This episode has been a long time coming! I envisioned this as a celebration of 100 episodes and a way to kick off the summer of 2022. Well, here we are in 2023 after a loooong hiatus. The theme feels even more fitting now - for this podcast, for art educators and artists, and for me personally. Blog Post with links and images: https://www.teachingartistpodcast.com/episode-100-embracing-community Lana Greinermiller (she/her): @ms_gs_studio on Instagram Renee Kuharchuk (she/her): @reneekuharchuk Meera Ramanathan (she/her): @ms.r_art_class on Instagram and Elementary Art Talk Podcast If you're ..read more

Mike talked about his winding path to art education and the myth of the art professor with abundant studio time. He shared how he fits in studio time in the gaps and how rich and fulfilling this winding path has been. Mike also shared a project he does with students that provides useful data for teachers in assessing student learning, being able to offer data to administrators, while also letting students see their own growth. He talked about thinking in similar ways within his studio practice to shift to a growth mindset as an artist. I loved the idea of differentiating for yourself, realizin ..read more

Eric Anthony Berdis shared his story of finding refuge and courage in art. He talked about imagining a queer space and how he creates that imagined space. He also spoke about the idea of being a parallel player alongside his young students and his continual work to move away from facilitator or director in the classroom. I loved hearing about his process and all the research behind his work. I also loved how he is able to incorporate play and whimsy among all the references and context that goes into his work. If you can, take a look at his work while you listen! As a queer maker, Eric Anthony ..read more

Marianna talked about the support she felt from teachers and her parents as an artist, but also the challenge of learning to draw. She shared a method for teaching drawing that she longed for as a young person, working to improve her technique. The way she shifted from teaching full-time and feeling the burnout so many of us have felt was so inspiring. I loved hearing how she found a semblance of balance with part-time teaching and part-time art-making as she re-emerged as an artist. Marianna also talked about the move from Miami, FL to Boise, ID and how the culture shock affected her. She sha ..read more

Valentine Svihalek talked about embracing her creativity and shifting in her career as she moved physically and emotionally through life. I love how she dove into being an artist and then working with fellow artists, especially mothers, to bring out their creative voices. Valentine Svihalek is a Belgian and American contemporary visual artist, international educator, and mother. Living and teaching in diverse communities around the world, she cultivated a desire for discovery and development. After the birth of her first child in a village surrounded by people who spoke a different language, s ..read more

Ana Guzmán talked about her experience as an English Language Learner and reframing that term to Emergent Bilingual as she now works to help students who are learning a second language. I love that reframing, focusing on the impressive fact that these students already know at least one language and are learning an additional language!  She shared some strategies art educators can use in reaching and teaching emergent bilingual students as well as advocating with administration and higher level bureaucrats.  I loved hearing about her art journaling and how she’s taking time to reflect ..read more

Amanda is a childbirth educator who uses the Birthing From Within methodologies. She talked about incorporating art-making as part of the preparation for birth and shared her own experience of moving from a “not creative” person to wholeheartedly believing in the power of art. She shared her process for building trust and working with students who don’t have art experience as well as the reasons art-making is included in a birthing course. We also talked a bit about the racial inequities around childbirth and Amanda shared some wonderful links, including episode 16 of her own podcast, Finding ..read more

Melissa Parke shared her journey in bringing an idea to life through Black Teaching Artist Lab where she conducts research, offers workshops and professional development, and so much more. She shared so vulnerably about mental health and struggles with feeling confident despite being certain of the importance and value of her work. She has created the Afrocentric Social-Emotional Learning Framework, which centers social-emotional learning (SEL) for the Black learner through arts education. Melissa talked about developing this framework and using it within professional development for Black tea ..read more

Stories from the Field: A curated selection of conversations around equity in the art classroom. This episode is a special one and will be the last one of 2021. This is a longer version of the presentation I gave at the California Art Education Association conference last month. I prefaced the presentation by saying that I am not an expert here, but have been learning and listening and working to share the advice of those who know more than I do, to share the experiences of those who experience racism firsthand, to share the voices of those who are too often silenced. It was a daunting task to ..read more

Isadora Stowe shared her winding journey teaching in several settings before landing in community college where she embraces the student centered approach. She talked about learning on the job how to connect with students and truly listen to find their unmet needs. It was so helpful hearing about the mindset shift from thinking of behaviors as problematic to thinking of behaviors as expressing something that may be painful and is not being heard. I also loved hearing about Isadora’s work and how she pursues her interest in physics through installation in collaboration with scientists. She talk ..read more