Kathy apRoberts

Retired educator, teacher specialist and curriculum writer

My Background

I am a retired educator of both children and teachers. My years as a classroom teacher working with children were the best! Over the years, I was fortunate to teach a variety of grade levels, which was critical to informing my practice. My understanding of children’s developmental stages deepened with each new grade level opportunity, and my goal was always to provide my students with rich learning experiences.

I was fortunate to experience two far-reaching opportunities for professional growth during my career. UCLA provided math instructional training for curriculum leaders. The purpose was to train instructional leaders to assist in rolling out new math curriculum. Once my training was completed, I helped coach teachers in how to make math more accessible to their students. Yes, I love math!

Receiving a grant to train at the Getty Art Museum in Discipline Based Art Education (DBAE) was a dream come true! Believing that art education is basic to every child’s development, the Getty is dedicated to improving the quality and status of arts education in schools. Once my coursework was completed, I began training and coaching elementary teachers in the basics of art education: aesthetics, art criticism, art history, and art production. Learning in and through art transforms the way students create and understand art; it also offers opportunities for relating art to other subjects as well as to the personal interests and abilities of young learners.