Managing the Mess

Managing the Mess Hi, I’m Katie Jarvis, a K–6 elementary art educator sharing art room management, routines, and systems for teachers.

All content reflects my personal experience and views and does not represent any school or district.

Teaching art for 26 years means I’ve officially reached the “remember when…” stage of my career. 😂When I started teachin...
09/02/2026

Teaching art for 26 years means I’ve officially reached the “remember when…” stage of my career. 😂

When I started teaching, lesson inspo came from magazines and library books, grades lived in an actual gradebook, and a floppy disk was technology.

My favorite memory? During student teaching, my cooperating teacher repeatedly marked me down on my evaluations because even though my handwriting was neat, I couldn’t write in a straight line on the board. Turns out, I made it. 😂 Thank goodness for slides.

Going through all of this unlocked SO many memories. What did I forget?

Share this with a vintage art teacher who will appreciate these memories.

08/30/2026

Kindergarten classroom management doesn’t have to be complicated.

One of my favorite listening tricks in the art room is turning listening into a game. I cover my eyes, count down from five, and challenge my kindergartners to “surprise” me by showing they’re ready to listen. Works great after a brain break dance to get them sitting and settled again.

They LOVE the dramatic reveal and I love that something so simple helps get everyone focused and ready for directions. Resting my eyes is a bonus 🤣

Elementary art teachers, sometimes the easiest classroom management strategies really are the best ones.

Want my Mona Lisa Listening poster for your art room? Comment MONA and I’ll send you the link!

Turns out being an elementary art teacher sounds a little ridiculous when you explain it like a kindergartner. 😂Make the...
08/27/2026

Turns out being an elementary art teacher sounds a little ridiculous when you explain it like a kindergartner. 😂

Make the mess. Clean the mess. Grade the mess. Refill the glue. Repeat.

And somehow, I still really love this job.

Art teachers, what did I forget? What would you add to the list?

Katie 💕

08/25/2026

TPT sale time! 🛍️August 25 + 26!

What are you hoping to grab during the sale?

Comment TPT and I’ll send you the link to my store! 📲

Use code BTSBONUS26 to save up to 25%!

First day of school. Year 26. 💕And after all these years, I’ve learned a few things the hard way. 😂This year, I want to ...
08/24/2026

First day of school. Year 26. 💕

And after all these years, I’ve learned a few things the hard way. 😂

This year, I want to talk a little more about not just Managing the Mess at school, but managing what matters outside of it, too.

Leaving some energy for yourself. Going home. Turning work off. Remembering that being a really good teacher and having a life are absolutely allowed to happen at the same time.

I’m still figuring it out, too. But I’m really glad you’re here, and maybe we can get a little better at it together. 💕

08/23/2026

You don’t have to be the art teacher who does everything.

You don’t have to have it all figured out or somehow finish a to-do list that keeps growing faster than you can cross things off.

You can care deeply about your students and still leave things unfinished.

You can be a really good teacher and still say, “That can wait.”

I spent a lot of years thinking Managing the Mess meant getting better at managing everything.

I’m learning that maybe it means something different.

Maybe it’s figuring out what actually matters, giving your energy to those things, and giving yourself permission to let some of the rest go.

That’s the kind of art teacher I’m trying to be.

And if you’re trying to figure that out too, I hope you’ll stick around.

We can Manage the Mess together.

Katie 💕

After 25 years of teaching elementary art, I’ve learned that the “standard” art teacher supplies aren’t always the ones ...
08/22/2026

After 25 years of teaching elementary art, I’ve learned that the “standard” art teacher supplies aren’t always the ones that work best in a busy art room.

I’m always looking for tools that make prep faster, cleanup easier, supplies last longer, and help me spend less time managing the little things.

Every art room is different, but these are some of the simple swaps that work for me and make managing my art room a little easier.

Want my full list of favorite art room supplies? Comment SUPPLIES and I’ll send you the links! 📲

08/21/2026

🏆 Somehow, I wasn’t the last car in the parking lot EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. this week.

And considering this was a week of meetings, PD, teacher workdays, and getting my art room ready for students on Monday, I’m pretty proud of that. 😂

For a recovering overworking overachiever who is really trying to manage what matters this year, I’m counting this as a win. And maybe this is your reminder to count those little wins, too.

So if you left something unfinished, walked past the laminator, ignored one more thing on the to-do list, or simply went HOME…

🏆 This award is for you, too.

Here’s to doing a little less, taking care of the teacher, and managing what matters. ❤️

08/20/2026

Art room management is different. Our students are constantly using different mediums and tools. We often see them just once a week.

That’s why routines matter, even the small ones.

Where does artwork go? What happens when a pencil breaks? How does cleanup work? What do students do when they finish early?

When those answers are predictable, students know what’s expected and become more independent.

Good art room management isn’t about being stricter. It’s about teaching routines that help your art room practically run itself. 🙌

Comment ROUTINES and I’ll send you my FREE Art Room Routines Checklist. 🎨

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