Jed Dearybury

Jed Dearybury is an educator, author, illustrator, and professional learning leader known for his work on creativity and play in teaching and learning. He began his education career in 2001 and spent 13 years teaching early childhood and elementary grades in South Carolina, earning recognition as a local and district Teacher of the Year, a top five finalist for South Carolina Teacher of the Year, and the South Carolina honoree of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching; he was also featured in GQ magazine as Male Leader of the Year. Dearybury holds a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Studies from North Greenville College and a Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education from Converse College, and has taught in higher education, including children’s literature and courses in creativity and play.

Dearybury is the co-author of The Playful Classroom: The Power of Play for All Ages, written with Julie P. Jones and published in 2020, which explores how K–12 educators can use play to create meaningful and engaging learning experiences. He has also co-authored The Courageous Classroom with Janet Taylor and The Playful Life: The Power of Play in Our Every Day with Julie P. Jones, extending his focus on play, creativity, and advocacy in education across classroom practice and everyday life.[