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

Think You Can’t Handle an Online Class? You Can!

Today we welcome a guest post by one of our AOE Instructors, Patricia Christiansen. Patricia also teaches high school art online (yes,...
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Article

Dealing With Change in the New School Year

There is a great deal of research out there about change, and in education, things are always changing. Sometimes change...
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classroommanagement
Video

The One Tool You Need to Manage Class Time More Effectively

The idea of using a timer in the art room isn’t new. However, HOW you use that timer can change...
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Article

AOE LIVE: Episode 10: “How to Keep Your Fire Burning” with Joy Schultz

  Joy Schultz, art teaching superwoman, runs an entire high school art program by herself that teaches students the value...
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Article

4 Flipped Teachers’ YouTube Channels You Won’t Want to Miss!

When we think of flipping the art room, we automatically think of the daunting task of creating all of those...
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Article

Still on the Fence About Taking an AOE Class?

My decision-making process for new endeavors is quite simple: If it’s not a “heck yes,” then it’s a “no.” In...
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Article

Back to School Deals and Steals for Art Teachers

Whether we like it or not, back-to-school season is in full swing! Last week at my local superstore, I noticed...
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Article

Immerse Your Students in Art History With This Art Restoration Activity

Restoration can be a magical process, preserving artwork for future generations to enjoy. Or, it could go horribly wrong –...
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Article

3 Important Considerations for Developing Your Curriculum

As you design your ideal curriculum for the upcoming school year, it’s important to take into consideration the following three...
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Article

3 Technology Tutorials for Techie Art Teachers

While browsing Pinterest, we often see cool technology projects for the art room, but it’s sometimes difficult to figure out how they...
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Article

AOE LIVE: Episode 9: “Envisioning the Future of Art Education” with Ian Sands

  Ian Sands, the inventive, imaginative, and incredibly creative art teacher from Apex High School in North Carolina, joined Andrew...
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Article

Desk Therapy for Art Teachers

There are two distinct areas in the art room, the studio and the office. In nearly every other profession, there...
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