Helping Students Find Their Place in the Art Room (Ep. 421)

In today’s episode, Tim is joined by educator Yunga Webb to talk about her role and efforts at the North Country School in upstate New York to help students find their place and belonging through the power of the arts. Listen as they discuss the programs at her school, the activities she does to foster belonging in her classrooms, and the work we can all do to create a community and a space that offers belonging for all of our students. Full episode transcript below.

Resources and Links

• Take a look at the North Country School
• See the Blind Spot book that Yunga mentioned
• View a video from Mazahrin Banaji
• Learn more about AOEU’s NOW Conference

Transcript

Tim:

Welcome to Art Ed Radio, the Podcast for Art Teachers. This show is produced by the Art of Education University, and I’m your host, Tim Bogatz.

We are in for an interesting conversation today, and my guest will be Yunga Webb. Yunga works at a school in New York called the North County School, which is a small private school in Upstate New York who has a really strong arts program, and they do some very interesting and very cool things with their middle schoolers there. I would encourage you to check it out if you like what you hear in the interview today. 

Yunga has a really impressive history in education, and in the performing arts, and I’ll let her tell her story, but I think you will be interested. And we will talk today about the power that the arts have–to help kids find their place, how they create a space for kids to discover and express themselves, especially at an age here there are few other places in which they can do those things.

In her career, Yunga has paid particular attention to how students are able to learn about themselves and learn how to express themselves through the arts, and I’m excited to talk to her about that–and so much more–today in our conversation. Let me bring her on now.

All right? Yunga Webb is joining me now. How are you?

Yunga:

I am doing so great. Thank you for having me.

Tim:

Oh, we are very excited to talk to you today. Appreciate you joining us. To start with, can you just give us a brief introduction and tell listeners a little bit about yourself?

You know, either arts-related, education-related, or both, just whatever you would like to share.

Yunga:

I grew up in a very large family in Las Vegas, Nevada, most of my life.   We are a singing family and my mom is probably the best voice teacher I know and so that was the family business–singing and performing, and so being a performer who is basically who I am and I found myself on professional stages all over the world. But we’re also educators and so now half of us are professional performers and half of us are educators. And so I spent most of my career in education as the performing arts chair, where I taught theater classes and directed musicals, choirs, and plays, and things of that nature.

I have been able to foster what I have learned as a student in what I taught in the classroom and then that all brought me into DEIB work which is diversity equity inclusion and belonging work and I was able to foster that through the performing arts and so it’s kind of an interesting spin people don’t realize how that space lends for a sense of belonging for everyone and so it was just a kind of a natural movement and so now I currently work in senior leadership at North Country School as the director of diversity equity and inclusion where I am tasked with overseeing all aspects of the program as it pertains to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Tim:

Okay, I love that, and I would love to dive into the idea of belonging and how we can foster that through the arts.  Maybe in just a little bit I do want to hear, or I guess I would love listeners to hear, a little bit more about your school. They’d be interested in that.  I mean, you can obviously speak to it better than I can, but you have a focus on the arts, and I would just love for you to talk about some of the things you do there at North Country school and what your students are doing there. What students are doing in visual and performing arts.

Yunga:

Sure, I will speak to my early education in my formative years. My parents had enough foresight to ensure that at least the oldest 3, there, 8 of us, went to a private school in the eighties. And Las Vegas and so we went to school along with the children of the people who owned the casinos and the hotels and of course we were the one black family and we were. We were the one family that mom was picking us up and the car would backfire and we didn’t have money and we were just different.

But we were bright, and we were hardworking, and that was a really great foundation and set me up for success academically for the rest of my academic career. I went to a performing arts high school in Las Vegas and then also I wanted to do it professionally as a teenager. So my parents set me up and I lived nearby. My voice teacher, who was a world-renowned voice teacher, taught all the big stars. Barbara Streisand, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson.

Tim:

Nice!

Yunga:

I was able to study with him while I was attending a top performing arts high school in Los Angeles as a 16 17-year-old and then I went on and finished my senior year with my parents in a regular they had moved to Utah and then even found myself in college studying sociology still performing with their performing groups that would travel the world as called young ambassadors and we did like a broadway review style show and then I studied sociology.

This is kind of, I guess, where my formal education began in education and the study of people and human behavior, and then I went on to get my master’s education instruction and curriculum, and the rest is history. I feel like there’s more schooling that is going to happen which I kind of hate to say out loud. But. When you’re when you’re a lover of learning it just kind of doesn’t stop.

You asked what I do at North Country School. So I’m from I spent most of my adult life in Southern California and so coming from Newport Beach area Orange County to the Adirondack park at North Country School was quite the change.

Quite the geographic change six months of hard winter. Well outdoor enthusiasts. They are hiking mountains. They’re skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and rock climbing and I’ve tried all of those things but I don’t do any of them, so the students and what I so my first year I took a whole year to well half of a year to really put my ear to the ground and get a sense for what is needed within this community because I realize it’s not 1 size fit all fits all like some some communities are stronger in belonging and really need to focus on diversity. Some can be stronger in diversity.

