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

Content Type
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  • Podcast
  • Video
Topic
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  • Assessment
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  • Assessment Design
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  • Differentiation
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  • Media & Techniques
Video

Share Your Best Art Room Storage Solutions!

There is not a ‘one size fits all’ storage solution for art teachers. We do have one thing in common,...
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Article

Make Printmaking With Kindergarten Easy and Fun!

The thought of printmaking can be stressful, but put the tools in the hands of Kindergarteners, and it’s about enough...
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Article

Essential Safety Tips for Printmaking in the Art Room

Many teachers get cold feet when thinking about doing advanced printmaking in the art room, simply because of the safety...
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Video

Streamlined Sink Options for the Art Room

If you are lucky enough to design an art room or take part in a remodel, you will find there...
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Video

Why It’s SO HARD to Keep Calm and Teach Art!

I’ve said this before, but each year it seems to ring true even more: It can be so hard to...
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Article

The Daunting Process of Going Under Curriculum Review

Have you ever sat through a curriculum review process? If so, I feel your pain! Putting a bunch of right...
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Video

Why Art Teacher Attitude is Essential

You know the corny posters that say ‘Attitude is Everything?’ – Well, research says that attitude does matter when we...
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Article

You Can Use Glass in Your Ceramics Kiln (Who Knew!)

Imagine this scenario: You open the kiln for the first time after a ceramics project’s glaze firing, and peek inside....
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Article

Simple Storage Solutions for Art Aprons

Recently an AOE Fan asked: “One of my top pet peeves that I haven’t figured out how to really solve...
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Video

How to Create and Use a Picture Schedule in your Art Room

You may have seen your special education teacher use a picture schedule to help students with things like transitions, following...
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Video

Learn Student Names Quickly with Name Tents

When you see hundreds of students in a week, have a new roster every 7 weeks, or are brand new...
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Article

The Real Deal: How Three Teachers Use Artsonia in Their Classrooms

Art teachers are using Artsonia in so many different ways! Just because a teacher is an Artsonia user, doesn’t mean...
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