About the Author

Raymond Yang

My name is Ray Yang and I teach Middle School and High School Visual Art in Seattle, Washington at an amazing independent school. I have had a long winding path to the classroom that’s taken me through running youth outreach programs at a community art center, collaborating with museums on teen programs, teaching graduate classes to pre-service teachers and educators, working as an administrator in a large urban district, writing curriculum and assessments, and now serving as a teacher and teaching artist for youth and educators. The whole time though I’ve known that my life’s work was in arts education and that ultimately I wanted to be back in a classroom teaching.

I am a born and raised New Yorker, and graduated with a double BA in Biology and Studio Art from Brown University. After college I embarked on my first career in magazine production and freelance graphic design in New York City. I quickly discovered though that this was not my passion and headed back to school to get my MA in Art Education from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I spent the next 15 years in Chicago building my career and work before finally heading arriving in Seattle in 2015.

I am passionate about social justice and equity in the art education and believe that the arts are a method of creating a more just and equitable society. They provide an outlet for students to advocate for themselves, educate others, and express their experiences in the world. Whatever your forum, let’s work together to teach and build a world that supports the arts and justice for all!

I also love playing Ultimate Frisbee and spending time with my partner and our two children, hiking, camping, and enjoying the outdoors.

Posts by Raymond

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Article

2 Digital Photo Projects Your Students Will Love

The invention of digital photography changed the way we teach photography, and the addition of photo editing software continues to evolve...
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students working with chalk outside
Article

6 Ways to Help Your Students Work Bigger

Hand a student a big piece of paper, and more often than not, they’ll be intimidated. They’ll work in a corner...
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student dot painting example
Article

How to Avoid Cultural Appropriation in Your Lessons

Everywhere we look, examples of cultural appropriation abound; on television, in advertising, across the internet. Celebrities take aspects of cultures...
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students working on sticky note mural
Article

3 Ways to Bring Together Drama, Dance, and the Visual Arts

The visual arts cannot exist in a vacuum. The overlap with performance art forms can be seen in everything from...
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guitar made from wire
Article

How to Use Wire With Any Age Level

Visualizing things from various angles and perspectives isn’t something most people do in their day-to-day activities. Making three-dimensional objects can...
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student working at computer
Article

How to Get Students to Open Up in the Classroom

In order to do their best work, students need to feel comfortable and able to give fully of themselves. It’s...
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Article

4 Powerful Art Installations to Inspire Student Work

Creating installation projects in your school gives students a daily reminder of how creativity can impact their spaces. It also...
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colorful art aprons
Article

How to Bring Summer Inspiration into the School Year

Summer is a time for teachers to recharge and refresh from all the hectic parts of the school year. So...
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Article

How to Get Your Students to Enjoy Visual Journaling

Having sketchbooks or visual journals in the art room is a given. The exercise of drawing, journaling, and creating on...
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bin with student work
Article

How to Stay Organized in Your High School Art Room

The stereotyped image of an art classroom is mess and chaos. Paint on the tables. Brushes unwashed. Supplies spread throughout...
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person talking to a group
Article

How to Talk to Your Staff About the Power of Art

Art teachers know the benefits of the arts but often encounter resistance from colleagues, administrators, parents, and even students! The...
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hanging installation
Article

How to Help Your Students Collaborate on Big Projects

Teaching students how to collaborate is something that will benefit them beyond the classroom for their entire lives. An installation...
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