And nobody feels like they have a voice or seat at the table so that is kind of what I do. I built a tailor-made program for this school that will help them along that journey so that every student that comes and boards with us. We have a 4 through ninth boarding population.   feels like this is home. It’s important for kids to feel like it’s home when they live here, including faculty and staff, and so that is the kind of work that I do here.

Tim:

Okay, so let me ask you? Then you know you’re talking about putting together a program of DEI and helping teachers kind of foster that sense of belonging. Can you talk a little bit more about the specifics of that, like what do you do with Teachers? What are your interactions with teachers that kind of help them foster a sense of belonging in their own classrooms or at that school? And can you talk about maybe some ideas that could transfer beyond just your school, like what kind of ideas that you work with are universal that you know teachers anywhere, like anybody who’s listening to this may be able to bring into their own classroom?

Yunga:

Well, as I mentioned, the things that they value at the school in terms of how they spend their time and recreation. They’re not things that I’m comfortable doing and so just being who I am not somebody who is comfortable in the outdoor spaces.

And owning that that’s not where I live. It’s not my comfort zone and stepping fully into that people looked at me and this is faculty and staff and students and they’re like well why are you here and I by example I had to show them that everyone should be here if they want to be here. We also have the owners. We also have a farm and garden.

And it’s okay that I don’t that I don’t roll like that. It’s okay that I’m exactly who I am and so by modeling that sometimes it’s uncomfortable because I just have to lead by example,   but it allows people to check their own bias and say oh right? You don’t have to love rut finding. That’s okay, like you can you can love ceramics and just do ceramics and be fine and be great and really they should because that’s one of our signature programs.   Just having conversations, I’ve been able to offer a lot of professional development, and in that professional development. We are constantly doing activities for example and this can go for any community. Where we’re affirming who people are.

So we have a game we play I call it a game. It’s really an activity but I like the kids to think it’s a game and even the adults because then it just feels fun where everyone goes around and says something that is one of their identifiers identifying as a single mother or I identify as a Dog Lover or I identify as an artist or I identify as a singer whatever it is and people get a chance to step in the circle and say oh me too me too and you get to see who else is like you and if no one else steps in that circle I identify as an alligator lover like if somebody steps in or somebody who . . . You know I identify something that may be unique and they’re the little one stepping in. We all affirm them by snapping your fingers.   oh that gives a sense of belonging and it helps you to understand what you have in common with people that you didn’t know you had.

And that’s one of my favorite activities, kids and adults like it the same.

Tim:

Yeah, that’s really cool. I like that a lot, and I think, yes, those are some universal ideas that foster a good sense of belonging and can really help so.  I guess yeah, I would like to maybe dive a little bit deeper into just how some of these ideas are helping students I would I guess love for you to talk about what you’re seeing with students with that sense of belonging being part of a strong community. Especially one that you know values the arts like your school does. They value self-expression belonging to things like that.   So how is that helping kids like what are you seeing with kids when they’re part of that community when they have that sense of belonging? Because I think that is something that’s really important during the middle school years.

Yunga:

Absolutely. People underestimate how important it is for students to feel like they belong in the community that they’re taking up space in because how will they grow and thrive if they’re constantly feeling like this isn’t their space and it is our job as educators to ensure that they are thriving because the world isn’t so great. The world isn’t going to always give space for you to Belong So in these years we need to provide that space. As you know my background is as I mentioned is in performing arts and I Really really love what they do here at North Country school. We have a play, excuse me, or a musical where every student, I would say 95% of the student body participates. They find how they want to participate. Do they want to be led? Do they want to be a small part? Do they want to do the industrial arts which is the tech side of the theater?

Tim:

Right? Right.

Yunga:

Are they wanting to stage manage and finding that space and that’s actually how I ran my programming at my last school is not forcing people into spaces that they’re not comfortable, but finding out what they value and and you know, buoying them up and making them.

Tim:

Yes.

Yunga:

Teaching them and helping them learn so that they can own that space.  And we do that very well here at North Country School.

Tim:

Yeah, I Love that, and I think there’s something to be said too, about every role being important the lead is not necessarily the most important part, but just like everybody plays a role, and every role has value, and I think that’s something that. If we can get across to kids is something that can be really beneficial for them. So I like that idea.

Yunga:

Absolutely! I know it’s cliche to say there are no small parts but there’s so many aspects of the arts that people can find. Actually every student can find themselves in the arts like in any different Aspect. You can find what is your lame. And once you find that I mean that’s that’s that’s a that’s a life changing situation. So.

Tim:

Yes, absolutely, and you know, I taught high school forever, and just being able to see kids realize like, oh hey, I’m really good at drawing, really good at ceramics or whatever, and just having that sort of become their niche like, oh, this is what I do or going back to the idea. The idea of, you know, identifying as some as I identify as a painter, I identify as a ceramicist if they can get to that point, it really can build their confidence, and you can see that carry over to a lot of different areas. So yes, that’s kind of a cool one to think about.

