Artificial intelligence stands out the most—especially in art. AI-generated art and music are becoming more common, and that raises questions about real artists and creativity.

I also worry about how AI affects student thinking. If students rely on it to do the work, we’re losing critical thinking skills. There are positives, but right now we’re not always using it responsibly.

Tim:
It’s fair to be both hopeful and critical. So how do we help students deal with all these changes?

Khadesia:
One thing that comes to mind is technology—especially cell phones. Even very young students have them now, and that brings a lot of social pressure.

I think we need to have more real conversations with students. When I first started teaching, I would sit with students and just talk—about their lives, their concerns. That’s missing now.

Another powerful tool is picture books. Even in college, my professor read picture books to us, and they sparked meaningful discussions. That can be incredibly impactful at any age.

Tim:
Do you have any favorites you recommend?

Khadesia:
Yes! I love Peter Reynolds’ books—The Dot and Ish. Also The Most Magnificent Thing and Jabari Jumps. They’re all great for teaching resilience and perseverance.

Tim:
I love that idea—even for older students. So to wrap up, what’s one takeaway for art teachers?

Khadesia:
Give students more choice. There’s a place for both structured projects and open-ended ones, but if we make all the decisions, students won’t learn how to make their own.

Let them choose—materials, ideas, approaches. It builds confidence and helps them think for themselves. I’ve been working on this, and students really respond to it.

Tim:
That ties back to what you said earlier—it’s easier for us to do things for them, but they learn more when they do it themselves.

This has been a great conversation. Thank you so much for coming on!

Khadesia:
Thank you for having me!