Mindful Creativity in the Art Room: Simple Practices to Support Well-Being and Authentic Expression
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
FREE for NAEA members; $49 for nonmembers

Art classrooms offer a powerful space for students to slow down, reconnect with themselves, and engage more deeply in the creative process. This webinar introduces practical, time-efficient strategies that blend mindfulness, intuitive artmaking, and SEL-informed practices to help middle and high school students reduce stress, build emotional awareness, and express themselves with greater confidence.

Teaching art and mindfulness together creates the mental space students need for creative thinking to flourish. Mindful routines help students settle their minds, ease anxiety, and access their imagination more easily, while process-focused art prompts encourage authentic expression without the pressure of perfection. These small shifts can transform the studio environment—improving focus, supporting self-regulation, and strengthening students’ ability to understand and communicate their emotions through art.

Explore ready-to-use ideas that fit naturally into existing lessons and daily classroom flow through this webinar. Learn how simple mindful moments and sensory-based check-ins can enrich studio routines, and how intuitive mark-making prompts—such as expressive drawing, guided visualization, or nonrepresentational response exercises—can help students bypass self-judgment and tap into their creative impulses. Discover the connection between present-moment awareness, creative confidence, and emotional well-being, offering concrete strategies that encourage students to feel more grounded and more connected to their own artistic voice.

What You’ll Learn:

- How to integrate quick 2- to 5-minute mindful routines—including breath work, sensory check-ins, and “slow looking”—to help students transition smoothly into artmaking.
- Intuitive art prompts that emphasize process over product, allowing students to explore, experiment, and express themselves without fear of making mistakes.
- Strategies for supporting emotional regulation and SEL through arts-based practices that help students understand, communicate, and manage their feelings.
- Approaches for fostering a calmer, more focused studio culture, where students feel safe to take creative risks and engage more deeply with materials and ideas.

Upon completion of this NAEA webinar, you may earn 1 hour of professional development credit as designated by NAEA. Once the webinar is completed, you may view/print a Certification of Participation under the "Contents" tab. You may also print a transcript of all webinars attended under the "Dashboard" link in the right sidebar section of the page.  

Clock hours provided upon completion of any NAEA professional learning program are granted for participation in an organized professional learning experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction and qualified instruction, and can be used toward continuing education credit in most states. It is the responsibility of the participant to verify acceptance by professional governing authorities in their area.

Mindfulness Exercises for the School Day: Prioritizing Self-Care
Wednesday, January 13, 2021 | 7-8pm ET  
FREE for NAEA Members; $49 for non-members

Learn about mindfulness—what it is, why it works, and how to incorporate easy exercises into the school day. Gain accessible information into the science behind mindfulness as well as how it can help with self-regulation for our students and, most importantly, ourselves.  

Upon completion of this NAEA webinar, you may earn 1 hour of professional development credit as designated by NAEA. Once the webinar is completed, you may view/print a Certification of Participation under the "Contents" tab. You may also print a transcript of all webinars attended under the "Dashboard" link in the right sidebar section of the page.  

Clock hours provided upon completion of any NAEA professional learning program are granted for participation in an organized professional learning experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction and qualified instruction, and can be used toward continuing education credit in most states. It is the responsibility of the participant to verify acceptance by professional governing authorities in their area.

SEL Practices: Self-Care for Your Students and YOU
Wednesday, January 5, 2022  
FREE for NAEA members; $49 for nonmembers  

Social–emotional learning provides a foundation for safe, positive learning and enhances students’ ability to succeed in school, careers, and life. Join Melissa Hronkin in this insightful webinar to learn mindful breathing, chair yoga, and other techniques that you can share with students and colleagues to help foster a culture of self-care in and out of the art room.

Upon completion of this NAEA webinar, you may earn 1 hour of professional development credit as designated by NAEA. Once the webinar is completed, you may view/print a Certification of Participation under the "Contents" tab. You may also print a transcript of all webinars attended under the "Dashboard" link in the right sidebar section of the page.  

Clock hours provided upon completion of any NAEA professional learning program are granted for participation in an organized professional learning experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction and qualified instruction, and can be used toward continuing education credit in most states. It is the responsibility of the participant to verify acceptance by professional governing authorities in their area.

