senseofplace LAB was founded in 2008, and is for art education and public art projects.

Laura Halsey Brown, founder of senseofplace LAB, provides educational experiences for learners of all ages; including neuro-divergent and LGBTQ learners. Classes connect art, architecture, nature, and place with Social and Emotional Learning (SEL).

Her public art works are site-specific/responsive. She is included in the Public Art Roster at the Washington State Commission for the Arts.

Her intra-media art practice can be seen at laurahalseybrown.art.

For more information: laurie@senseofplacelab.com.

Laura Halsey Brown is a highly driven and creative teacher offering over 20 years of experience contributing to the social development and art education of students of all backgrounds and abilities. She is focused on using a wide range of SEL and art-based intervention strategies, with a proven history of inspiring students. She has experience in many education fields such as; museums and public schools. She’s taught  students from Pre-K to undergraduate, with a special interest in designing classes for learners with autism.

SUMMARY OF TEACHING QUALIFICATIONS

Natural advocate who motivates, mentors, and guides students to reach their full potential and excel in all areas. Develops flexible and innovative programming and curriculum based on individual needs. Practiced in revitalizing strategies to meet a wide variety of challenges, and in creating a positive learning environment conducive to progress. Effective communication skills with a natural talent for establishing social equity in the classroom, and for ensuring a cohesive classroom community.

NOTABLE TEACHING ACHIEVEMENTS

• Took two graduate courses in Social and Emotional Learning courses online with National University during pandemic. 3.9 GPA
• Attending City University of Seattle, WA Alternate Route Teaching Certification SPED program.
  In order to attend the program, several professional exams for the state were taken/passed, including the West B exam, and the NES exams for Elementary Education and Special Education. I took four courses: American School Law / Issues with Special Populations; Content: Instruction Strategies; and Student Assessment and Evaluation; Social Justice, Equity and Diversity. Grades were 100, 95, 93, 88 for the four courses (3.6 GPA). EdTPA needed.
• 2018-19 Graduate of Washington State Teaching Artist Training LAB. Supported By the Washington State Arts Commission, OSPI and NEA.
• Served as Associate Professor In Film and Media department for 12 years at the prestigious New School University, NYC designing and teaching courses that emphasized media awareness and introduced students to media as an art form.
• Expansive background in museum education; working at many museums such as the Guggenheim, and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, over a ten-year period. Designed education materials and lesson plans for the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Cape Disappointment, WA.
• Played a significant role in media arts education for youth in New York; designing and facilitating innovative arts programming as the Education Director for The New Museum of Contemporary Art and Harvestworks Digital Media Arts Center, New York City.

RECENT TEACHING EXPERIENCE
ARTS EDUCATOR Sou’wester Arts and Ecology Program Seaview, WA 2022
Designed and facilitated arts programming for Enrichment program and After-school program.

INTERPRETIVE RANGER Cape Disappointment, Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center Ilwaco, WA 2020-2021
After working as a Volunteer at LCIC in 2020, I became a seasonal Interpretive Ranger for the Summer of 2021 (June through October). I designed and facilitated evening programs, guided hikes, and daily talks. My focus was on programming that dealt with architectural history of the area, place-based hikes and the art project Confluence. I was in charge of designing outreach materials for Summer programming. In 2020, I created a series of four panels shown in the center that focused on the important contributions of the Chinook Nation to local history.

TEACHING ARTIST SoundTransit 2020-2021
Created a video education project with Carina Del Rosario called stART Exploring as part of Seattle Transit.The project I created is titled ‘Making Art and Architecture that Shapes Our Community. It includes a video and an activity guide created to introduce students to international+local architecture and public art, and to inform students of the power of art and architecture in their community

ONLINE TEACHER Outschool.com 2020-present
Teach several classes to ages 7-12, including a course called ‘Social and Emotional Learning Through Art and Architecture’. I’ve presently taught 39 classes, 271 students, and received 36 5.0 reviews.

MUSEUM EDUCATOR, Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, Cape Disappointment, WA. 2020
Designed education materials and lesson plans for teachers.

ASSISTANT EXAMINER International Baccalaureate Program 2017 – Present
Review and grade papers on contemporary art and media online for an international high school diploma program.

SPECIAL EDUCATION LEAD TEACHER, Concerned Citizens, Forks, WA 2019
Worked one-on-one (or with a support person) with a Level 3 Autistic student, who had to be moved from school to the non-profit Concerned Citizens. Worked 9-2, four days a week, for 2 months. It was a very challenging situation. but there was success in many areas: strategies were implemented to calm him for extended periods; strategies were implemented for student engagement with focused play and for art making. Extensive case notes were taken, and my time spent with student was valued by the Quillayute Valley School system psychiatrist, and the staff there responsible for the student.

ART AND INTERVENTION SPECIALIST, 2018-2019
Taught art using an SEL focus to students K-12. Worked as part of the Special Education Dept. I implemented many new types of programs, including Sanford-Harmony SEL programming.

TEACHER, Emergency Substitute, Shelton School District, Shelton, WA 2017 – 2018
Taught K-12 in all areas and ranges of diversified backgrounds and abilities. Gaining comprehensive experience designing and implementing effective arts programming in the context of the public school.

TUTOR, Independent Educator 2017 – 2018
Instructed students on art history and language arts through platforms such as Wyzant, as well as private clients.

ARTS EDUCATOR senseofplaceLAB, San Francisco, CA 2012 – 2017
Designed and taught art workshops based in the Presidio National Park for high school students and adults, connected to the idea ‘sense of place’. Workshops combined photography with other disciplines such as science and ecology.

EARLY CAREER PATH IN EDUCATION

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR The New School University New York, New York 2000-2012 Department of Media Studies and Film, online
Designed and taught art courses for undergraduates such as Interdisciplinary Media and Contemporary Society. Taught film, video and web-based platforms.

PROGRAM DIRECTOR Art with Elders (Non-Profit), San Francisco, CA 2010 

MEDIA ARTS EDUCATION COORDINATOR, The New Museum of Contemporary Art, NYC, New York 1999

EDUCATION DIRECTOR Harvestworks Media Arts Center, New York , New York 1998

ARTS EDUCATOR PS 205 Clarion Elementary School Brooklyn, New York 1997

FREELANCE ART EDUCATOR Many museums throughout New York City 1991-1999

EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) graduate courses 2020

City University of Seattle, Teaching Certification, Alternate Route Program (need edTPA) 2021

MFA, FINE ARTS, California Institute for the Arts, Valencia, CA 1990

BFA FINE ARTS, Corcoran School of Art and Design, George Washington University, Washington, DC 1987

New York University New York, New York Took graduate courses in art therapy 1993