Salem Roberts Accepted into Year Four Art21 Educators

Art21 Educators is a highly-competitive national teacher development initiative based out of New York that Salem Roberts participated in Year Four (Y4) as one of 14 educators during the 2012-2013 school year.

Before applying to the program, Roberts had traveled to New York to participate in artist Oliver Herring’s “Areas for Action” at the Meulensteen gallery in 2010.

During the Art21 program, Roberts taught under the name Mr. Limpert as a second year high school literature and journalism teacher at a private school just outside of Nashville, TN.

Each class was a mix of grades 9-12 with almost every student requiring their own individual education plan (IEP). Normally this would mean specific adaptations for each student such as preferential seating and supplemental learning materials.

By uniquely utilizing digital technology within the classroom, as well as creating a learning environment founded upon curiosity, collaboration, and co-creation, students didn’t require any individualized accommodations to thrive in their learning.

The relationships within the classroom itself became all that was needed as a culture of care.