As a person who basically grew up with social media, it comes pretty easily to me to just continue those skills into my art room, but I know this is definitely not the case with everyone. If using social media doesn't fit into your teaching style, NO SWEAT! It is not for everyone and I will say this until I am blue in the face...

DO NOT TRY TO FIT YOURSELF INTO SOMEONE ELSE'S IDEA OF WHAT AN ART TEACHER SHOULD BE.

That being said, if you are wanting to implement some social media-ing to boost your program a little, more power to ya! I think that using these tools are a great way to connect with students outside of the classroom, showcase what is happening in your art room, spread awareness of your art program to the community, and keep your school up to date with different events that may be happening.

I have two classrooms and each one has its own instagram page that I regularly (ish) update with pictures of projects, new things we are learning, and fun art-related anecdotes that I think people might enjoy. Kids absolutely LOVE seeing their artwork featured on our page. I will often times have students running into my classroom and exclaiming "I SAW MY PROJECT ON INSTAGRAM YESTERDAY!". They eat it up.

My principal also loves it because he can pick and choose posts that he likes to share on our school-wide instagram and facebook pages. So for any parents who don't follow the art room page specifically, they still get a small taste of what we are doing.

This has all been working pretty smoothly thus far this year. And then this week a new idea just EXPLODED into my brain! Why can't I also be using my instagram as a tool to educate my students and spark new ideas for projects?? Obviously students are not only seeing the posts, but they are paying attention to them as well. So why shouldn't this be a platform for more education?

I decided to come up for daily hashtags that I can use to post different information each day (for example, #ModernArtMonday). I have tried to come up with at least two hashtags for each day of the week so I can change it up from time to time. I then went and created a cute graphic for each hashtag to be posted with the information and any other pictures I might be including (because above all else, I love to be trendy).

Now I have these images ready and at my disposal to be posted at a seconds notice! I have only posted two of them so far, but I am LOVING the responses I am getting! I have included the graphics I created below (shout-out to the Typorama app for being super easy to use to make these) so you can see what I mean by "daily hashtags".

Have an idea for another hashtag I could be using? I would love to hear it! Want to follow my classrooms on instagram? The more the merrier!

@csalincoln_artroom

@csafodrea_artroom