About Ms. Arbeiter

I have been been a member of the ChiArts Family since the spring of 2009, and I'm honored to be one of the founding teachers. We work together, investing a lot of time and energy into cultivating the incredible school that is The Chicago High School for the Arts, so that all of our scholar-artists receive the academic education and pre-professional arts training that they so deserve. 

I have been teaching since the Fall of 2001. The fall of my first year of teaching was full of challenges, as our country faced the devastation of September 11th. I will always remember my first students, and their courage and curiosity as they questioned and examined the true meaning of heroism.

It brings me so much joy to witness my students' enthusiasm for learning. My students teach me and inspire me so much. It is why I work tirelessly to ensure that they are appropriately challenged, that they have opportunities to read, write, think, discuss, explore big ideas, and that they have a forum for which their voices can be heard, whether it is publishing their work, participating in Socratic Seminars, exploring ideas beyond the classroom in a variety of situations. 

Please know that I am always here to serve, support, and recognize your efforts and accomplishments.

While teaching is a huge part of my life, my other interests include writing and creating art, and I'm currently working on a book incorporating both poetry and visual art in an exploration of dreams. I was a competitive swimmer for over ten years. Though I do not compete anymore, I still love to swim in oceans,  lakes, and an occasional pool. You will find me running through all kinds of weather, even in winter. I love to be outside, and I enjoy camping. Though when the weather is formidable (remember snowpocalypse in February 2011), I prefer to practice yoga. I have been practicing yoga for over ten years, which has transformed my health and my outlook on life, as I practice linking breath and movement, which helps to quiet my active mind.

In the fall of 1994, I was in an apartment fire, the cause of the scars on my shoulders and arms. It took me over a year to recover physically. It was the winter of 1999 when a close friend of mine approached me and asked if she could photograph me for her thesis project. When I attended the show for M.F.A. photography students and saw the photographs, it transformed the way I saw my scars. Suddenly, I saw them as beautiful. No longer a deformity, my scars are a work of art. They tell the story of my strength and survival. I am so grateful to all of the doctors and nurses who cared for me through multiple hospitalizations, and I'm grateful to my family and friends for nurturing my spirit. That was seventeen years ago now. Every day I find opportunities to express my appreciation and gratitude to those who have touched my life.

Thank you for touching mine.

The ChiArts website describes my teaching background and experience:

A teacher who has achieved National Board Certification, Meg Arbeiter received a grant from Facing History and Ourselves to travel to South Africa in order to build relationships with educators, community leaders, and students to enrich a human rights unit on the legacy of apartheid. She collaborated with What Kids Can Do to develop and publish curriculum and student work ("Mentors That Matter", 2007; "Fires in the Mind," 2010). Ms. Arbeiter has always been passionate about the value of arts education and wrote "Seeking Inner Truth," an article that was published in AIMprint(2008). She received a Master's of Education from DePaul University, a Master's of Industrial Relations from Loyola University Chicago, and a Bachelor of Arts in English and Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has served as Department Chair of English and Instructional Leader for Chicago Public Schools.