June Art Educator of the Month is Bridget Kudrle

​My name is Bridget Kudrle.  I have been teaching elementary art in the Sun Prairie Area School District for the last 10 years and have been teaching for a total of 17 years.  I currently serve as the Teaching, Learning, and Equity Committee representative for my amazing and dedicated K-5 art team.  In this role, I help guide the art curriculum and professional learning opportunities.  I am also a Cooperating Teacher for UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, and Concordia University.  Working with pre-service teachers is one of the highlights of my career because my students and I learn so much through collaboration with these college students.

My goal as an art educator is to teach children to interpret, engage, and express themselves in the visual culture that surrounds them daily.  All children will not grow up to be professional artists but the creativity and problem-solving skills learned through artmaking are valued in all career paths.  About 2 years ago, I took a leap of faith after researching the TAB (Teaching for Artistic Behaviors) pedagogy for a year.  Students learn to think creatively, develop problem-solving skills, and aspire to be lifelong learners and supporters of the arts in the space I re-named the Art LAB (Learning Artistic Behaviors).  Students are naturally curious and thrive with hands-on learning in this studio space.  They have voice, choice, and agency over their learning. 

Prior to living in Wisconsin, I taught high school art in Los Angeles for 7 years.  I earned my BFA at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and my Masters of Education in Cross-Cultural Teaching from National University in California.  I am a Texas native, wife, and mother of two incredible children.