Reading Beyond Words: Seeing to Understand through Visual Literacy

Imagine stepping into a classroom where students are captivated not only by words but also by works of art. A place where critical thinking, connection, and creativity thrive as students “read” art just as they read books. Visual literacy unlocks this world, transforming how we teach and learn.

Join national arts integration experts Focus 5, Inc. for a three-day national professional development conference set against the backdrop of the world-class collection at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

This immersive experience equips Literacy and Social Studies teachers with an approach to teaching that harnesses the power of visual art to:

• Develop deeper understandings
• Prompt curriculum-centered conversations
• Inspire inquiry
• Transcend language barriers
• Engage multiple learning styles
• Foster an inclusive environment where every student can succeed

Perfect for  K–12 English Language Arts teachers, reading specialists, literacy coaches, history teachers, and art teachers, we hope you’ll join us in transforming the way educators and students connect with art and ideas!

Day 1 | 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Foundations of Visual Literacy
Explore what art is, practice observing in the galleries, and learn strategies for helping students “read” and interpret art.

Day 2 | 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Deepening Conversations & Curriculum Connections

Develop tools to facilitate meaningful discussions about art and collaborate with peers to create lesson ideas tied to gallery experiences.

Day 3 | 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Art in Action & Classroom Integration
Participate in hands-on art-making sessions, independent work time, and practical discussions on using museum resources and original art in your teaching.

Focus 5, Inc. provides high-quality, professional learning opportunities and program consulting focused on aligning arts integration, best instructional practices, and current thinking in the field of arts and education. We collaborate and consult with teachers, teaching artists, schools, school districts, arts organizations, arts commissions, arts councils, and museums around the USA and internationally. We are in classrooms on a daily basis to keep our work refined, relevant, and effective in the ever-growing and evolving field of arts integration and education.

We seek to be a national leader in the field of arts integration and educational consulting with a team of personable experts dedicated to high-quality education for all young people.

Our consulting staff includes National Board Certified teachers, professional artists, teaching artists, arts integration specialists, a technology specialist, and a reading specialist.

Melanie Rick

Co-owner and Senior Consultant, Focus 5, Inc.

Melanie Rick, a National Board Certified Teacher and certified reading specialist, is the co-owner and Senior Consultant for Focus 5, Inc. With over 25 years of experience, she specializes in integrating visual art and writing into curriculum to develop students’ visual literacy and critical thinking skills. Melanie holds an MA in Literacy Curriculum and Instruction and has worked as a teacher and arts integration specialist. A National Teaching Artist for the Kennedy Center’s CETA program, she leads workshops, institutes, and courses nationwide, helping educators align arts integration with instructional best practices and current educational research.

Sean Layne

Founder and Senior Consultant, Focus 5, Inc.

Sean Layne is the founder of Focus 5, Inc., and author of Acting Right: Building a Cooperative, Collaborative, Creative Classroom Community Through Drama. With a BFA in Acting and training in London, Sean has 35 years of experience in arts integration, working with students, teachers, and teaching artists nationwide. He is a National Teaching Artist and arts coach for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. A former actor and director with Interact Story Theatre and a Master Artist with Wolf Trap’s Early Learning Through the Arts program, Sean has pioneered arts-based education models across the globe.

Jamin Carter

Consultant, Focus 5, Inc.

Jamin Carter is an educator, artist, activist, and minister based in Memphis, TN. With a BFA in sculpture and painting and an MAT in visual art education, Jamin brings over 15 years of experience teaching in diverse Title One classrooms, from elementary art to AP art history. As a consultant with Focus 5, Inc. and a Kennedy Center teaching artist, he leads visual art and drama-based workshops nationwide. An accomplished artist working in acrylics, mixed media, and sculpture, Jamin also exhibits, curates, and facilitates panel discussions. He lives in Midtown Memphis with his wife Becky and their three children.

Jessica McHugh

Consultant, Focus 5, Inc.

Jessica McHugh holds a master’s degree in Elementary Education and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Theater Arts from Rutgers University. With a passion for creative movement, she believes movement is a universal language, famously echoed by one of her students: “Some things just can’t be expressed in words—they must be shared through dance!” Since 2006, Jessica has integrated the arts and project-based learning in Pre-K to 12th-grade classrooms and has led professional development for educators nationwide since 2013. A recipient of the Leadership in Arts Education Award, Jessica also served as the Arts Integration Specialist for Any Given Child Sarasota.