Ryan Siegmann

I earned a Bachelors in Painting in 2014 and a Masters in Education, with an endorsement in Early Childhood Education in 2023. I love to weave art and self expression into everything I do with young learners. I have worked with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, elementary students and high school students in a variety of capacities, ranging from teaching observational drawing at an art center and community-based programming, to supporting queer and trans youth at Outright VT and designing a multimodal social justice literacy curriculum for preschoolers.

When planning learning opportunities for students, I draw from my own childhood memories in nature. I focus on creating exciting or impactful experiences for children. I also reflect on my own upbringing and norms to see what I might be taking for granted or assuming in the curriculum I plan. I consider my students’ cultures, languages, and all of their knowledge they bring to school each day. I aim to create an environment where students feel empowered to teach each other and me, drawing from their family’s skills, stories and students’ own imagination. From students I’ve learned Arabic and Spanish vocabulary, how to cut the tops off strawberries, and what environments dragons like to nest in. Flexibility allows me to follow my students’ lead and pursue their passions with them. I leave space and time for students to explore and process emotions as they arise, prioritizing social emotional learning throughout the day. I strive to provide opportunities for self discovery, and to share in moments of unknowing together. Through hands-on learning, I create connections to local and societal issues that affect our lives and our communities. I believe that even the youngest learners can tackle the complexity of the world when it is presented in developmentally appropriate ways and with a hopeful outlook. Preschoolers I have worked with in the past have helped to stop an asphalt factory from invading and polluting their neighborhood through their trilingual protest art and collaboration with a teen activist group. I look forward to collaborating with students, families, and the larger community at The Wilds!