TAB Storytellers

In this episode of TAB Storytellers, Abi and Jen sit down with Emily Bawol, an art teacher, artist, and art therapist at A2 STEAM in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Emily shares how her path through discipline-based art education, art therapy, motherhood, Waldorf, Montessori, Reggio-inspired learning, and project-based education helped her recognize that she was already building a TAB studio before she had t...

In this episode of TAB Storytellers, Jen and Abi sit down with longtime TAB educator Tom Burkle and preservice art educator Liam Schneider for a beautiful full-circle conversation about teaching, mentorship, student agency, and what it means to grow into TAB over time. Liam was once Tom’s elementary art student, later became Abi’s student at the University of Northern Colorado, and recently return...

Join us in this episode as we talk with TAB Institute Directors Melissa Purtee, Jen Rankey-Zona, and past TAB Institute attendees Ellie Bejar-Benz, Darren Farris, and Margaret Fetzko about the TAB Institute. This year’s focus is on building sustainable studios, and the power of being in community with other art educators. The conversation centers on how TAB helps students and teachers build creati...

In this episode Abi and Jen welcome elementary TAB educator Jess Baker to explore the powerful connections between Teaching for Artistic Behavior, special education, differentiated instruction, and student independence. Jess shares how her graduate work helped her recognize the ways TAB already supports students with exceptionalities by centering choice, access, collaboration, and authentic artmak...

In this episode of TAB Storytellers , Jen and Abi sit down with the incredible Dale Zalmstra, whose work and mentorship have profoundly shaped TAB practice in Colorado and beyond. Dale shares her nontraditional path into art education, how she found TAB early on, and why community, reflection, and teacher involvement are essential to sustaining student-centered, choice-based learning. This convers...

In this episode of TAB Storytellers, Jen and Abi sit down with Dr. Yichien Cooper to explore how curriculum can be a living, justice-centered practice shaped by listening, trust, and creative risk-taking. Yichien shares how she brings the principles of TAB into higher education spaces, even without a formal art education program, and how honoring students' lived experiences can transform both...

In this episode, join Jen and Abi as they sit down with retired Arizona art teacher Colleen Eckles to learn how she moved from traditional, product-driven projects into a full TAB practice over the course of her 29-year career. Colleen shares the messy middle, “Free Art Fridays,” center set-ups, admin conversations, and high-stakes testing, along with the joy of trusting kids as artists and findin...

Join Jen and Abi as they chat with Anna Gibson, TAB art educator in Santa Fe, and Steve Heil, New Mexico Lead Department Analyst at New Mexico Public Education Department, about nurturing advanced artists within a TAB (Teaching for Artistic Behavior) framework. They trace their TAB journeys, explain an inclusive advanced-art model (screening, teacher nomination, or self-selection), and show how au...

Join Abi and Jen in this inspiring episode as we dive deep with Chicago-based art educator Kitty Conde. Kitty shares her rich journey from building an art program from the ground up to championing TAB pedagogy in her public school. From organizing community-integrated Shark Tank-style student projects to mentoring over 40 student teachers, Kitty shares actionable insights and honest reflections on...

In this episode of TAB Storytellers Abi and Jen sit down with Bridget Kudrle, a veteran TAB teacher and president of TAB, Inc., to talk about the whirlwind of starting a school year, what it means to lead with choice and trust in the art room, and how community keeps us grounded. From QTIP (Quit Taking It Personally) to building routines that save your sanity, Bridget shares wisdom for both new an...

In this episode of TAB Storytellers , Jen and Abi speak with dynamic art education leaders Matt & Laura Grundler of the K-12 Art Chat podcast. In the conversation, they share insights into their current work, recent projects, and their powerful journey as art teachers and administrators. The conversation also touches on advocacy, mutual support as partners and educators, and how they help guid...

In this episode of TAB Storytellers , we are joined by Connie Stewart, Professor Emeritus from the University of Northern Colorado and a passionate advocate for student-centered, contemporary art education. Connie shares her journey with Teaching for Artistic Behavior (TAB), her commitment to individualized instruction, and her work with contemporary artists and big ideas in the classroom. She off...

