“I just want to know if you’re actually going to TEACH my students something.” This is how my first planning meeting went as a teaching artist rookie. Luckily, I had experience in my pocket as a competitive Hip Hop/Street dancer. Opposition creates opportunity, and in the end, this classroom teacher actually did me a favor. He ignited the fire in me, and I was on a mission to conquer and come out victorious.
The landscape of our Teaching Artist profession is unpredictable. In one class, the classroom teacher is dancing right beside you, only to follow with the next teacher who just wants to grade papers. One year, we are overflowing with offers, and the next year we’re rationing our resources. Instead of always being pulled by outer circumstance, how can we empower and position ourselves to be a non-negotiable constant in education?
This brings us to an essential question to explore together: How can we evolve and stay relevant as teaching artists? I’ve created an acronym for us to ACCESS new insight.
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