MEGAN MERYDITH (she/her)

PRESCHOOL TEACHER

Hometown: Bend, OR
Most Memorable Teaching Moment: My most memorable moments in teaching are the moments when I get to watch students fall in love with what they are learning. From a lightbulb moment of a new skill finally making sense to a genuine smile of joy while performing, I feel I have succeeded as an educator when my students become passionate about what they are creating. The arts have been a safe space for me throughout my life as both a child and adult, and a space where I feel I can truly be myself, and the most memorable moments in teaching thus far for me have been those when the students I work with light up and feel that they too can be themselves and create their own unique stories that are worthy of being shared – whether that be onstage, behind the scenes, or in the classroom.
My Journey to Teaching: Growing up in Central Oregon, I was introduced to theatre and music at a young age, soon fell head-over-heels in love with creating art, and was quickly spending every free moment of my time involved in as many theatre productions as I could be. I also grew up dreaming of becoming a teacher, but never imagined that the arts could be a part of that – or that creating theatre and music with students could ever be my job! I was thrilled to discover in college that my love for education and the arts could intersect and both be a part of my future, and couldn’t be more excited about what I do. I have spent the past several years working in arts education in various public and private settings with all age groups, and am so excited to now be working here at Big Star Studios and Little Stars Preschool sharing my love of learning and creating with so many wonderful new students!
My Mission: My involvement in the arts as a child has played an integral role in my development into the person I am today, and I love nothing more than sharing these opportunities with future generations of students. I am extremely passionate about the importance of arts education as a valuable tool in students’ lives both as enrichment to academic education as well as a tool of creative expression that is deeply valuable to students’ socioemotional development. The arts teach us so much about empathy and equity in so many areas of our lives, and I believe the world becomes a better place the more artists that are a part of it. Beyond the arts, I believe that every student should feel loved and safe in the classroom, and strive to set an example of acceptance, inclusion, and kindness through everything that I do. I can’t wait to connect with many new incredible students here at Big Star and share my love of the arts through education!