Page McBrier

I’ve worked in the arts in education field most of my career, but it’s only been in the last 15 years or so that “what I do in the classroom” has been given an official and completely baffling moniker: teaching artist. Most people assume that means I am an art teacher. If you knew me, and had ever seen me wield a piece of chalk or crayon, you would buckle to the floor and wet your pants. Or something. The truth is that teaching artists are ARTISTS in the broadest sense of

Last Friday was the “culminating assembly share” for a rather remarkable all-school residency. As a children’s book author, I do lots of school visits. Usually, it’s a quick in and out, a one-day visit. But this visit became a 23 day residency. Here is how it came about. Jack Jackter Intermediate School (JJIS) in Colchester, CT has 700 students in grades 3-5. Each year they bring in a HOTs teaching artist to do an all-school residency. (HOTS stands for Higher Order Thin

Okay, so this is what I’m thinking: this blog will be an extended conversation with maybe teachers, fellow writers, possibly students, editors, and the wide world of people who are curious about writing for kids, working in classrooms, and looking at the intersections of “art” and education. I’m interested in how kids learn, and how art, in its broadest contexts, colors the way they filter ideas. And…knowing me…I’ll probably digress once in awhile to talk about something to