Palatine art teacher cultivates creative minds

Palatine Township Elementary District 15 art teacher Joanna Angelopoulos' classroom buzzes with excitement at any given time.

Her enthusiasm for art and what it represents in the big picture rubs off on her students in kindergarten through sixth grade at Gray M. Sanborn Elementary School in Palatine. On a day in early March, about 20 sixth-graders could not wait to use rolling pins to make smooth clay for a project.

Angelopoulos, 44, of Prospect Heights, also gave the children a quick life lesson about the rolling pins as they prepared for the art project. They learned the pins were not just for the clay in the class, but something they could use to roll out dough for baking.

She said in a world full of technology and an emphasis on science, mathematics and engineering, the art class affords students a space to think beyond numbers and computers,

"We analyze," Angelopoulos said. "We interpret. We use critical thinking skills. We develop problem-solving skills. We collaborate. I mean, that's a big thing in the workforce right now, collaboration.

"We learn how to be empathetic to people who have other ideas. We listen to each other. We talk about things. We use our hands. When was the last time some student said, 'Hey, I put my hands in some clay and I loved it'?"

District 15 Superintendent Laurie Heinz recognized Angelopoulos' teaching prowess at a school board meeting in February by presenting her with an Above and Beyond pin. The Above and Beyond pin is awarded sparingly at the district.

"Outside of this award (presentation), I have had the extreme pleasure of being in the classroom on a few different occasions," Heinz said. "And she really is the epitome of a passionate art teacher that works every day to inspire her students to express themselves through art. She's dynamic. She keeps it fun."

While Angelopoulos wants students to enjoy her art classes, she said they know it's not play time and that a lot of learning occurs. She connects to the students by keeping it real in the classroom and by understanding who they are and where they are coming from.

"I get lots of energy and butterflies in my stomach when I design an art unit that makes me excited," she said.

"I can envision my students' learning experience, and that motivates me to give them the best possible experience."

Angelopoulos has gained a statewide reputation for classroom excellence, as evidenced by her selection as a presenter at the 2019 Illinois Art Education Association Conference.

Her presentations included "Degenerate Art," "Thinking Backward 2" and "Emojions."

Meanwhile, art instruction in elementary and high schools received a major boost last month from the Illinois State Board of Education.

Fine arts were approved as a student success and school quality indicator in an accountability system called the Every Student Succeeds Act. Starting with the 2022-23 academic year, the indicator will equal 5% of every school's total score

"The arts teach students to think critically and solve problems creatively," Arts Alliance Illinois Executive Director Claire Rice said in a statement. "Arts learning also enhances student engagement and improves school climate, and the weighted arts indicator brings us one step closer to ensuring all students experience these benefits of arts education."

Angelopoulos called the state's action "huge for art education and the students in Illinois."

"We may be helping students make pretty pictures," she said, "but at the root of our jobs, we are cultivating reflective, mindful and creative future citizens."

Curriculum vitae

Name: Joanna Angelopoulos

Age: 44

Home: Prospect Heights

Job: Art teacher at Gray M. Sanborn Elementary School in Palatine

Years as teacher: 20, all at Sanborn Elementary

Education: Master's of art, New York University; bachelor of art and bachelor of fine art, University of Iowa

Tips from a great teacher

1. Stay current. Students change, and the way we approach them needs to reflect their world. Staying current in the education field will help new teachers adapt to change.

2. Be a part of a community. Teachers become friends, and friends become family. After 20 years, I can honestly say I know my school has my back.

3. Have a sense of humor. We all have hard days. We all mess up! Seeing the lighter side of things really helps any teacher - new or veteran - learn, grow and, at the end of the day, laugh.