In this workshop, we explore new tools, strategies, and accommodations for students with disabilities. Educators learn about inclusive language, sensory integration, differentiating instruction based on support needs, and enhancing their students’ emotional literacy and techniques for emotional regulation. If you’ve ever been curious about how to best support the needs of your students and create an accessible classroom environment for all, this workshop is for you.

About the Teaching Artist

Ariya Imani Hawkins is a Chicago-based storyteller, multidisciplinary artist, and theater educator. Her professional and creative work centers communities who have historically been excluded from traditional performance and arts spaces, ensuring that all individuals have access to the creation and consumption of art that reflects who we truly are. Hawkins has been nominated for a Jeff Award and a BACA Black Excellence Award for Outstanding Achievement in Theatre. She has toured the nation, performing and teaching with several regional companies including Goodman Theatre, The Red Kite Project at Chicago Children’s Theatre, A.B.L.E. Ensemble, Olney Theatre Center, Lifeline, Filament, MPAACT, and Artemisia Theatre. Hawkins has taught over 1,500 students throughout Chicagoland and the US, empowering people of all ages, abilities, and experiences through storytelling. Hawkins believes that art belongs to all of us, and that we must utilize art as a tool for understanding, connection, and collective healing.