Teaching Philosophy

I seek to be more than just a teacher to my students, but also a person they can trust. I have been greatly influenced both positively and negatively by art and art teachers, so I know the power that a teacher can wield in determining someone else’s life. Having learned the do’s and don’ts of past teachers and the effects it has had on my path in life, I am developing my own way.

My art classroom will be focused on what I think is most important about art within today’s education and that is making. With the current focus of testing dominating the field of education, students are being drilled into certain ways of thinking and doing, but art has fortunately not gone that way. While there are certain standards and ideas that students should take away from art, the freedom that creative expression has is what liberates art from the rest of the classes. So, I strive to be a person who creates a fun environment with the understanding that fluidity and flexibility are essential. While lectures and demonstrations are important, they will not be the primary focus in my art class. I would intend to expose different art forms and artists to my students in pieces, so that they can get a glimpse into worlds that interest them. Doing so will encourage students to utilize any art form they so choose in my class. As they stumble onto ideas or techniques that they struggle with, I will do my best to support them in their quests. The people who venture through my class will create their own interpretations and be empowered to exercise their free-will.

I believe that with enough effort and support, students can reach heights both emotionally and mentally that they did not even see themselves. However, just because I want to empower students to be as independent as possible, does not mean I will tolerate disruption or negative attitudes. I hope this attitude will infect those that travel through and result in an openness in the classroom that models patience and respect for others.