Episode 203: Building Relationships in the Classroom
Building connections with students can be difficult. NAEA’s Connected Arts Networks (CAN) members Rachel Harrison and Lissen Ellington know this all too well. On today’s episode, they share the strategies they personally use to build lasting relationships with students with Mi’Jan and Matt. From starting the year off with an art show or performance, establishing routines and rituals that bring students together, and the importance of representing students’ identities in the artwork they show in their classroom—Rachel and Lissen have a wealth of experience to share. All of it combined shows the value of arts education and how it can impact a student long after they leave the art room.
About Connected Arts Networks (CAN): The National Art Education Association (NAEA), in partnership with the Educational Theater Association, National Association for Music Education, National Dance Education Organization, and NYC Department of Education’s Office of Arts and Special Projects has launched a nationwide initiative to create virtual Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). The goal of this Connected Arts Networks (CAN) is to build a sustainable model of professional learning to help teachers better serve students.
Resources
Guests
Dr. Mi’Jan Celie Tho-Biaz
Oral Historian and Co-Host
Rachel Harrison
Visual Arts Director & Art Teacher
Rachael Harrison is the visual arts director and art teacher at El Sol Science and Arts Academy in Santa Ana, California. She has been teaching for 15 years and serves as a teacher leader in Connected Arts Network. Rachael teaches K–8 and with that she explores different art processes and media.
Lissen Ellington
Assessment Coordinator & Theatre & Business Educator
Lissen Ellington’s love of theatre began as a young child and continued through high school as she trained at Dreyfoos School of the Arts, focusing on musical theatre and costuming. She is currently an assessment coordinator and theatre and business educator with Palm Beach County Schools. Lissen also currently runs the ESU Palm Beach Branch’s Shakespeare Recitation Competition.
CAN Partner Organizations
- National Art Education Association
- National Association for Music Education
- National Dance Education Organization
- Educational Theater Association
- NYC Dept. of Education’s Office of Arts and Special Projects (OASP)
Links
- Connected Arts Networks information on NAEA website
- CAN Press Release
- Tip Sheet
- School Reform Initiative Protocols
- NAEA ED&I Hub
- Meet the new CAN Teacher Participants!
- Center for Leadership and Educational Equity (CLEE)
- Michigan Arts Education Instruction & Assessment
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