Why Arts?

Nanvi Jhala at Emergent Inquiry Studio

Why Arts? is a video podcast series created by Nanvi Jhala—educator and designer, and a recent graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Drawing from her experience in Reggio-inspired schools, public education systems, and democratic learning spaces, Nanvi explores how the arts shape the way we learn, relate, and imagine. Through conversations with educators, artists, and thinkers, the series looks at arts beyond it's final products to the processes of creating, questioning, and making that nurture meaningful learning.

  1. Jul 12

    Episode 24 of Why Arts? — Reggio Emilia, Documentation & Children's Agency with Vaidehi Desai and Maggie Oliver

    In this episode, I am in conversation with Vaidehi Desai and Maggie Oliver, educators at Newtowne School, a Reggio Emilia-inspired early childhood programme in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Vaidehi began her journey working with young children in Mumbai before moving to the United States to pursue an M.A. in Special Education from the University of Texas at Austin. She later earned an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education with a focus on the Reggio Emilia approach while teaching at Boulder Journey School. Her work is deeply rooted in inclusion, anti-bias education, and supportive social learning, with a strong belief that children are capable citizens with inherent rights. Maggie Oliver is an early childhood educator and graduate of Clemson University, where she studied Elementary Education along with American Sign Language and diversity in education. After teaching at a Reggio Emilia-inspired school, she joined Newtowne School, where she continues to cultivate environments that honour children's curiosity, relationships, and collaborative learning with families. She also then got masters in curriculum and teaching from Boston University. In our conversation, we explore how thoughtfully designed environments can nurture creativity, why documentation is more than recording children's work—becoming a powerful tool for reflection, communication, and research—and how giving children meaningful choices strengthens their agency and ownership of learning. We also discuss integrating creativity across academic disciplines, creating learning experiences that are both intellectually rigorous and deeply meaningful, and what it takes to build classrooms where children, educators, and families learn alongside one another. Episode 24 — listen on YouTube and Spotify — Why Arts? by Emergent Inquiry Studio.

    Episode 24 of Why Arts? — Reggio Emilia, Documentation & Children's Agency with Vaidehi Desai and Maggie Oliver

  2. Jul 6

    Episode 23 of Why Arts? — Dance Education & Project-Based Learning with Jada Wooten

    In this episode, I am in conversation with Jada Wooten—educator, choreographer, and founding dance teacher at City Arts and Sciences Academy (CASA), a STEAM middle and high school where she is building the school's inaugural dance programme. Outside of teaching, Jada continues to deepen her artistry by training and performing with Urbanity 2, Dancing Legacy, and Modern Connections. She did her undergrad from Brown University and Masters in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education. Jada is developing a project-based dance curriculum for sixth and ninth graders that explores movement, play, social dance, and a range of dance techniques. Alongside teaching, she is designing CASA's first advanced dance company, advising a cohort of sixth-grade students, co-teaching interdisciplinary STEAM projects, and continuing her own artistic practice as a performer.In our conversation, we explore the role of dance within a project-based learning school, what it means to centre creativity, movement, and humanness in education, and how dance can become a powerful language for inquiry, identity, collaboration, and self-expression. We also discuss interdisciplinary learning, cultivating belonging through movement, and why the arts are essential in helping young people make sense of themselves and the world around them.Episode 23 — listen on YouTube and Spotify — Why Arts? by Emergent Inquiry Studio.📲 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whyarts_wnanvi?igsh=aHRkYWhuMHB2MWVz&utm_source=qr

    Episode 23 of Why Arts? — Dance Education & Project-Based Learning with Jada Wooten

  3. Jun 22

    Episode 22 of Why Arts? — The Atelier, Reggio Emilia & 100 Languages of Children with Sarah Browne

    In this episode, I am in conversation with Sarah Browne — Atelierista, presenter, and Social Media Curator for the Africa Reggio Emilia Alliance (AREA), whose work explores the role of the atelier, creativity, and children's rights through the Reggio Emilia approach. Sarah has worked in education for nearly three decades across a range of contexts in South Africa, teaching children from birth to age 12. She is currently the resident atelierista at Reddam House Waterfall Early Learning School, where she leads Reggio Emilia-inspired professional development and has developed innovative spaces such as the Everywhere Atelier and South Africa's first Digital Landscapes Atelier. In our conversation, we discuss the role of the atelier and the atelierista, the importance of the arts in children's learning, and what it means to honour the hundred languages of children. We also explore the Reggio Emilia approach in the South African context, children's rights, creative pedagogy, documentation, and how schools can cultivate cultures of curiosity, research, and meaning-making.

    Episode 22 of Why Arts? — The Atelier, Reggio Emilia & 100 Languages of Children with Sarah Browne

  4. Jun 11

    Episode 21 of Why Arts? — Art, Teacher Transformation & Creative Pedagogy with Nisha Nair

    In this episode, I am in conversation with Nisha Nair — educator, researcher, designer, and founder of ArtSparks Foundation, whose work explores the transformative role of visual art in education.Nisha has taught graduate courses at Teachers College, Columbia University and Azim Premji University, and is currently a doctoral candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University, researching transformative teacher development and the role of creative engagement with art in educational change. She is also the author of Art Sparks: Ideas. Methods. Process, published by Tara Books. In our conversation, we discuss how visual art can serve as a powerful tool for transformation in education. We explore the importance of process over product, the role of reflection in teaching and learning, and how educators themselves must engage in curiosity, experimentation, and growth to create meaningful learning experiences for children. Episode 21, listen on YouTube and Spotify — Why Arts? by Emergent Inquiry Studio

