Wednesday, March 19, 2025
For 2025 Arts in Our Schools Month, the DPI's Arts and Creativity Education Consultant Chris Gleason spotlights conversations with Arts educators across Wisconsin.
For full interviews, visit the DPI's Arts and Creativity Newsletter page.
Amber Riemer, Middle School Art Teacher, Medford Area Middle School
Why are the arts essential for young people to study?
Engaging in the arts allows students to explore new ideas, solve problems in innovative ways, and express themselves freely, boosting their confidence and self-esteem. They also expose students to diverse cultures and perspectives, fostering empathy and understanding. Overall, the arts prepare young people with essential life skills, preparing them for success in both their personal and professional lives.
What keeps you passionate about teaching?
What keeps me passionate about teaching is the joy of helping students discover their own potential and voice through art. The classroom is a place where creativity can thrive, and I find it incredibly rewarding to watch students grow, take risks, and gain confidence in their abilities. Each student brings something unique, and I love seeing how they express themselves in new and exciting ways.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from your students?
Find joy in the small moments. Students often find joy in the simplest things, whether it’s creating a piece of art or accomplishing a small task. I’ve learned to celebrate those small victories and find joy in the process, not just the outcome.
Artrell LeFlore, Music Teacher, Bayview High School, MPS
Why are the arts essential for young people to study?
The arts are all about expressing oneself, but also, they are about growth, discipline, and collaboration. In the arts, we’re constantly working towards an ever-expanding goal; we have to monitor our progress, commit time and energy to developing skills, and we learn to work with others, whether it’s for the business side or the artistic side of things. These are all valuable skills for young people that work outside of particular fields.
What keeps you passionate about teaching?
I love watching my students form connections and make musical discoveries. Music is like magic in that there are secrets and tricks that we have to “master” over the course of years. Watching my students learn these tricks to create music is one of my favorite parts of my job.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from your students?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that all students have a voice and want to be heard. Sometimes they might not have the tools to verbally express their needs, but we need to interpret their actions and behaviors and follow up with students about giving them all they need to be successful in the school setting.
Sara Danke Lukaszewiczk, Theatre Teacher, Wisconsin Rapids High School
Why are the arts essential for young people to study?
Ever hear that saying "if you want to hire someone, hire a theatre kid"? There's a reason for that. Students who take theatre classes learn resilience, adaptability, critical thinking, creativity, innovativeness, and are the best problem solvers. These students are wonderful at time management and realize that if "you're on time, you're late." They understand how to connect socially with others and how to collaborate with others.
What keeps you passionate about teaching?
"Every day is an Improv Day!" was the phrase I used during COVID and has stuck with me since. Teaching is never the same. A teacher is constantly learning (and adapting!) and I'm a forever student because of my love of researching and learning.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from your students?
Rapport is more important than grades or tests. I need to be reminded to be human and not a robot from time to time. They remind me to accept the crazy plot twists and roll with life.
Megann Hammes-Murray, Music Educator, Sherman Elementary School, Eau Claire Area School District
Why are the arts essential for young people to study?
The majority of my students will not pursue a career in music. I want them to have an understanding and an appreciation for the Arts because it's all around us. We talk in class about what the world would be like without the national anthem before a football game, or parents who can't sing a lullaby to their children, or movies without a score in the background. The Arts are what make us human and bring us together. It's something every nation has in common and is engrained in society.
What keeps you passionate about teaching?
The lessons they teach me. There are so many examples of students opening my eyes to a new possibility because I allowed them to do so. They have a different perspective from a veteran teacher and can see activities I teach from another angle.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from your students?
Be flexible. I'm a planner and love preparing ahead of time, but that's not how teaching works. There's absolutely no way to prepare for what you will face each day. I've learned to go with the flow and adapt.