J Rybak
In my opinion, rainbows are one of the coolest natural phenomena a human can witness. I painted a "double rainbow" sketch in 2022 based on the breathtaking view outside of the window of my first classroom in Portland, Oregon. It overlooked a beautiful river, and sometimes we would see an eagle flying by. Once, I saw a double rainbow there! Above you'll also see photos of three of my favorite rainbow sightings. Can you spot the double rainbow in the top 2 photos?
Hello! I am currently working as an art teacher in Brooklyn, NY.
There is a science to learning. There's an artfulness in how children grow into their unique selves. As a teacher I situate myself in a supportive and encouraging role, providing my students with lots of opportunities for independent applications of their learning, as well as guided support as new skills and material are being developed.
I love being a teacher. I am also a lifelong learner, and one of the many things I love about teaching children is the celebration of growth and learning that occurs each day in the classroom and in a child's home. I believe that each of my teaching experiences, children and families I work with further shape me into an effective and caring educator.
Practical Applications of Learning
Multidisciplinary Lesson Plans
Social Emotional Informed Practice
Individual Learning
Style Assessment
My Teaching Philosophy:
Brain-Tickling, Heartwarming Connection
Connection is key in my teaching practice. Making connections, like the link between subject areas and the ideas our learning sparks, and between the people in our learning communities, connections are what keep us tethered to our learning, and meaningfully accountable to one another in our community. During our learning, I often invite children to engage thoughtfully, like "tickling their brains" when encountering something new or interesting, and using the ASL sign for "same" when someone else has expressed a thought or experience they might relate to. The concept of connection in my classroom is always present, as this allows the classrooms I teach to hum with an atmosphere of successful engagement. The presence I try to bring into my work with children is to make them laugh and feel supported while holding them firmly accountable to the goals we set together for their learning and development. I always find an authentic pathway to a productive dynamic with every individual child, family and colleague I encounter. This is something I consider myself to be uniquely dedicated to and gifted at.
Please reach out, as I would love to discuss more about the many other contributions I make to the workplace and school environment, including the arduous but rewarding journey of passing my edTPA in 2021, the skills I used to improve the academic performance and critical thinking of my students, and the way I bring the whole brain and creative applications into the learning environment effectively.
Lesson and Unit Samples
Please see my portfolio of literacy, mathematics and art units throughout the rest of my site.
(Click top-right corner icon on thumbnails to view lesson plan slides full screen)
