About the Author

Jessica Balsley

Hello. I’m Jessica Balsley, Founder of The Art of Education University. My husband Derek and I founded The Art of Education in 2011 to help art teachers around the world access higher quality professional development.

Before founding AOE, I was a K-5 Art Teacher, K-12 Professional Development Coordinator, and Graduate Instructor. I am passionate about helping art teachers perform at a high level, both professionally and personally.

The opposite of boredom is passion. When you are passionate about what you do, you are unstoppable. The Art of Education University exists to help teachers at every stage of their career reignite their passion for and confidence towards teaching. It’s my mission to lead this organization to produce high-quality professional development that is relevant and accessible. 

Posts by Jessica

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Article

5 Fun Field Trips to Take as an Art Department

If most of your professional development sessions take place in a conference room with white walls or in someone’s art...
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Article

5 Ways to Help Students With Special Needs Feel Successful in the Art Room

In my past life, I worked as an assistant to students with special needs. I helped with life and community...
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Article

Teach Your Youngest Students to Tear Paper

Ahhhh, tearing paper. I believe this is one of the essential fine motor skills our youngest artists need, but teaching it...
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Article

The Best Frank Lloyd Wright Resources for Art Teachers

One of my favorite ways to teach concepts is through stories about famous artists. A good story keeps students engaged...
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Article

How to Organize Your Curriculum Documents in One Place

Do you feel overwhelmed by the amount of paper you have to keep track of? Organizing your big picture curriculum...
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Article

My School Blocks Social Media, and It’s Cramping My Style

    One would think that in today’s day and age, schools would finally be permitting access to popular social...
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Article

Teach Your Students to Draw Contour Lines

Teaching contour line is a simple way to hone students’ observational drawing skills, preparing them for more advanced drawing activities to...
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Article

Giving Up Control, One Choice at a Time

When I go to a restaurant, I often tell myself: You can have the bread basket or the wine, but...
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Article

How to Manage Your Email in 9 Easy Steps

Email is a tricky beast to tame. In today’s society, email etiquette (OK, etiquette in general) seems to be thrown...
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Article

How to Build a Successful K–5 Weaving Curriculum

Do you ever skip over an entire media group in your curriculum, simply because you feel like you don’t have...
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Article

How to Develop a Unit Using the New Visual Arts Standards

If you are like most art teachers, your curriculum is driven by the word LESSON. “I found a great new...
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Article

10 Things You Should Know About the New Visual Art Standards

With the release of the New Visual Art Standards this summer, art teachers all over the country are aiming to...
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