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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  • Article
  • Podcast
  • Video
Topic
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  • Assessment
  • Classroom Management
  • Curriculum
  • Instructional Strategies
  • News
  • Professionalism
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  • Assessment Design
  • Assessment Implementation
  • Expectations
  • Physical Space
  • Relationship Building
  • Curriculum Approaches
  • Curriculum Design
  • Differentiation
  • Engagement
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  • Professional Learning
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  • Connections
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  • Media & Techniques
Article

5 Adaptations You Can Make for the Art Room TODAY!

I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with Alicia Peters, an art professor from St. Joseph Minnesota, to discuss...
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Article

Introducing… AOE LIVE!

The Art of Education is proud to announce a project we’ve been working on behind the scenes for several months now....
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Article

AOE LIVE: Ep. 1 – (Pilot Episode) Classroom Management Secrets with Alecia Eggers

In this, the pilot episode, Andrew and Tim debut the AOE Live Podcast and take on the subject of classroom...
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Article

10 Lessons Art Educators Can Learn From The Waldorf Approach

Looking outside the field of art education is a great way to enhance your practice. There are so many wonderful connections...
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Article

Why Every Art Room Needs a Marketing Tool

What if your art room was a business? What if its success depended on the way you “ran” this business?...
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Article

Read Books to Your Students in Half the Time!

When teaching about Egypt, I always enjoyed reading the book Into the Mummy’s Tomb to my fourth graders. With two,...
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Article

Conquering Hot Spots in Your Art Room

What is a hot spot, you ask? It’s a place in your room that quickly fills with clutter throughout the...
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Article

A List of Simple Ways to Teach More Mindfully

    The idea of mindfulness may not be new to you, but thinking about it in regards to your fast-paced teaching...
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Article

AOE Winter 2015 Online Conference Recap

Another conference is in the books! On Saturday, January 31st, the live event of the AOE 2015 Online Conference took...
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Article

Make One Small Change to Solve All Your Art Room Problems

  Is large paper difficult for your youngest students to handle? Do you blow through supplies, like paper and other...
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Article

What Does an Art Ed Leader Look Like?

    I like to call it, “The Leadership Itch.” You know when it’s happening when you can’t help but...
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Article

Have You Hugged a Blogger Lately?

Bloggers are some of the most innovate, selfless and exciting people in art education today. They are encouraging us on...
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