K12ArtChat the Podcast

This week the Creativity Department is joined by Craig Yen. Craig is an elementary classroom teacher that infuses everything he does with art. He understands the importance of creativity, creating, and making sure students have a voice and outlet to use it in his classroom. As everyone has traversed this last year, he’s made sure his students have had even more art to help them navigate the consta...

In this episode the Creativity Department speaks with Carlos Cruz and Tara Rousseau from the NAEA LGBTQ+ Interest Group. During the conversation they share readily available resources that explain LGBTQ+ issues to help you understand what students need to be successful. You’ll discover inspiration, ideas, and advice on ways to connect with students, learn, grow, and be comfortable with being uncom...

Recent waves of discrimination and prejudice due to the pandemic have created an even greater need for education and resources in support of Asian culture. In this episode the Creativity Department speaks with Dr. Ryan Shin and Dr. Kevin Hsieh about educating students on Social Justice and diversity as well as ways in which educators can respectfully and honorably incorporate Asian art, culture, a...

The past year and a half has been tough on everyone, but art and creative expression have eased the anxiety we’re all facing. In this episode, Matt and Laura talk to guest Adam Saenz who specializes in creative writing to expand emotional intelligence and about how art can be used to address mental health.

During this episode, the Creativity Departments speaks with the research team behind the Who Is American Today project, Flavia Bastos and James Rees. Discover what Critical Digital Citizenship looks like, what role it plays in student’s lives, and how art education prepares students to examine their identity and become critical digital citizens.

Media Arts IS challenging, it requires educators to be open, learn new things and be ready to constantly pivot. In this episode the Creativity Department interviews Justin Pierce, a dynamic art educator who has had great success developing a Media Arts program that creatively engages students of all abilities - REMOTELY. Get an inside perspective on the challenges, pros and cons, and successes of...

The Creativity Department discusses learnings and dare we say advances achieved this year with Carl Hooker, educator and consultant. From student driven learning to thoughtful technology integration Carl’s insight is a driving force for change in the classroom. How can we ensure there is opportunity for interspace learning and keep the advantages discovered over this year? Enjoy this episode fille...

From brainstorming to critical thinking and problem solving, Collaborative Tape Art has countless benefits! In this episode the Creativity Department speaks with Leah Smith and Michael Townsend of the original Tape Art Crew. Listen in and learn about the importance of experimentation, thinking big, working together, and taking risks for students of all abilities across all grades.

The perceptions of digital art can be hard to overcome and hurdles such as lack of training, fear of technology, and fear of "failing" all make the idea of including digital techniques daunting. In this episode the Creativity Department speaks with Kasmira Mohanty, Digital Artist and Art Educator, about how to get past the perception of digital art and why it is important.

The Creativity Department speaks with Dan Ryder, an expert in project-based learning who infuses creativity into the work he does with students. Dan connects everything in his work and uses creative expression to deepen understanding. Listen in for a different perspective on the importance of creativity as Laura and Matt dig into how you can always find time for building experiences that go deeper...

The arts offer equity in a different way than any other class, through creativity and the process of making. Allowing students to bring their authentic selves to the classroom, dig into their identity and culture, and discover who they are is essential. In this week’s episode The Creativity Department speaks with James Wells, Innovative Teaching and Learning Manager at Crayola, about the topic of...

In this episode the Creativity Departments discusses adaptive art with author and educator Bette Naughton. Learn how to focus on the potential of all your students and think with an adaptive mindset. Discover available resources to create a network in your school or district and develop strategies to remove roadblocks impeding student learning and creativity.

In this episode the Creativity Departments speaks with NAEA President James Rolling about the importance of recognizing the arts as the power needed to create social change, build resilience, rehab our minds and spirits, break down systems that hurt us, and inspire the champions around us.

In this episode - The Creativity Department speaks with Barbara Libby-Steinmann and Anna Rochester about why making Social Justice action visible in your school and community is vitally important. Discover how the need to connect and understand and one idea sparked school and community-wide action to help students explore their concepts of identity, build empathy, and understand Social Justice in...

In this episode of K12ArtChat The Creativity Department speaks with Crocodile River Music about culturally connecting. As visiting artists, Crocodile River creates experiences for students that provide a chance for them to understand African culture and traditions through art and music. Listen in as they explain what "NOT being a tourist of art" means and how important it is to understan...

In this episode The Creativity Department speaks with Tricia Fuglestad. Tricia shares ideas and tips to engage students in virtual and hybrid classes. Be as kind to yourselves as you are to your students and consider goals for the year from a different angle. By creating less stressful and more achievable ways of working with students it is easier to focus on the important goal of ensuring they fe...

Having an anti-racist curriculum requires attention all year long. In this episode The Creativity Department interviews Abby Birhanu, Francesca Levy, and Paula Liz from the Anti-Racist Art Teachers group of educators. Listen in to discover how to build an anti-racist classroom environment in a way that is responsible and student centered.

In this episode, The Creativity Department interviews Al Thomas, educator, principal, and visual storyteller about how creativity in the classroom provides opportunities for conversation and can help students process emotions and develop their own EQ. Through visual storytelling students can slow the world down, process emotion, and engage fully in a moment.

The Creativity Department speaks with sequential artist and author David Gorden about the importance of asking "why" questions during the process of character development to avoid stereotypes, and the value of understanding the "rules of art" before you try to bend them.

This week The Creativity Department speaks with Trevor Bryan, author of The Art of Comprehension. Discover new techniques and strategies to engage students and help them open up, connect to art and the world, and have meaningful discussions in the process.

Developing investigation, experimentation, and communication skills is the focus of AP & IB Art programs. This week, The Creativity Department speaks with high school art educator Connie Jimenez Zammett about how these programs challenge students to ask questions and inquire deeply about their process, empowering them to be independent thinkers.

Listen in to this conversation with Michael Hernandez (educator, speaker, and author) as the Creativity Department digs into how graphic novels (a.k.a. sequential art) can help students tell their stories and engage with important questions about life, experience, and art.

The difference between engaged and empowered students boils down to what you do for them versus what they do for themselves. In today’s world of constant distraction, students must be intrinsically motivated to buy into their learning. In this episode, The Creativity Department speaks with Kelly Young (@teachthisorthat) and Karen Caswell (@kcasw1) about shifting mindset beyond engagement and empow...

Empathic curiosity, radical imagination, design thinking... these skills are essential for developing well-rounded students prepared to live in the world. In this episode The Creativity Department delves into these ideas with Jason Blair as they discuss his C4 research project with Columbus Museum of Art and Harvard’s Project Zero.

Happy New Year! Matt and Laura talk about the difficulties of this past year, their personal goals for 2021, and how to find balance between art, work, and life.