S2 E15: On empowering teachers and students through arts education

In this episode, we sit down with Marianne, a passionate arts teacher and chief education officer at The Arts Unit, about how the arts can ignite student engagement and inspire creative teaching. From her beginnings as a professional musician to leading statewide arts initiatives, Marianne shares how the arts have shaped her teaching journey. Drawing on her experience in low socioeconomic communities, she reveals how she’s seen creative opportunities build confidence, empathy and a sense of agency in young people.From music and drama to visual arts and dance, we dive into the rich extracurricular opportunities offered through The Arts Unit’s diverse programs. For anyone looking for inspiration, get ready to hear about how teachers can weave the arts into everyday lessons in practical, accessible ways.Marianne also champions the idea of ‘arts confidence’ over ‘arts skills’, encouraging every teacher who may be hesitant about their skills in the arts to step outside of their comfort zone and simply give it a go.We hope you enjoy this episode.We acknowledge that this episode of the Teach NSW Podcast was recorded on the homelands of the Darug people. We pay respect to Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples listening to the Teach NSW Podcast today.Connect with usIf you would like to provide feedback or suggestions for future episodes, please contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get in touch with the Teach NSW Podcast team. Follow the Teach NSW team on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be the first to know when new episodes are released.Resources and useful links: Teach NSW - become a teacher in a NSW public school and find out how a career in teaching can open doors for you.Schools Spectacular - purchase your tickets to attend a world-class arena production, proudly presented by the NSW Department of Education. This year’s theme, ‘REMARKABLE!’, will showcase the incredible creativity, diversity, and student talent from across NSW public schools. The Arts Unit - check out The Arts Unit website for more information on the programs and opportunities referenced in the episode including Film By, In Concert - Secondary Choral Festival, State Dance Festival, Operation Art, ARTEXPRESS, the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge and Spelling Bee, Pulse Alive, and much more.