David Rufo
Ph.D. Syracuse University Teaching & Curriculum/Teaching & Leadership
M.S. State University of New York at Cortland, Concentration: K-6 Mathematics
New York State K-6 Elementary Education Certificate, LeMoyne College
B.F.A. Syracuse University, Major: Studio Arts
David Rufo is an Assistant Professor of Education in the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences at Cazenovia College in upstate New York. Previously, Dr. Rufo was a Clinical Assistant Professor at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Education at Lincoln Center in New York City. Additionally, Dr. Rufo has two decades of experience as a general elementary classroom teacher and an instructor in the Department of Art Education at Syracuse University. Dr. Rufo’s research interests include: Teacher Education, Curriculum Studies, Interdisciplinary Learning, STEAM Education, Qualitative Research, Classroom Action Research, Narrative Inquiry, Elementary Education, Critical Pedagogy, Child-Centered Education, Hands-On Mathematical Investigations, Democratic Classrooms, Visual Culture, The Self-Initiated Creativity of Children, Contemporary Art, Art History, and Art Education. David has published articles in a variety of national and international peer-reviewed journals. In addition to being an educator, David is also a visual artist. His writings may be found at cazenovia.academia.edu/DavidRufo and his artwork at davidjohnrufo.com.
- Books & Chapters
- Rufo, D. (forthcoming, 2021). Building forts at recess: When student play becomes STEAM learning. In
- N. Walkup & T.L. Hunter-Doniger (Eds.), STEAM education: Transdisciplinarity of art in the curriculum (pp. xx-xx). Alexandria, VA: National Art Education Association.
- Rufo, D. (2013). Swarming toward creativity. [Raw story data incorporated into Rolling, J. H. (2013).
- Swarm intelligence: What nature teaches us about shaping creative leadership. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan]
- Peer Reviewed Articles
- Rufo, D. (2020). Tagging tabletops: How the drawings of children on school furniture
- offer insight into their learning. International Journal of Education and the Arts, 21(17). Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.26209/ijea21n17.
- Rufo, D. (2019). A thing I made: How children transform everyday materials into creative
- artifacts for learning. Trends: The Journal of the Texas Art Association, 10-15.
- Rufo, D. (2017). Stumbling into the spiral: A serendipitous STEAM exploration. The STEAM
- Journal, 3(1).
- Rufo, D. (2017). Math hater: How one child overcame her math anxiety through self-administered
- art therapy. Art Education, 70(5), 6-10.
- Rufo, D. (2016). STEAM-ing up the science fair. Art Education, 69(4), 12-16.
- Rufo, D. (2016). Self-initiated creativity in the elementary classroom (Doctoral dissertation). Available
- From ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (UMI No. 10165547).
- Rufo, D. (2014). Breaking internalized teacher scripts: From traditional habits of mind to a creative
- mindset. Journal of Visual Inquiry, 3(3), 391-404.
- Rufo, D. (2014). An arts-based classroom confronts educational metanarratives: Grand narratives, local
- stories and a classroom teacher’s story. Journal of Social Theory in Art Education, 34, 18-30.
- Rufo, D. (2014). Swarming toward creativity. Teaching Artist Journal, 12(4), 231-234.
- Rufo, D. (2014). Big Paintings Club. Voke, 2. Retrieved from
- http://www.vokeart.org/?p=490&spoke=1
- Rufo, D. (2013). bUzZ: A guide to authentic and joyful creative learning. Power and Education, 5(2),
- 149-158.
- Rufo, D. (2013). Masking tape: The artist’s urge to wrap. Teaching Artist Journal, 11(2), 107-111.
- Rufo, D. (2013). STEAM with a capital A. The STEAM Journal, 1(1).
- Rufo, D. (2013). Ophelia’s fort. Teaching Artist Journal, 11(1), 43-45.
- Rufo, D. (2012). Building forts and drawing on walls: Fostering student-initiated creativity both inside and outside the elementary classroom. Art Education, 65(3), 40-47.
- Rufo, D. (2011). Allowing artistic agency in the elementary classroom. Art Education, 64(3), 18-23.
- Invited Articles and Papers
- Rufo, D. (2019, January). Artwork: Two Pieces. A-Minor Magazine: https://aminormagazine.com.
- Rufo, D. (2015) Self-Initiated Creativity in the Elementary Classroom, Marilyn Zurmuehlen Working
- Papers in Art Education (http://ir.uiowa.edu/mzwp/), accepted paper.
- Rufo, D. (2013, October). Math Journal Graffiti.
- http://tajaltspace.com/math-journal-graffiti-david-rufo/.
- Rufo, D. (2013, June). Whiteboard drawings: Empowering children as artists. The Visual ARTBEAT: http://visualartbeat.com/whiteboard-drawings-empowering-children-as-art….
- Rufo, D. (2013, June). Wolfgang Laib, fourth graders, and the openness of the artistic process.
- http://tajaltspace.com/wolfgang-laib-fourth-graders-and-the-openness-of….
- Rufo, D. (2013, April). Swarming toward creativity.
- http://tajaltspace.com/swarming-toward-creativity/.
- Rufo, D. (2013, February). Checking out - Checking in. http://tajaltspace.com/when-checking-out-is-
- checking-in-david-rufo/.
- Rufo, D. (2013, February). Technique schmechnique. The Visual ARTBEAT, (11), 40-42.
- Rufo, D. (2012, December). Technique schmechnique.
- http://tajaltspace.com/technique-schmechnique/.
- Rufo, D. (2012, October). Masking tape. http://tajaltspace.com/masking-tape/.
- Rufo, D. (2012, September). Colored ice. http://tajaltspace.com/colored-ice/.
- Rufo, D. (2012, August). Drawing on tabletops. http://tajaltspace.com/drawing-on-tabletops/.
- Rufo, D. (2012, June). Ophelia’s fort. http://tajaltspace.com/ophelias-fort/.
- Rufo, D. (2012, May). Paint bomb girls. http://tajaltspace.com/paint-bomb-girls/.
- Rufo, D. (2012, May). Snowfall. http://tajaltspace.com/snowfall/.
- Rufo, D. (2004). Is teaching cursive a waste of time? American Teacher, 88(4).
- Works in Progress
- Rufo, D. The benefits and challenges of merging self-initiated creativity with STEAM learning in the
- elementary classroom.