Jeff Fessler, NBCT, Author at NBPTS | Shaping the profession that shapes America's future. - NBPTS | Shaping the profession that shapes America's future.

Jeff Fessler, NBCT, is a Grade 4 teacher at Shanghai American School in China, and previously taught at the American School of Bamako in Mali, West Africa. He received a master’s degree in elementary education from Florida Atlantic University and taught both Grade 4 and 5 in Florida where he was honored as Palm Beach County Teacher of the Year. He also worked as an arts integration project manager for the school district, and as a national trainer for the Success for All program. Jeff earned his National Board Certification in Early and Middle Childhood/Literacy: Reading-Language Arts in 2006 and renewed in 2015. He maintains an arts integration-focused Twitter account, @2seetheglobe.

Bald Caps and Basquiat: How the Arts Transform Learning

Jeff Fessler, NBCTNovember 9, 2018

When I was nine, I auditioned for a musical and in my first ever role played a bald, evil king in a purple satin robe. I discovered two things: (1) I was passionate about theatre, and (2) not so passionate about wearing a bald cap. Bald caps aside, I marvel at how that single theatrical experience shaped my future. From that time on I performed in every school production, sang in choirs, was a traveling drama troupe actor during two summers in high school, participated in oratorical contests, and started at the University of Illinois as a theatre major. And…