We had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Chris Hall, inclusive arts educator for Boston Public Schools, this past fall during the Oklahoma Fall Arts Institute. Dr. Hall specializes in adapting art-based curricula to be more inclusive in the classroom. In his workshop Practical Strategies for the Inclusive Art Room, he challenged educators to take a deep look into how they structure their classroom and curriculum and encouraged educators to adapt to their student’s needs. Providing more flexibility in the classroom through choice empowers students to explore their creativity and reach their full potential.
20 educators from across the state had the opportunity to attend this workshop. One of those educators, Rachel Tilley from Mustang Public Schools, shared her reflections. “Sometimes we create conditions that disable our students. Chris challenged me to reflect on whether I am being flexible in what I offer to students. Am I providing enough choices? Am I delivering instruction in multiple ways to accommodate students with different learning styles? Am I offering adapted materials to everyone?”
Dr. Hall addressed a common myth among educators, noting that some feel unqualified to work with neurodivergent students. He explained that teaching them isn't vastly different from teaching other students—it just requires a few adjustments. "There are several strategies we can use," he said. "At the core, it’s about being kind and treating them like anyone else, while making small adaptations to meet their needs.”
Tilley shared that Dr. Hall provided several lesson plans for educators to bring back to their classrooms, allowing them to experience the lessons as students themselves. The workshop covered a range of lesson types, including individual-based, community-based, and competition-based activities. “Chris was a wealth of knowledge, offering specific and practical strategies to adapt our classrooms to support all students,” Tilley said.
She also expressed how enjoyable it was to be a student again and noted that professional development for adaptive art classes has been hard to find. While she had always heard great things about OFAI, it was this workshop that finally inspired her to apply.
“My experience at OFAI has been beyond what I could have imagined,” Tilley said. “The atmosphere at OFAI provided an escape from the busyness of daily life, allowing me to concentrate on learning strategies that would benefit all my students. I also had the chance to connect with other arts educators from around the state and learn about the approaches they are using in their classrooms. I also enjoyed witnessing the beautiful connection created by the fine arts.”