General 1 — Learning with Lado

Hello! I’m Ileana Lado—an educator, artist, and creator of Learning with Lado.

For nearly a decade, I’ve dedicated my career to working with children, beginning in social work, then as a community center educator, lead classroom teacher, and now as a teaching artist and museum educator.

Born and raised in New York City, I’m a proud graduate of its public schools. The photo on the right is of me in my pre-K classroom in The South Bronx. My love for literature and art was nurtured by incredible teachers at P.S./M.S. 31, where my love for reading, writing, and art first took root. That early foundation inspired me to return to the communities that raised and shaped me, teaching elementary and middle school English Language Arts in The Bronx and Harlem to ignite a love for learning in my students.

Now, as an art educator at one of the largest art museums in the country, I guide elementary and middle school students in drawing, painting, and printmaking while exploring the connections between art history, identity, culture, and community. Through Learning with Lado, I extend this work by mentoring children in both visual arts and literacy.

L1060814+Edited.jpg

As a classroom teacher, I always created my own resources and lesson materials, developing creative ways to help students connect with the content. Seeing how the original lessons, worksheets, and videos I created made learning more impactful and enjoyable for my students, I knew other teachers could benefit from these resources too. My experience mentoring first-year teachers as a clinical instructor with Hunter College reinforced my passion for teacher training and resource creation, and I wanted to extend that support to a wider audience.

That’s why I created Learning with Lado—a platform that combines my teaching experience, artistic background, and passion for culturally responsive education to provide high-quality, creative, and classroom-tested resources. My goal is to equip educators with materials that spark creativity and foster critical thinking.

But more than just a resource hub, I hope Learning with Lado grows into a community of educators—a space where we can exchange ideas, discuss what truly matters in education, and support one another. Together, I believe we can create artful learning experiences for our students while building a network of inspiration and support.