Maia has taught creative writing and theater
to K-12 students from throughout the Chicago area.
She has worked with special needs, autistic and
deaf students, as well as in bilingual classrooms.
She has designed and led professional development
workshops for teachers at Lisle Junior High; with
Urban Gateways at the Terra Museum in Chicago,
Cleveland State University and the Project for
After School Education in New York City. She has
taught creative writing at a shelter for homeless
women, for senior citizens, and has served as a
youth mentor with Steppenwolf Theatre’s Crosstown
Exchange Program and Tellin’ Tales Theater. She has developed and taught classes and workshops for the
Office of Community Arts Partnerships at Columbia
College Chicago, Evanston’s Young Artist Program,
Gallery 37 and Steppenwolf and Lookingglass Theatres.
Maia also spent two years as full time faculty at
The Chicago Academy for the Arts and has led writing and theatre workshops for incarcerated
and formerly incarcerated women with The Persephone Project, a program of Stillpoint Theatre Collective.
to K-12 students from throughout the Chicago area.
She has worked with special needs, autistic and
deaf students, as well as in bilingual classrooms.
She has designed and led professional development
workshops for teachers at Lisle Junior High; with
Urban Gateways at the Terra Museum in Chicago,
Cleveland State University and the Project for
After School Education in New York City. She has
taught creative writing at a shelter for homeless
women, for senior citizens, and has served as a
youth mentor with Steppenwolf Theatre’s Crosstown
Exchange Program and Tellin’ Tales Theater. She has developed and taught classes and workshops for the
Office of Community Arts Partnerships at Columbia
College Chicago, Evanston’s Young Artist Program,
Gallery 37 and Steppenwolf and Lookingglass Theatres.
Maia also spent two years as full time faculty at
The Chicago Academy for the Arts and has led writing and theatre workshops for incarcerated
and formerly incarcerated women with The Persephone Project, a program of Stillpoint Theatre Collective.
A few words on teaching...
Artmaking is worldmaking. As a kid, I wrote new worlds and imagined
stepping into them. I tried characters and voices and roles on for size.
When we make art, we can imagine and unfold new selves and re-envision
and recreate the worlds we inhabit. It is my goal to create opportunities
for these expeditions and to make engaging, original written and performed
works with students, teachers and community members.
A key component of my work with students and teachers is collaboration.
Collaboration encourages students not only to draw on their own creativity,
but also to share and nurture one another’s creative impulses and ideas, to
negotiate and compromise.
stepping into them. I tried characters and voices and roles on for size.
When we make art, we can imagine and unfold new selves and re-envision
and recreate the worlds we inhabit. It is my goal to create opportunities
for these expeditions and to make engaging, original written and performed
works with students, teachers and community members.
A key component of my work with students and teachers is collaboration.
Collaboration encourages students not only to draw on their own creativity,
but also to share and nurture one another’s creative impulses and ideas, to
negotiate and compromise.
Urban Gateways Residency
Chicago International Charter School, Northtown Campus
Urban Gateways Art Options Theater Program
Perspectives-Calumet High School
What I found out about myself is that I am now even more comfortable with
being in my own skin and not scared to be me as an individual. I noticed
that one person can get help from others and they can change anything in
the world. When people work hard together they make an outcome that can
change everything that they thought before. -Darnell, 16
