Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Dibble Kerner
Hi Kelly, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My name is Kelly Dibble Kerner and I am the owner and founder of Dibbs On It Creative Learning. I’ve always loved the process of learning, whether it be an educational concept, practical skill, or fun new hobby. Early in my life I was fascinated by foreign languages and culture, and at different points in high school and college I had the opportunity to study (and teach!) in Japan, Spain, and Ireland. These experiences not only opened my eyes to education from a global perspective, but also nurtured my desire to become a foreign language teacher and spark cultural curiosity in my students.
In 2011, I graduated from Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania with a degree in K-12 Spanish Education and soon after began working as a full-time foreign language teacher in Maryland. I was asked to contribute to a district-wide development team which helped me to discover my passion for curriculum design. It’s amazing to see the positive effect that fun and engaging supplementary resources can have on the educational journey! I learned how to build curricular sequences, write student learning objectives, and (most importantly) incorporate activities that promote high engagement. Along with Spanish, I also taught STEM Spanish classes (science, technology, engineering, and math-centered) and ESL (English as a Second Language) while in Maryland, which helped to broaden my horizons in terms of the content I was developing.
In the subsequent years, I taught in a variety of educational settings (like public & private school, homeschool, private tutoring, & adult education), which taught me best practices for targeting all ages and learning types. In 2015, I moved back to Ohio and transitioned through a couple of education-related jobs in program management and marketing. I began to realize that all of my past work experiences were the perfect portfolio to becoming an entrepreneur and starting a business of my own. So… why not?
I began sharing my content on a larger scale and was met with great reception. My all-inclusive workshops benefited a broad audience, were led by a certified teacher (me!), and offered clear learning objectives, hands-on activities, fun creative projects, and take-home materials for continued learning. I had discovered a need for creative learning experiences for a wide range of ages, and have since connected with schools and homeschool co-ops, libraries, parks & recreation departments, day and summer camps, preschool programs, senior centers, families for private events, and more! What began as a small Etsy shop in 2015, grew into what it is today. Dibbs On It Creative Learning is an educational business that offers unique learning opportunities to families, schools, communities, and beyond (AKA my dream come true).
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
In 2022, I made the decision to leave my full-time job and dive into Dibbs On It Creative Learning full-time. Something I struggled with at the beginning of the journey was knowing where to start each day, and what small steps to take that would lead to growth. It sounds simple now, but early on it was difficult! Should I spend more time developing curriculum? But, I need to make community connections in order to share them. Or, maybe I should be devoting more time to creating online content and connecting digitally with my audience. Wearing the many hats of owning a business, and being new to it, made time management a challenge.
Thankfully now I can say I’m much stronger in the time management department and feeling more confident than ever. It’s cool to (finally) feel like I’m on the right professional path, and witness that what I’m offering is well-received and valued in a variety of educational settings. The summer of 2024 has been my biggest season of growth yet!
And, each small decision I made in those early days built foundational bricks for my success today. What great motivation to keep up the hard work!
As you know, we’re big fans of Dibbs On It Creative Learning. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
After founding Dibbs On It Creative Learning, my primary role became developing curriculum to offer in the community. I spend a lot of time researching new content and creating engaging lessons that benefit students of all ages and learning types. My offerings began as workshops, and are also available now as all-inclusive creative learning kits. Plus, any Dibbs workshop can be booked as a private party (perfect for kids birthday parties, adult create nights, and more).
I developed my “Creative Mindfulness Series” post-pandemic for young students to benefit from lessons in social emotional learning. In this series, we discuss important concepts like showing gratitude, practicing positivity, and creating a balanced life. During class, I also add in some fun hands-on activities, along with a creative project that relates directly back to the learning objective. “Positivity Rocks” is one workshop in this series where we discuss the power of practicing a positive mindset while painting rocks with affirmations. These types of lessons are so beneficial for our mental health, and being exposed to the concepts at an early age promotes a stronger lifelong understanding. These lessons are great for a variety of educational settings, and are fun for adults and seniors, too!
My newest workshop series, “STEAM in Nature” was developed specifically for students to learn and create outside with natural elements. Nature is such a fun and interesting learning topic! It was the perfect addition for summertime and has been a favorite this year for nature centers, homeschool co-ops, and day camps. I have always been interested in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math-centered) education and love the element of hands-on learning it adds to any lesson. One workshop in this series, “Cool Clouds”, educates students all about clouds while they not only perform a fun rainfall science experiment, but also create a unique cloud viewer to take home for continued practice in cloud identifying.
As of the summer of 2024, my core offerings include:
– Creative Mindfulness – my *flagship* series that offers lessons in social emotional learning (like gratitude, positivity, and life balance) beautifully intertwined with creative projects like painting, sculpting, and papercrafting. These lessons are great for all ages, from young learners to seniors!
– STEAM in Nature – a fun nature-centered workshop series that incorporates STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math-centered) science experiments along with hands-on creative projects. These lessons are great for K-12 students.
– ¡Hablamos! – an intro to Spanish workshop series that targets any age
– Let’s Talk! – an intro to English workshop series that targets ESL students of any age
– Creative Reading & Writing – a fun literary workshop series that reviews a variety of literature types and notable authors, while walking students through creative writing projects
I am a curiosity seeker, avid learner, and education advocate. Through Dibbs On It Creative Learning, my goal is to offer unique educational opportunities that add practical value to learning, promote creative expression, and add to students’ self-confidence in their own educational journey. Stay tuned for what’s to come!
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Aside from a few years away, northeast Ohio has been home all of my life. I love it here! I have a really close connection to my family and friends, and credit my success to the amazing support system I have here.
Something I love about Cleveland is the endless possibilities of fun things to do! We live about a half hour away from adventures in the city, right in the middle of a beautiful network of Metroparks, and close to so many good eats!
What I like least about our city? That’s easy – winter weather and driving in it. I don’t mind the snow as long as I can admire it from inside!
Pricing:
- Workshops registration ranges from $25-$40
- Student learning kits range from $15-30
- Additional hands-on resources start at $10.00
- Digital (print-at-home) resources start at only $1.75
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bio.site/dibbsonit
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dibbs.on.it
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dibbs.On.It/
