Fernan teacher wins Educator of the Year

COEUR d'ALENE — "As artists, we're going to stretch and explore," Fernan STEM Academy art teacher Leatha Morgan said Wednesday to the kindergartners in her classroom.

The students were eager to receive their blank papers and use pencils, stencils and oil pastels to embark on their own individual artistic journeys.

“It’s fun to listen to what they say about what they’re doing,” Morgan said with a smile. “Sometimes they just blow me away.”

Morgan is the Idaho Art Education Association’s 2024 Elementary Educator of the Year. She received the news Sept. 12.

“It was a surprise,” she said. "I was like, ‘Wow, I wasn’t expecting this yet.' It’s something I’ve wanted to work for, but I didn’t think I was quite there yet."

Morgan has taught art at Fernan for nine years.

“I started here, and I hope I’ll end here," she said. "I love Fernan, I love the teachers, I love the students.”

In her classroom, Morgan uses the TAB method — Teaching for Artistic Behavior, a choice-based philosophy that recognizes students as artists. The classroom is their studio, and they are led by their creativity. They make art based on their own ideas and interests and work through the artistic process themselves.

“For me and my students, that’s what I like for them because then it’s not my creativity that they’re then making art about, it’s their own creative ideas," Morgan said. “Everyone’s art is so different. I get to see their creativity, not just how well they’re able to copy my example.”

Morgan, who enjoys working with clay and fiber arts, has a graphic design degree as well as a K-8 elementary education degree from Arizona State University.

The Idaho Art Education Association is a nonprofit that promotes excellence in visual arts education throughout Idaho. Morgan said earning the association’s Elementary Educator of the Year award has given her validation. 

"Somebody has noticed that my work is important,” she said.

Fernan Principal Kathy Livingston said she is happy for Morgan, a devoted Fernan teacher and colleague.

"She literally just said her next goal for herself was to strive to become a teacher of the year," Livingston said. "I knew she had been nominated when she said it. It was kind of cute to hear that was something she was aspiring to and then she was awarded this great honor."

Livingston said Morgan always finds ways to attend conferences and learn with her peers. She is one of the first to step up when help is needed, and she takes on before- and after-school programs to give students more engagement and activity opportunities.

"She's just super dedicated to our school community and to our students," Livingston said. "I'm really excited for her that she gets celebrated and honored because she is so very deserving."

Heather Somers, executive director of elementary education and federal programs for the Coeur d'Alene School District, said this prestigious recognition highlights Morgan's outstanding commitment to fostering creativity, critical thinking and a love of the arts among students.

"Throughout her career, Leatha has transformed the art classroom into a vibrant space where students are encouraged to express themselves, explore new techniques and develop their artistic voices," Somers said. "Her innovative teaching methods and dedication to community engagement have not only enriched the lives of her students but also strengthened the local arts community."

She said art is a powerful tool for personal expression and understanding that empowers students to explore their creativity and find their unique perspectives.

"We celebrate Ms. Morgan’s remarkable achievements and look forward to seeing how she will continue to inspire the next generation of artists," Somers said.

Morgan will receive the award during the Idaho Art Education Association’s annual fall conference Oct. 4-5 in Twin Falls. The conference's theme will be "Adventures in Art! Inspiring Creativity Through Choice."

    Art instructor Leatha Morgan demonstrates how to use oil pastels Wednesday as she introduces kindergartners to different art mediums.
  

    From left, Eleanna Stearns-Van Horn, Emry Fisher, Leona Davis and Beck Bridges enjoy exploring art with oil pastels Wednesday at Fernan STEM Academy. Their teacher, Leatha Morgan, is the Idaho Art Education Association's Elementary Educator of the Year.