Yunga:

I love that, yes, and we have so many different types of industrial art, and we have a really, really amazing industrial art teacher. Where basically, we use items from the community, just discarded items, and create art with them.

We do industrial arts, ceramics, dark room and graphic design and digital photography. So many different places people can find themselves in.

Tim:

Yeah, that’s amazing for a middle school to have so many different options like that. That sounds very, very cool. So I love that, and then I guess finally, I like to ask my guests for advice for teachers who are listening. So, for all of the art teachers out there. What would you say are some of the important things that teachers can do to help their students, whether that is, you know, fostering that sense of belonging to the community or other things outside of that, like you’ve obviously seen a lot of great teachers in your time in education and your time in the Arts. What are the things that the best teachers do consistently in order to help their students?

Yunga:

Wow. I think the best teachers know their students and I know that feels so basic and common. Oh, I know my students, but no, you can’t. You know, for lack of better words, paint with a broad stroke. You have to understand each student, what their needs are where they thrive and creep. I know this may feel like a lot of work, but create programming for them, and it isn’t because when I walk into a classroom or some of my best classroom times, I look over the class. And seeing everybody doing different things but working so healthy.  Chaos organized chaos is what I call it?   So knowing your students is first and is key. So if you know a student that just needs that space to create in whatever realm that they create, provide that for them!

If you know somebody who’s really good at organizing and they don’t feel like they have an artistic bone in their body. There’s a space for them. How can we make that? Maybe we’re creating an art show and this person is responsible for putting on that there are careers in the arts that you don’t have to be like I can’t draw or or build or paint anything that looks like anything. Oh, but I find my space in the arts, and I think our teachers need to remember that everyone has their space and personalize it for them, so that does require that you know their students and you know their strengths and their weaknesses. And their pitfalls and help them navigate those things.

Tim:

Yeah, that’s great advice. I really like that, and there’s, you know, something that we always talk about in art with choice and voice. You know, giving students a choice helps them find their voice, and like you said, it can be difficult to do that for a lot of students. Especially if you’re seeing 150, 200 kids, and, you know, and that’s a lot to get through, but I think it is something that can be a goal for all of us as teachers I think being able to know your kids and sort of build those learning opportunities that speak to them I think is really worthwhile. So. That is some good advice and I appreciate that. So thank you.

Yunga:

Absolutely and to your point with that volume of students. It’s going to look very different. Maybe it’s different groups of students and things of that nature. There is a way whether you have small classrooms or large classrooms. Whether you have resources or not to just kind of maximize that opportunity for your students.

Tim:

Yes, that is absolutely well said, and then I guess before I let you go, I have Any recommendations for people who are interested in learning more about DEI, learning more about belonging, and how we can foster these sorts of things in their classroom.

Yunga:

You know I Love to start if people are like well what is this? what? What is this thing that this DEI thing, this new thing? The cool thing is that it’s not new. It is. It’s been a part of human behavior since the beginning of time. We are just able to label it in ways that we haven’t done before.

One place I’d like to start is looking at our own biases because we all have it. 1 thing I think people get nervous about when it comes to DEI is thinking. No, this is work for you and you and you, no, no, this is everyone. We’re all part of this system. We’re all part of this ecosystem. We all have bias so checking what your bias is so that you can actively work against it I think is a great place to start and there’s a book called Blind Spot is a green It’s like this bright green book.

Mazharin Banaji I may be saying her first name incorrectly but she is a Harvard professor and there’s an implicit bias test in there that helps you to see like where your blind spots are so once you recognize your blind spots are then you can start to work from there I think it’s a great place to start and know that.

Tim:

Interesting. You know.

Yunga:

Yunga 

Everyone We’re all part of it and so that that feels better than it just being for certain individuals and certain people.

Tim:

That is good advice and that’s definitely something that sounds like it’s worth checking out. So thank you all right? I want anything else that you want to share before we let you go.

Yunga:

No, but I do want to give a shout out to all of the art educators everywhere. The work we do is super exciting and you have to be passionate about what you’re doing because of that passion if you don’t have it. Why would you want to go the extra mile to make it great for your students? So. If that means changing how you do it so that you are the most excited person in that room I think is very important but shout out to all art educators. These are my people forever and always.

Tim:

I love it. Thank you and Yunga, thank you so much for joining us today. It’s been a pleasure to talk to you.

Yunga:

Okay, thank you so much.

Tim:

Thank you to Yunga for coming on. I appreciated her insight, her recommendations, and especially what she had to say at the end about how we, as teachers, can find a place, a space, a purpose for each of the kiddos that come through our classroom.

I hope you enjoyed the conversation, and I hope there were some good takeaways from it for you. Some food for thought, some new things to explore, and some ideas or takeaways that might make it back to your classroom.

Art Ed Radio is produced by the Art of Education University with audio engineering from Michael Crocker. Thank you, as always for listening, and we will be back with you next week.