Julia Morrison

Back to All Art, Elementary Education Spotlights

2018

Current job title and employer and briefly describe what it is you do: I’m an elementary art teacher at Shelburne Community School. I teach kindergarten through fourth grade. My school is unique that we have three art teachers, which is great because I have other art teachers to collaborate with! Teaching art during covid has forced us to be creative in the ways we teach, I have been teaching outdoor in our school garden area with tree stumps, folding tables, clothes lines, and of course nature art! I work to create engaging lessons for students ranging from very abstract process art for kindergartners to explore different materials to teaching fourth graders about social justice through art. My goal is to teach students about the artistic process and how to use different materials so that they can steer their art work in a direction that is most exciting to them! I’m also currently in the Masters program at Saint Mike’s.

Academic experience at Saint Michael's College help prepare you for your career: The opportunity to observe and teach in various school placements during my time at Saint Mike’s was hugely helpful in learning from a variety of teachers to help form my teaching style. Education professors provided hands-on, meaningful and engaging learning opportunities to help load up our teaching tool kits!

Favorite memory or class from your time studying at St. Mike’s: The first college course I had freshman year was an elementary education class. I remember walking into the classroom to see swivel chairs, art tools, and my professor had brought in homemade brownies for everyone. Every class after that has been just as welcoming and engaging as that first day. I still keep in touch with many of my professors! They went above and beyond to build a sense of community, including inviting the entire department over for maple sugaring and sledding!