NAEA Need to Know Webcast: Fostering Resilience During Turbulent Times Through Educator Self-Care
January 20, 2020
Cost: FREE

Presenter: Trina D. Harlow, Kansas State University; Lisa Kay, Temple University; Donalyn Heise, University of Texas at Austin

When traveling on airplanes, adults are asked to secure their own oxygen masks before assisting children. This directive can also apply to art educators, who often find themselves challenged by the variety of challenges our learners encounter and bring with them to the classroom. Research indicates that educators should develop social–emotional competencies, be able to manage their stress and regulate their emotions, and strive to develop resilience. It is imperative that educators recognize their need for self-care, are equipped with an understanding of what self-care is, and know what they can do to develop this practice. Self-care for busy educators is not a selfish use of one’s time. In fact, by tending to our own self-care needs, we are better able to support our learners. This session, organized by the NAEA Research Commission’s Professional Learning Through Research Working Group, explores how self-care can contribute to our profes-
sional success.

Please note that participation in this webcast does not include NAEA professional development credit. 

Self-Care for Educators: Exploring Multimodal Artmaking for Resilience While Finding Purpose and Cultivating Well-Being
Wednesday, August 6, 2025
FREE for NAEA members; $49 for nonmembers

Educators, as helping professionals, often encounter the psychological and physiological effects of burnout and other secondary stressors. We invite you to invest in your personal and professional self-care at this webinar! Join us as we examine artmaking as an explorative source for resilience and self-care. In this webinar, we will use a multimodal approach and engage with prompts designed for reflecting on lived experiences and addressing a myriad of associated challenges. We will also delve into the Japanese concept of ikigai; uncover new ways of determining self-purpose; and discuss how to integrate mindfulness into daily routines—all cultivating calm awareness and intentionality. 

Upon completion of this NAEA webinar, you may earn 1 hour of professional development credit as designated by NAEA. Once the webinar is completed, you may view/print a Certification of Participation under the "Contents" tab. You may also print a transcript of all webinars attended under the "Dashboard" link in the right sidebar section of the page.  

Clock hours provided upon completion of any NAEA professional learning program are granted for participation in an organized professional learning experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction and qualified instruction, and can be used toward continuing education credit in most states. It is the responsibility of the participant to verify acceptance by professional governing authorities in their area.

NAEA Town Hall: Art Education and Social Emotional Learning: Taking Care of Our Learners and Ourselves
November 17, 2020
Cost: FREE!

Presenters: 

Karen Van Ausdal, Senior Director of Practice, Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), Chicago, IL

Lindsey D. Vance, Art Therapist, Fine Artist, Educator, and Consultant

Zerric Clinton, PhD, Art Educator, Dutchtown High School, Hampton, GA

Alexandra Burnside, Elementary Art Teacher, Carthage R-9 School District, Carthage, MO

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Social Emotional Learning (SEL) has always been a critical component of learning and is often times an elegant fit in the art room and studio. In this conversation, our expert guests will discuss and share various SEL strategies to support learners, including trauma-informed education, as well as share ideas for teacher self-care at this uniquely taxing moment in time. Gain national, district, and classroom perspectives, solutions, and support.

Please note that participation in this Town Hall does not include NAEA professional development credit. 

Art Educators as Artists
Wednesday, May 15, 2019 | 7-8 pm ET
FREE for NAEA Members; $49 for non-members

Is it possible to maintain a sense of balance between the creative roles of teacher and artist? Do you face an ongoing struggle with living what seems like two separate lives? Join in this webinar to explore some of the challenges many art teachers have in finding time, energy, and space to make their own work and discover successful strategies that can be employed to help maintain harmony and success within each of these worlds. Be ready to share your challenges and the approaches that have helped you with your personal art practice as we delve into how it is possible to establish a relationship between teaching and creating art by understanding how these two worlds can inspire and inform one another.

Upon completion of this NAEA webinar, you may earn 1 hour of professional development credit as designated by NAEA. Once the webinar is completed, you may view/print a Certification of Participation under the "Contents" tab. You may also print a transcript of all webinars attended under the "Dashboard" link in the right sidebar section of the page.  

Clock hours provided upon completion of any NAEA professional learning program are granted for participation in an organized professional learning experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction and qualified instruction, and can be used toward continuing education credit in most states. It is the responsibility of the participant to verify acceptance by professional governing authorities in their area.

Drawing a Line From Your Life to Your Art: Get creative and collaborative with 31 Nights and tet[R]ad: Draw & Play!
Tuesday, June 6, 2017 | 7-8 pm ET
FREE for NAEA Members; $49 for non-members

"Making it" as an artist or simply making our own art is something many of us want to do. And, in our field, we most likely want to do this while simultaneously having a meaningful career as an art educator. Did you know that you already hold the key to making this happen? It's your story!
Learn innovative approaches to help you tell your story through your own work as an artist while embarking on some truly magical and collaborative projects with your students.

