Teaching Artists

With support from the Dana Foundation, the Lied Center provides teaching artists the opportunity to spread arts education throughout rural Nebraska area schools.

The Nebraska Teaching Artist Initiative Goals:

  • Increase the number and diversity of experienced teaching artists working in rural area Nebraska schools;
  • Increase teaching artists capacity to develop integrated arts experiences to meet the needs of K-12 students and teachers.

This project provides professional development for teaching artists (TA’s) to address issues relevant to the communities they are serving. TA’s will discover culturally relevant teaching approaches, such as integrating language and culture, and address issues that effect K-12 students, such as access to resources, K-12 content standards, and arts-based learning.

“Two Nebraskas”

Former Nebraska Commissioner of Education, Doug Christensen, described Nebraska schools as “two Nebraskas”—one that was in good shape and another that was failing its children and youth. One Nebraska has strong academics, low drop out rates, good attendance, and high graduation rates. Students in the other Nebraska face little academic progress, increased dropout, low attendance, and little family involvement in education.

There are 16 Nebraska schools with “majority minority” student populations and this number is growing. This initiative targets these school districts as well as other rural communities with increasingly majority-minority populations.

This project is supported by the Dana Foundation and by the Kennedy Center Partners in Education Program.

Teaching Artists:

Seminar Facilitators:

  • Deb Brzoska
  • Tammy Meneghini