Teaching Philosophy 

My philosophy of education stems from my belief that each student needs a solid educational environment where they can communicate, grow, and experiment. It is my desire to develop a positive atmosphere by encouraging their work through conversation where students can unlock their full potential. I provide a safe and open environment where everyone is respected and invited to communicate their ideals and take risks. Assisting my students in finding their own voice and the meaning of our world through their own eyes when I am selecting projects and prompts. While students are finding their own voice, I also understand that students must experiment and “play” with materials to comprehend and conceptualize what they are capable of creating.            

Regarding assessments, I utilize the ideas of “engagements” analyzing student success through their own discussions, critiques, and debates. I find that with older students prompting questions and allowing for discussion/critique guides their language in the academic setting. With younger students this at times is also helps to build their academic language skills, but specifically withing group settings not a whole class discussion. With regards to diverse learners, I also make sure students are writing down what they are discussing therefor accommodating towards nonverbal students and they are still a part of the conversation. Thus, making sure I hear and document what they are hitting in relations to state required benchmarks within the project they create. I have learned that allowing students to utilize voice and creation of artist statements allows for them to develop their own thoughts in relation to ideas of their own thinking in their work.            

Setting goals is an idea that I feel is quite important in the art classroom. Setting timed goals such as due dates, critique dates, and reflections due dates helps students manage time and gain time management experience. Knowing students’ personal goals are important as well. I value the connections I have with my students and getting to know them to create a safe and positive space, so they feel supported. To create such environment, somethings become easy as learning names, making conversation of what their weekend will be, and being open and accepting to whoever is in my classroom, and asking them to do the same. I also make sure to adjust my practices in teaching and art making for my diverse students as well. I do by doing many demonstrations for my visual learners, lectures and videos for my auditory learners, and then other activities for the kinesthetic learners that need a little movement. I am here to uplift my students and have them meet their most positive potential in and outside of the art room to express themselves positively.