In June of 2025, I retired from teaching upper elementary/middle school art after 36 years. The decision to leave was mine to make and was primarily based on feeling tired at the end of the day. Every day. Standing and walking around the classroom became increasingly exhausting, and I found myself sitting at my small demonstration table in the front of the room while students worked. I was still teaching and trying to engage students in the creative process…but my mind was wandering all day long… Was it time for me to go? What else would I do? Would I earn enough income from my pension?
Looking Forward.
Friends who had retired years before gave me advice ranging from travel, make a plan, to even “Don’t say yes to anything for at least one year!” Well, I have traveled since last June, I have made some plans, and I HAVE said yes to working part-time as an Art Education instructor at a nearby university, in their art education department.
Here is a quick Adobe activity I had students in both of my classes create! The results were phenomenal! So, more to come — more traveling to do, and more saying “YES” when I was encouraged to say no!
Google Drawing in the art room 