One of the most influential things I did in preparation for this school year was read Liz Byron’s Art for All: Planning for Variability in the Visual Arts Classroom. It’s an incredibly short & digestible book that provides classroom-ready advice on how teachers can transform their practice in sustainable ways with Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

On October 9, 2024, educators from 14 different campuses across the Greater New Orleans area gathered for the first Arts eXperiences In Schools (AXIS) session of the 24-25 school year. 

When learners are encouraged to employ what they already know and allow what they would like to have happen, The Power of Imagination becomes an invaluable tool for problem-solving, critical thinking, and joyful learning.  

Reflections from our first-ever Arts & Education Conference!

See how students at RTP combined science and art to explore food webs through abstract prints! See how this arts-integrated approach makes learning about ecosystems engaging and meaningful.

Want to bring STEAM learning into your classroom? Explore shapes, colors, and patterns while practicing arithmetic and geometry with this pantry staple.

Students at The NET Central City collaborated to create meaningful photographic portraits in their civics and journalism class while learning the importance of consent.

See how students at Hynes UNO brought ancient cultures to life through hands-on art projects! Through 'rock carvings' and the design of Greek vases, they connected deeply with their history lessons.

Discover how students at The NET Central City are exploring cultural relevance and self-discovery through Mardi Gras mask making. Learn how they draw inspiration from Black Masking Indians and create art with intention and meaning!

Discover how stop-motion animation brings science and art together in the classroom! See how Pre-K to 4th-grade students at Esperanza created dynamic films that illustrate kinetic energy and modes of transportation.

Explore how eighth graders at Hynes Lakeview used art to honor Emmett Till and deepen their understanding of Civil Rights history.

Learn how students at The NET Central City used protest buttons and music to connect deeply with African American Studies and Civics in this engaging lesson by Kitty O’Connor.

A look back on all that happened in Mr. Jasper’s classroom this past year.

Read how a Spanish and Visual Art class used collage to explore Mexican culture and personal expression.

This past March, KID smART underwent a Program Quality Assessment (PQA), done by The Forum for Youth Investment and The Center for Youth Program Quality. The assessment evaluates four main areas of our program, referred to as Domains, and are scored on a scale of 1.0 to 5.0. Wanna know how arts integration changes education? It’s all in the facts, baby!

The right color combinations can draw in attention, generate emotion, and ultimately leave a lasting impression on the viewer.

So, to further explore this concept-and finish off our lesson on saturation, pigment and color theory-we did an experiment on mixing colors!

Building community within a learning environment is an invaluable experience that will engage, surprise, and inspire students. Utilizing drama/theatre strategies (pantomime and improvisation) strengthen your classroom community and is an excellent catalyst for demonstrating collaboration, effective communication, and joyful learning. The basic structure of this lesson consists of a warm up, main activity, and closing reflection.

This year, I led my first Professional Development (AXIS) small learning group series titled “Illumination Through Illustration”. The series focuses on teachers learning different ways to utilize illustration in arts-integrated lessons for their classrooms. 

The process of creating our Kinetic Sculptures showed what can happen when you get art moving: artistic expression and problem solving at its finest!

Cocktails for KID smART, got a whole lot more… sparkly!