We Are Creators | PBS American Portrait

The American experience is unique for everyone. As we continue to explore the idea of who we are through PBS American Portrait, the third episode of our virtual professional learning experience focuses on using art and poetry explore identity. We will focus on the American Portrait prompt “My American story started when…” to help educators connect more deeply with their students and their students’ individual experiences. Educators will meet Tommy Orange, novelist and writer of ‘There There,’ and together explore how art and poetry can be used to express the joy of belonging, and/or the pain of rejection.

The episode, hosted by PBS Digital Innovator All-Stars Mike Lang, Glenda Lozada, Bobbi Starling and Laura Bradley, will focus on Native and Puerto Rican experiences in the U.S. The conversation includes tools and strategies educators can implement to help the young artists in their classrooms express their own feelings and ideas about what it means to be American.

Resources shared during the event can be found here.