And just like that, another summer break has come and gone. They don’t seem long enough, do they? I always find the beginning of a new school year to be quite exciting, though. There is so much possibility and potential.

Your approach to the first few weeks of class or residency can set the tone for the rest of year. How will you introduce this group to the ideas of theatre? How will you begin to guide them to trusting

Stage Partners Education Director, Maria McConville, got a chance to catch the Fresh Professor, James Miles, between classes to hear about his love of collaborating with teachers, how the arts are the “main ingredient” to a student's day and about why you should attend the Arts In Education Roundtable Face to Face Conference in NYC this April. 

MARIA: In your experience, and you have taught all over the place, how has Arts Education changed? Anything we should bring back? What are we doing right?

JAMES: When I first starting working in arts education, I worked mostly in after school, as did most of the teaching artists that I met. Over the years, I have seen arts integration happen more frequently, so that the arts are not just an afterthought; they are the main ingredient. I see more and teachers recognize the power of the arts in educating and engaging young people. There is still arts for arts sake, but as