Visual arts educator Kim King named Connecticut’s 2022 Teacher of the Year

Posted on by

Elementary school visual arts educator Kim King has been named Connecticut’s 2022 State Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: New York University

Congratulations to visual arts teacher Kim King, who has been named Connecticut’s 2022 State Teacher of the Year!

Kim splits her time between Annie E. Vinton Elementary and Southeast Elementary schools in Mansfield. Previously she taught at Riverside Magnet School in East Hartford and Westbrook High School in Westbrook in her state.

Throughout her 12-year career as a professional educator, Kim has taught students in pre-K to twelfth grade. Regardless of the grade level she works with, her curriculum explores themes of equity, empowerment, and creativity. Kim believes that creating art helps to build confidence from within, and empowers students to discover and trust their voices and ideas.

Kim’s teaching philosophy is that what our students see and what they are exposed to matters profoundly. Her colleagues appreciate this mindset. “Kim is deeply committed to student-centered practices and supports children to find their voice and express themselves through a discovery-focused process of making art,” remarked Kelly Lyman, Superintendent of Mansfield Public Schools.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Kim works with Make Us Visible Connecticut. Through this program, the Korean born teacher contributes her expertise to enhancing the Asian American/Pacific Islander curriculum. Kim believes that all students should be reflected in the American experience and in our country’s history.

In addition to her 2022 Teacher of the Year honors, Kim was the recipient of a grant from Fund for Teachers to study the art and culture of Korea. The experience helped her guide students towards understanding people and communities different from their own through art.

Kim earned her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from Syracuse University in New York in 1993. She earned her Master’s degree in Art Education from New York University in 1999.

To learn more about Kim King, see this article published by Steinhardt Alumna.