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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  • Video
Topic
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  • Assessment
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  • Instructional Strategies
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  • Assessment Design
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  • Media & Techniques
Article

HS Art Students Animate Elementary Drawings

I received an email from Renee from My Adventures in Positive Space telling me she was contacted by Ian from...
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Article

Give Your Students a Winter Break Art Challenge!

I distinctly remember my Elementary art teacher giving us a winter break art challenge. She sent home a slip of paper...
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Video

3 Tricks to Get Your Students Lined Up Quietly

One of the most chaotic times in an art teacher’s day is the clean-up/line up time. No matter how crazy...
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Article

Do Art Teachers Have Too Many Extra Duties?

Duties. Sigh. As an educator and an employee of a system that needs to run like a well-oiled machine, it’s...
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Article

Strategies to Handle Difficult Parents

There are so many positive ways to reach out to parents and help them feel more involved in their child’s...
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Article

Getting Rid of Paint Spills, Stains, and Those Greasy Oil Pastels

Lets talk about stains! Many of you know I am an avid thriftier. I don’t like to pay full price for clothing...
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Article

No One Told the Art Teacher…When Kids Miss Art

Here’s the scenario. You are sitting in your classroom before students are scheduled to enter, patting yourself on the back...
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Article

8 Tips for Creating Engaging Conference Presentations

This weekend, just like my colleague Chelsie, I presented at the Iowa / Nebraska Art Educators Conference. For those who...
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Article

5 Common Problems in Art Department Meetings and How to Fix Them

For the past three years part of my job description involved creating, planning and implementing professional development for the art...
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Article

Is Performance Based Pay Really Such a Bad Idea?

Did you know some  schools and states are moving to a performance based pay model for their teachers? I’ve talked...
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Video

Paint Dispensing for Dummies

There are so many methods and containers you can use to dispense paint in your art room. I gathered together...
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Article

The Best Way to Engage Boys in Art Class

There is one item that you can include in your art room that will significantly change the way reluctant boys...
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