This webinar begins with an introduction to Michael Bell's worldwide movement called 31 Nights. This project will not only ignite passion in you and your students, but it can literally unlock the doors to your own artmaking process. Find your signature style and authentic voice in your artwork and your teaching.

Additionally, you'll explore another global project, tet[R]ad: Draw & Play. This international artmaking exchange project is envisioned and developed by longtime makers of creative mischief and innovative mayhem, David R. Modler and Samuel H. Peck. The ultimate goal of this ongoing project is to foster Personal Learning Networks through one-to-one visual journal/diary collaborations. tet[R]ad includes teachers, students, and artists, as well as others from the broader community. Participants openly and playfully share their drawings, writings, collages, opinions, and experiences as they make connections through collaboration and dialogue with artistic accomplices.

Become part of the cultivation of these creative communities while fostering your own creativity as an artist and educator—making global connections in the process! All are welcome!

Upon completion of this NAEA webinar, you may earn 1 hour of professional development credit as designated by NAEA. Once the webinar is completed, you may view/print a Certification of Participation under the "Content" tab. You may also print a transcript of all webinars attended under the "Dashboard" link in the right sidebar section of the page.

Clock hours provided upon completion of any NAEA professional learning institute are granted for participation in an organized professional learning experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction and qualified instruction, and can be used toward continuing education credit in most states. It is the responsibility of the participant to verify acceptance by professional governing authorities in their area.

NAEA Need to Know Webcast: Explorations of How Research Impacts Artistic and Educational Practice
February 24, 2022
Cost: FREE

Presenters: Phaedra Michelle Byrd, Cala Coats, Nicole Cromartie, Alexa Kulinski, Patricia Phillips, Bailey H. Placzek, Shagun Singha

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Join us for an evening exploring how research impacts educational and artistic practice. Presenters from a range of diverse contexts will share inquiries that explore the multitude of ways educators, leaders, and artists embrace their role as researchers. Drawing from the themes of the 2022 Research Preconvention, presenters will discuss Research to Practice; Creative Practice as Research; Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; and Building Research Networks in Art Education. The overall theme of this year’s Research Preconvention, What’s Your Why? Art Education Research as a Common Enterprise, stemmed from the Research Commission’s mission to cultivate a culture and community of inquiry making research meaningful and accessible to all. Find out more about how research lives differently in different places. Indeed, from schools, higher education institutions, museums, and community-based settings to online contexts, research in art education is a map with many destinations. Come connect, collaborate, and build research networks with people who share your questions.

Please note that participation in this webcast does not include NAEA professional development credit. 

NAEA Need to Know Webcast: Visual Journaling in a Self-Study: Exploring Intersectional Issues of Professional Practice
January 27, 2022
Cost: FREE

Presenters: 

Sheri R. Klein
Interdisciplinary Artist, Educator, and Scholar
Founder & Creative Director, Braided Streams LLC

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Self-study is a methodology for self-inquiry used by practitioner–researchers across many disciplines. It is guided by questions focused on professional practice issues with the aims of self-awareness, professional growth, and professional goal setting. Within a self-study, a visual journal can document the processes of professional inquiry and serve as a rich source for arts-based data that can be interpreted for themes, insights, and new questions about professional practice. Drawing upon the text, Becoming a Visually Reflective Practitioner: An Integrated Self-Study Model for Professional Practice (Sheri R. Klein and Kathy Marzilli Miraglia, 2021, Intellect), the presenter–researcher will discuss arts-based self-study as a useful research methodology for art educators to explore issues related to professional practice. The purposes of and considerations for a visual journal will be outlined using examples from the presenter/researcher’s self-study journal.

Participants will learn:
• ways to explore areas of professional practice using prompts and questions to guide inquiry
• various methods and processes for the interpretation of written and visual journal data, and
• how to use outcomes of self-study to further guide professional practice.

To conclude, the presenter–researcher will share some of the “lessons learned” and the benefits and challenges of visual journaling in a self-study. This webinar is designed for visual arts practitioners (art teachers, graduate students, university faculty, independent artists, activists, arts administrators, and/or museum educators) at any level of practice who are interested in reflective practice, professional development, self-study as a research methodology, and/or using arts-based methods within their research.

Please note that participation in this webcast does not include NAEA professional development credit.