Kristie Morsher • STEAM+ Art Specialist
Embedded Files
Educational Background
& Professional Experience
Kristie Morsher is a Visual Art Specialist with more than 20 years of experience teaching Art in diverse elementary school communities. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art Education from Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio, and holds a Clear Single Subject Teaching Credential in Art in California.
Kristie is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Art Education (MAAE) through The Art of Education University, continuing to grow and develop her practice as an art educator.
Ms. Morsher began her teaching career in Ohio before moving to Chicago, where she spent 18 years teaching elementary Art in Chicago Public Schools. In 2021, she relocated to San Diego and continued teaching elementary Art for 3 years before joining the Del Mar Union School District STEAM+ team.
Ms. Morsher is now in her third year as a STEAM+ Art Specialist with DMUSD and feels fortunate to be part of a collaborative and creative school community. Throughout her career, she has remained committed to creating meaningful, fun, hands-on Art experiences that encourage students to explore, take creative risks, develop their own ideas, and see themselves as Artists!
Educational Philosophy
&
What to expect in the STEAM+ Hawk and Shark Art Studios
Educational Philosophy
&
What to expect in the STEAM+ Hawk and Shark Art Studios
Aligned with Del Mar’s STEAM+ program, my Art Studios are structured yet flexible learning environments grounded in Choice-Based Art Education (CBAE) and Teaching for Artistic Behavior (TAB). At the heart of this philosophy is a simple idea: the student is the Artist. I believe creativity flourishes when students are given meaningful choices, guided instruction, opportunities to explore, and the freedom to develop their own artistic ideas.
Students explore a variety of studio areas, including Drawing, Painting, Watercolor, Collage, Printmaking, Fiber, Ceramics, and 3D Building. Through demonstrations and Art Skill-Builders, better known as Art Challenges, students develop foundational skills, learn new techniques, experiment with materials, and build the independence needed to make their own artistic decisions. As students grow, they take increasing ownership of their creative process by developing an idea, making a plan, creating, receiving feedback, and reflecting on their work.
My role in the Art Studio is to balance choice with structure. Whole-group instruction introduces skills, techniques, materials, artists, and artistic concepts, while differentiated support allows students to explore and create at their own level. Through discussion, peer feedback, and reflection, students learn to communicate their artistic choices, consider different perspectives, solve problems, and grow as Artists. While students may be learning the same skills, their ideas and finished artwork can look completely different. The creative process is valued just as much as the finished product.
My teaching integrates the National Core Arts Standards, California Arts Standards, and the eight Studio Habits of Mind to help students become creative, resilient, reflective, and independent thinkers. Together, these frameworks support exploration, artistic risk-taking, ownership, and growth.
Ultimately, I want every student who enters the Art Studio to understand that there is not just one “right” way to be an Artist. My goal is to give students the skills and confidence to take what is on their mind and in their heart and use it to create their Art! It all comes back to a question we ask often in our Art Studios:
“Who is the Artist?”
“I am!”
Aligned with Del Mar’s STEAM+ program, my Art Studios are structured yet flexible learning environments grounded in Choice-Based Art Education (CBAE) and Teaching for Artistic Behavior (TAB). At the heart of this philosophy is a simple idea: the student is the Artist. I believe creativity flourishes when students are given meaningful choices, guided instruction, opportunities to explore, and the freedom to develop their own artistic ideas.
Students explore a variety of studio areas, including Drawing, Painting, Watercolor, Collage, Printmaking, Fiber, Ceramics, and 3D Building. Through demonstrations and Art Skill-Builders, better known as Art Challenges, students develop foundational skills, learn new techniques, experiment with materials, and build the independence needed to make their own artistic decisions. As students grow, they take increasing ownership of their creative process by developing an idea, making a plan, creating, receiving feedback, and reflecting on their work.
My role in the Art Studio is to balance choice with structure. Whole-group instruction introduces skills, techniques, materials, artists, and artistic concepts, while differentiated support allows students to explore and create at their own level. Through discussion, peer feedback, and reflection, students learn to communicate their artistic choices, consider different perspectives, solve problems, and grow as Artists. While students may be learning the same skills, their ideas and finished artwork can look completely different. The creative process is valued just as much as the finished product.
My teaching integrates the National Core Arts Standards, California Arts Standards, and the eight Studio Habits of Mind to help students become creative, resilient, reflective, and independent thinkers. Together, these frameworks support exploration, artistic risk-taking, ownership, and growth.
Ultimately, I want every student who enters the Art Studio to understand that there is not just one “right” way to be an Artist. My goal is to give students the skills and confidence to take what is on their mind and in their heart and use it to create their Art! It all comes back to a question we ask often in our Art Studios:
“Who is the Artist?”
“I am!”
Life Outside the Hawk's Nest & Shark Tank
Life Outside the Hawk's Nest & Shark Tank
I love the beach, waves & sunny days! I enjoy CrossFit and look forward to working out. I have fun cruising the coast with my boyfriend BJ in our 1962 Ford Econoline pickup 🤙
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