Professional Learning for Educators
Practical and proven techniques for teaching in the arts
Professional Learning for Teachers expand teachers’ understanding of the visual and performing arts and help to reinforce classroom curricula.
Professional Learning Workshops demonstrate practical and proven techniques for teaching in the arts, teaching about the arts and teaching through the arts.
Workshops connect visual arts, theater, dance, creative writing and music with language arts, social studies, science, reading and math.
upcoming workshops
$5 per registrant
OR
FREE for L.P.S.S. Educators
(registration is paid by L.P.S.S.)
All materials and a light meal included & workshops take place at Acadiana Center for the Arts
The American Creed in Words and Images
A Photopoetry Workshop for Middle and High School Teachers
with Toby Daspit, Emily Weber & Kerrie Skerret
For teachers of grades 6–12 | October 22, 2026 | 4:30–7:30 pm
America’s 250th anniversary is an ideal time to reflect on and explore the American Creed, what economist Gunnar Myrdal refers to as “ (what) Americans of all national origins, classes, regions, creeds, and colors, have . . . in common: a social ethos, a political creed.” Since 2018, students around the country have been discussing American Creed videos (streaming on PBS LearningMedia) in class, with curricular support from the National Writing Project. Students have also been invited to create and share their own stories and reflections in photos, captions and/or essays via KQED’s national Youth Media Challenge publishing platform. This workshop supports adding Louisiana voices, which have been largely missing, to this nationwide initiative. Let’s get Acadiana students published!
Two National Writing Project Teacher Consultants, Lafayette Parish School System middle school teachers who have recently incorporated these exercises with their students, and the American Creed in Louisiana project lead, will guide middle and high school teachers through using photopoetry, a combination of art and literature that expresses feelings and emotions through both words and images. Participants will learn to guide students to create their own photopoems that capture the limitless potential and challenges of our American Creed.
No prior poetry or photography experience is required to participate. Bring your pens and phones and immerse yourself in easily adaptable exercises that can immediately be incorporated into classrooms to engage students in exploring these important foundational ideas of our nation in creative ways.
About the Presenters
Toby Daspit is Professor of Education and Emeritus Consultant with the National Writing Project of Acadiana at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He is the Project Lead for American Creed in Louisiana, funded by the National Writing Project. Toby has nearly four decades of experience as a middle, high school, and university educator. He is the founder of the Improving the Blank Page Youth Writing Program and is a featured poet for the 2026 Festival of Words.
Emily Weber is a middle school English Language Arts teacher at Edgar Martin Middle School in Lafayette Parish. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership at the University of Louisiana Monroe. Emily’s classroom is built around the belief that every student has a story worth telling. She has a particular passion for creative writing and strives to help students discover that writing is not just an academic skill but a powerful way to communicate, reflect, and connect with the world around them. Emily is a National Writing Project Teacher Consultant.
Kerrie Skerrett teaches gifted 6th grade English Language Arts at Edgar Martin Middle School and is entering her 14th year as an educator, with experience teaching in both general education and gifted settings. She is a graduate of both ULL and ULM. Kerrie, a National Writing Project Teacher Consultant, is involved in the American Creed Project because she is passionate about giving students opportunities to engage in authentic writing and make meaningful connections to the world around them.
Books Sing: Linking Lyrics, Language, and Literacy
with Johnette Downing
For teachers of PreK–3rd grade | November 9, 2026 | 4:30–6:00 pm
Books come alive through song as we explore the link between lyrics, language and literacy through Johnette’s beloved “singable” books. Using rhyme, repetition, rhythm, melody, and sentence structure, participants collaborate to create an adapted “singable” story.
About the Presenter
An early childhood music educator, keynote speaker, and presenter with twenty-eight years of international experience on five continents, Johnette Downing offers educator workshops on how to use music as a teaching tool in the English language classroom. Educators will actively participate in classroom-tested musical activities directed at making student learning memorable, purposeful and culturally meaningful. Through easy language skills-based songs and musical games, educators are able to draw on students’ innate aptitude for integrating language and music to make language learning a song and a dance.
Johnette has given workshops in Africa, Asia, Central America, North America, and the Middle East through ACCESS, AMIDEast, TESOL, U.S. State Department, U.S. Department of Cultural Affairs, education conferences, Ministries of Education, universities, performing arts center, among others.
Professional development to-go
Want to take your Professional Development at your own convenience?
P.D. to Go is for you!
Some workshops come to you as videos that you can watch and then reference again later, and some are lesson plan packets, complete with resources.
Classroom supply sets are available in limited quantities.
Simply request the workshops you’d like access to and we’ll send you a link to a Google Drive with everything you need!
Teaching Curriculum through Landscape Art
Developed by Roz Fisher, AcA PACE Teaching Artist
For teachers of grades K–5
Through looking at and creating landscape art, students learn to see their own surroundings more clearly. Explore landscape art with your students by learning about the different ways artists portray the world around them. Participants will experience ways students can use landscape art in a range of lessons that connect to Louisiana content standards such as ecosystems, weather and climate, community and more.
Contents: Intro video, lesson plan with resources, class set of supplies
A.C.T. – Accessible Classroom Theatre
developed by Lian Cheramie, LPSS Talented Theatre Instructor
For teachers of grades 3–8
In this virtual workshop, learn to guide students to build their own theatre performances reflecting content concepts in ELA and Social Studies. Highlighting theatre elements of the “actor’s tools,” “yes, and” and “ensemble,” participants will be led through a lesson that focuses on building a performance from a tableau to a scripted presentation. No theatre experience needed!
Contents: video lesson plan and handout
Meet the Masters: Marvelous Mondrian!
Developed by Barbara Helveston, LPSS Gifted Enrichment Instructor
For teachers of grades 5–8
The work of visual artist Piet Mondrian is often met with, “I could do that!” But could you? Take a glimpse into the life and work of Mondrian and learn how he developed his technique over the course of his career. Discover the spatial relationship between Mondrian’s subject matter and what we see in his work as we create our own masterpiece. Participants will discover lessons to assist students in noticing deeply and reasoning critically as they learn about this master abstractionist, and discuss ways to integrate Mondrian into Math and History lessons, among others.
Contents: Intro video, lesson plan with resources, class set of supplies
Pericles, Parthenon, and Pottery: Ancient Greece
Developed by Melissa Mark, AcA Teaching Artist
For grade 4 Social Studies teachers
Why were the ancient Greeks so influential? Did you know that Pericles was once the most powerful and influential man in Athens and was a well-known supporter of all the arts? Through these visual art lessons, students will learn about Greek architecture and functional pottery.
Contents: Intro video, lesson plan with resources, class set of supplies
Artisans to Artists: The Renaissance
Developed by Erin Chamberlain, LPSS Talented Visual Arts Instructor
For grade 5 Social Studies teachers
During the Renaissance, portraiture changed, increasing emphasis on realism. In this lesson, students will discuss the importance of art during this time and its emphasis on depicting imagery from the world around them while creating their own portrait drawings! We will also look at the advantages of the development of the printing press as we create our own illuminated letters and discover the invention of perspective drawing!
Contents: Intro video, lesson plan with resources, class set of supplies