Weber State University BTS Arts Educator Spotlight: Austyn Russell & Emma Kozlewski

In this blog post, we’d like to highlight two of the BTS Arts Educators in the Weber State University service region.  Austyn and Emma are doing great work with their students!

Name: Austyn Russell

School(s): North Park Elementary, Weber School District

Art Form: Dance 

Number of Years Teaching: 1 

• If you were a dessert, what dessert would you be? – Million Dollar Cake 

• What advice have you received that has helped you in your teaching career? – Teach from the heart and be yourself. Kids can see when you’re being fake & respond better to realness. From Courage to Teach by Parker J. Palmer 

• What do you enjoy most about being a BTS Educator? – That I can see my dance passions being absorbed by my students! 

• How do you handle creative blocks? – Creatively 😉 

• What is your best classroom management strategy? – Give the benefit of the doubt first and choose your battles. 

• Who are your biggest artistic influences? – My professors at Brigham Young University of Idaho. Gary Larsen and Wendy Bone. As well as Nick Blaylock. 

• Where do you find inspiration? – The music around me. 

• Who inspired you to pursue the career you have today? – My high school dance teacher DeAnn Thorpe. 

• What’s the best advice you can give to someone who just started their career – Teach what you love and you’ll end up having more good days than bad moments. 

• What are the toughest challenges you’ve had at work? – Classroom behavioral management. 

• If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 3 things are “must-haves” for you to have? – Unending water supply, flint & steel and a giant library.

Name: Emmalee Kozlewski

School(s): East Ridge Elementary and New Bridge School, Ogden School District

Art Form: Visual Art

Number of Years Teaching: 2.5

Great News: Emma is the recipient of the New Teacher of Excellence award

• If you were a dessert, what dessert would you be? –  I would be a scoop of peach cobbler with a side of vanilla ice cream. 

• What advice have you received that has helped you in your teaching career? – My favorite piece of advice was to have an open mind to the fact that many behaviors stem from problems students are facing outside of school.

• What do you enjoy most about being a BTS Educator? – Being a part of BTS has allowed me to build confidence in the classroom, which is shown through the creations and connections my students make.

• How do you handle creative blocks? – I turn on Lofi-Hiphop and look at pictures, videos, or shared lessons for ideas. 

• What is your best classroom management strategy? – I love giving students an area where they can choose from a dozen different materials and papers for creative free time. This serves as a reward for completion, engagement, and full participation in art class. 

• Who are your biggest artistic influences? – Lately, my favorite artists have been Melvin Clark, Yayoi Kusama, and Frida Kahlo.

• Where do you find inspiration? – I find most of my inspiration in nature, culture, and music.

• Who inspired you to pursue the career you have today? – I have been surrounded by amazing educators my whole life and was fortunate to grow up in the Ogden School District with very memorable teachers.  Both of my parents are also teachers, and they helped to inspire me.

• What’s the best advice you can give to someone who just started their career – My best piece of advice is to connect what you are teaching with things you are passionate about. Passion in the classroom can make a huge difference in your happiness and also the students. 

• What are the toughest challenges you’ve had at work? – Some of the challenges I have faced in my position include student engagement, time management, and classroom organization. 

• If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 3 things are “must-haves” for you to have? – If I am ever stranded on an island, my must-haves are a sharp tool, a water filter, and a tent.