    Episode 21 of Why Arts? — Art, Teacher Transformation & Creative Pedagogy with Nisha Nair

  5. Jun 6

    Episode 20 of Why Arts? — Arts, Embodiment & Human Potential in an AI Age with Yvette Kong

    In this episode, I am in conversation with Yvette Kong — Olympian, founder, and transdisciplinary creator working at the intersection of human potential, creativity, and systems change. Yvette is the Founder and CEO of Arelyx, a human capacity intelligence company for the AI age, and Founder and Director of Transversal Lab, a cultural innovation studio working across art, design, technology, and society. She is also a former Olympic swimmer for Hong Kong, former MIT lecturer on Transversal Design, and serves on boards and advisory groups focused on education and mental wellbeing. In our conversation, we discuss embodied art as a powerful tool for expression, identity, and emotional regulation. We also reflect on how arts education can build resilience, agency, and more human-centered ways of learning in an AI-driven world. Episode 20, listen on YouTube and Spotify — Why Arts? by Emergent Inquiry Studio 📲 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whyarts_wnanvi?igsh=aHRkYWhuMHB2MWVz&utm_source=qr #WhyArtsPodcast #ArtsEducation #Aihumanready #EmbodiedLearning

    Episode 20 of Why Arts? — Arts, Embodiment & Human Potential in an AI Age with Yvette Kong

  6. May 25

    Episode 19 of Why Arts? — Contemporary Arts in Early Childhood with Dr. Louisa Penfold

    In this episode, I am in conversation with Dr. Louisa Penfold - educator, artist, researcher, Lecturer and Co-Chair of Arts and Learning at Harvard Graduate School of Education, and co-director of Project Zero’s ArtPlay. In our conversation, we talk about Louisa’s journey from Australia to the UK and the US, her work in museum education with children and families, contemporary arts in early childhood, arts visibility within academia, and how Project Zero’s Art/Play is exploring meaningful ways of bringing contemporary arts into public schools. We also talk about her upcoming book on children’s art education, coming in September 2026. Listen on YouTube and Spotify — Why Arts? by Emergent Inquiry Studio 📲 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whyarts_wnanvi?igsh=aHRkYWhuMHB2MWVz&utm_source=qr #WhyArtsPodcast #ArtsEducation #ContemporaryArt #EarlyChildhoodEducation #ProjectZero #Harvard #creativity

    Episode 19 of Why Arts? — Contemporary Arts in Early Childhood with Dr. Louisa Penfold

  7. May 10

    Episode 18 of Why Arts? — Reggio Emilia Approach in Diverse Educational Contexts with Cristian Fabbi

    In this episode, I am in conversation with Cristian Fabbi, an international early childhood education expert working with UNICEF on curriculum reform and teacher education programmes. Cristian is the Director of Fondazione Reggio Children and previously served as President of Reggio Children and the municipal preschool system in Reggio Emilia. With a background in psychology, early childhood education, and relational psychotherapy, Cristian has worked across schools, communities, and education systems around the world—including projects with UNICEF and UNESCO across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. In our conversation, we talk about what it really means to value the capabilities of children, parents, and educators in every context. By focusing on conversations and relationships rather than rigid structures, we can nurture creativity and learning. It’s about recognizing the rights of every child, fostering a community-oriented mindset, and allowing every individual to shine. In a world that’s changing rapidly, these values can help us navigate uncertainty. Reggio teaches us that education is a political choice and a path to building a more inclusive society. What’s your take on education? Listen on YouTube and Spotify — Why Arts? by Emergent Inquiry Studio 📲 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whyarts_wnanvi?igsh=aHRkYWhuMHB2MWVz&utm_source=qr

    Episode 18 of Why Arts? — Reggio Emilia Approach in Diverse Educational Contexts with Cristian Fabbi

  8. May 1

    Episode 17 of Why Arts? — Materials, Waste, and Listening with Eloisa Di Rocco

    In this episode, I’m in conversation with Eloisa - Remida project coordinator, Atelierista and Researcher in Reggio Childhood Studies. She has been working with the Reggio Children Foundation since 2012. In 2025, she completed her PhD in Reggio Childhood Studies. We talk about materials and our relationship with them—how materials are not just things we use, but something we listen to, respond to, and think with. We explore what it means to work with discarded materials, how waste can become a site of learning, and how the Pedagogy of Listening shapes the way we see children, materials, and the environment. Listen on YouTube and Spotify — Why Arts? by Emergent Inquiry Studio📲 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whyarts_wnanvi?igsh=aHRkYWhuMHB2MWVz&utm_source=qr

    Episode 17 of Why Arts? — Materials, Waste, and Listening with Eloisa Di Rocco
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About

Why Arts? is a video podcast series created by Nanvi Jhala—educator and designer, and a recent graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Drawing from her experience in Reggio-inspired schools, public education systems, and democratic learning spaces, Nanvi explores how the arts shape the way we learn, relate, and imagine. Through conversations with educators, artists, and thinkers, the series looks at arts beyond it's final products to the processes of creating, questioning, and making that nurture meaningful learning.

Information

  • Creator
    Nanvi Jhala at Emergent Inquiry Studio
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    25
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Nanvi Jhala at Emergent Inquiry Studio
  • Show Website
    Why Arts?

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