What We Learn from Our First Year of Art Teaching

Your first year of teaching has a way of humbling you—especially when you're the only art teacher in the building, juggling hundreds of students, short class periods, and nonstop transitions. In this episode, Tim sits down with Ellie Henderson, a Chicago-area art teacher and ceramics enthusiast, to talk honestly about what her first year looked like, what surprised her most, and what helped her grow into year two. Ellie shares her experiences about learning to manage materials, pacing, and expectations in real time. Through reflections on big wins, necessary pivots, and learning alongside her students, Ellie offers a candid look at the realities of being a new teacher and why letting go of perfection is often the most important step forward. Resources and Links Join the Art of Ed Community What Do First Year Teachers Need to Know? Podcasts Check out the PRO Learning Packs for First Year Teachers See the Think Sheet that Ellie discussed Listen to Cassie Stephens' podcast episode on 30-minute classes

You can listen to What We Learn from Our First Year of Art Teaching online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

What We Learn from Our First Year of Art Teaching is an episode from Art Ed Radio by The Art of Education University.

This episode is 25:13 long.

This episode was published on Feb 10, 2026.

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