In the last episode of TAB Storytellers season 3, Abi and Jen decided to end with a candid, heartfelt conversation that celebrates their journey, the evolution of TAB (Teaching for Artistic Behavior), and the challenges and triumphs of teaching art in diverse environments. They reflect on their personal and professional growth, share updates about roles, research, and family life, and explore mean...

In this episode of TAB Storytellers, Jen and Abi are joined by Dyango Chavez-Cutiño, a school programs educator at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (ISGM) in Boston, Massachusetts. A TAB teacher by trade, Dyango recently joined the ISGM as a museum educator to help facilitate their school programs. The trio discusses TAB in classroom and museum learning environments, the framework of Visual Thi...

In this episode of TAB Storytellers, Abi and Jen sit down with Jessica Boritz, an atelierista and art teacher at Grace Episcopal Day School in Kensington, Maryland.  During their conversation, Jessica shares her extensive knowledge of and experience with TAB and Reggio-Emilia, two very compatible approaches to contemporary art education. In addition, the triad also discusses curiosity and creativi...

In this episode of TAB Storytellers, Abi and Jen sit down with Kristin Anson, an art teacher at an international school in Sri Lanka, where she teaches preschool through fifth grade within a PYP (Primary Years Programme) framework. During their conversation, Kristin shares what it’s like to bring TAB pedagogy into an international context and how her inquiry-based curriculum supports student choic...

In this episode of TAB Storytellers, Jen and Abi sit down with renowned artist and author Olivia Gude. Olivia is a Professor Emerita of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago, having developed numerous frameworks and programs at these institutions. Among the topics the triad discusses are the evolution of process-based art education, dialogical pedagog...

In this episode of TAB Storytellers, join Abi and Jen as they interview high school art teacher and WAEA co-president Becky Broyles as she describes how she adapted the TAB (Teaching for Artistic Behavior) approach in an alternative school setting, structuring her classroom as a “design studio” divided into departments (fashion, photography, digital art, and more). Becky emphasizes student choice,...

In this installment of TAB Storytellers, Jen and Abi sit down with Jorge Lucero, Professor of Art Education and the Associate Dean of Research at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Jorge shares the journey that brought him (in an unexpected way) to teaching and discusses his work at the university with preservice art teachers. Among the topics discussed are conceptual art, the intersect...

In this installment of TAB Storytellers, Abi and Jen sit down with Julie Toole, K-8 art teacher at Baker Demonstration School and faculty member of the renowned TAB Institute at MassArt. Julie, whose career spans a remarkable 34 years, shares her journey with us from special education to discipline-based art education to discovering TAB at an NAEA conference and beyond. Among the topics discussed...

In this episode of TAB Storytellers, Abi and Jen meet middle school art teacher and co-founder of the group Anti-Racist Art Teachers , Abby Birnahu. Throughout their time together, Abby shares her experience and compelling perspective as an Ethiopian and African-American woman, mother, and teacher living in our contemporary landscape. Among the topics discussed are anti-racism in education, repres...

In this episode of TAB Storytellers, Jen and Abi sit down with Roni Rohr and Jessi Ruby, both PreK-8 visual art educators in New Mexico (Roni) and Colorado (Jessi). Roni and Jessi share what brought them to teaching, the development of their working partnership, and how their current pedagogical venture, [re]Design(ing) Art Education , came about. Among the topics discussed are design-thinking and...

In this episode of TAB Storytellers, Jen and Abi are joined by Dr. Tina Atkinson, the self appointed Research Translator, among many other titles including Art Teacher and NAEA Elementary Research Commissioner. Among the topics discussed are research in the classroom, suggestions for starting to do research in your own classroom, and how research can be used to advocate and validate what you are d...

Join Jen and Abi as they chat with the co-founders of the Tet[R]ad Project, David Modler and Sam Peck for our Season 3 opener! David Modler is a Professor of Art, Coordinator of Art Education, and Department Chair at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, WV. Sam Peck is an art educator at Morton Middle School in Fall River, MA. In this TABcast, David and Sam share the origins of their visual journ...

In this episode of TAB Storytellers, Jen and Abi are joined by Abigail Harkey, the Visual Arts, Instruction and Curriculum Specialist for Denver Public Schools. Abigail flipped the tables in this episode and asked Jen and Abi questions. We discussed learning objectives, rigor and assessment, and teacher evaluations among other things.  For more information about TAB, please visit the TAB website:...