D.E.E.P: Developing Emotion, Empathy, and Perspective

One of the most memorable presentations I went to at NAEA was a session lead by Jason Blair. Jason Blair is an elementary art educator from Dublin, Ohio. He has been teaching art for 17 years and has led numerous workshops on creativity.

Jason's presentation revolved around the idea of beginning a lesson with the child instead of starting with techniques, tools, or materials. He asked the question: What if we didn't begin with standards, elements, and principles when designing lessons? What if we began with emotion, empathy, and perspective to build a culture of creative thinking.


His presentation was so moving and has inspired me to re-think my curriculum for the next school year. Many of the projects he discussed in his presentation can be found on the Dublin City Schools website. 

A lesson that stood out to me was Gift for a Friend. Fifth graders were asked to spend time getting to know one of their classmates so they could create a piece of art for them that represented their friends personality. Listening to Jason speak at NAEA was such a great reminder of the importance of art class and focusing on process instead of product.


Jason Blair's website: growcreativethinkers.com

Here you can learn more about Jason's workshops. He also offers many resources on the importance of creativity.


The Creatively Connected Classroom Podcast: The Reality of Teacher Wellness with Jason Blair

In this podcast, Jason discusses teacher wellness and many of the ideas he talked about during his presentation.