In this episode of TAB Storytellers, Jen and Abi sit down with the incredible Dale Zalmstra, whose work and mentorship have profoundly shaped TAB practice in Colorado and beyond. Dale shares her nontraditional path into art education, how she found TAB early on, and why community, reflection, and teacher involvement are essential to sustaining student-centered, choice-based learning. This conversation is a powerful reminder that TAB is a philosophy—rooted in trust, creativity, and authenticity—that continues to grow through relationships and shared leadership.

Resources:

Teaching for Artistic Behavior (TAB)

Website: https://teachingforartisticbehavior.org

Core ideas: The child is the artist. The classroom is the studio. What do artists do?

Mighty Networks – TAB Community

Online community of TAB educators (linked through

TeachingforArtisticBehavior.org → “Join Our Community”)

TAB Art Educators Facebook Group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/178282718971259/

National Art Education Association (NAEA)

https://www.arteducators.org

Colorado Art Education Association (CAEA)

coloradoarted.org

ArtSource (Colorado)

www.artsourceco.org

TAB Colorado and TAB CO Conference

TAB Colorado: coloradotabinc.org

TABStock

https://www.facebook.com/groups/248738239772624/

Colorado Visual Arts Standards

Colorado Visual Art Standards

What Artists Do

Subtitle: TAB Pedagogy and Practice for K–12 Choice-Based Art Classes

By Jen Ferrari and Jill Hogan

Publication date: June 26, 2026 (preorders available at time of recording)

Here is a link to a lightly edited transcript of this episode. We recognize that there are probably errors and grammatical issues. If anyone with the time or inclination to edit this wants to do so, please email us at storytellers@teachingforartisticbehavior.org.

In this episode of TAB Storytellers, Jen and Abi sit down with Dr. Yichien Cooper to explore how curriculum can be a living, justice-centered practice shaped by listening, trust, and creative risk-taking. Yichien shares how she brings the principles of TAB into higher education spaces, even without a formal art education program, and how honoring students' lived experiences can transform both teaching and learning. It’s a conversation full of reflection, encouragement, and powerful reminders that what we do in the classroom plants real seeds.

Resources:

Teaching for Artistic Behavior: teachingforartisticbehavior.org

TAB community (Mighty Networks): teaching-for-artistic-behavior-inc.mn.co.

National Art Education Association (NAEA): arteducators.org.

TAB Art Educators Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/178282718971259/

Here is a link to a lightly edited transcript of this episode. We recognize that there are probably errors and grammatical issues. If anyone with the time or inclination to edit this wants to do so, please email us at storytellers@teachingforartisticbehavior.org.

In this episode, join Jen and Abi as they sit down with retired Arizona art teacher Colleen Eckles to learn how she moved from traditional, product-driven projects into a full TAB practice over the course of her 29-year career. Colleen shares the messy middle, “Free Art Fridays,” center set-ups, admin conversations, and high-stakes testing, along with the joy of trusting kids as artists and finding community through TAB books, conferences, and online spaces. Colleen brings a heartfelt encouragement for teachers, both new and folks on the edge of burn out, to start small, find their people, and keep honoring students’ creative agency.

Resources:

Teaching for Artistic Behavior: teachingforartisticbehavior.org

TAB community (Mighty Networks): teaching-for-artistic-behavior-inc.mn.co.

TAB Art Educators Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/178282718971259/

Blocks Paper Scissors Podcast - Clark Fralick and Clyde Gaw https://blockspaperscissors.podbean.com/

Make Artists Podcast - Ian Sands https://open.spotify.com/show/4dLxBE4pANtQ5Iw44gCWMk

Abi’s Dissertation - Teaching for Artistic Behavior: A Definition and Historiography: https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/teaching-artistic-behavior-definition/docview/2817860186/se-2

National Art Education Association (NAEA): ⁠arteducators.org⁠. Here is a link to a lightly edited transcript of this episode. We recognize that there are probably errors and grammatical issues. If anyone with the time or inclination to edit this wants to do so, please email us at storytellers@teachingforartisticbehavior.org.