Teaching Philosophy
As a teacher my key goal is to aid in the growth of my students. By this I mean to create an environment that is stimulating and challenging for each student; inspiring them to think in new ways however providing an environment where students feel comfortable and secure enough to express their ideas. I strive to create a setting that encourages self-discovery and collaboration. These methods encourage but do not force the introspective aspect of the art making process. I believe that teachers who demonstrate curiosity and passion about a subject area motivate students to learn. By incorporating not only visual resources but by pausing throughout the lesson to account for understanding, and by allowing students to assess themselves not only by discussion but in written or visual form. In teaching younger students the rewards are in the discussions and discoveries that happen. Younger children always say the first thing that come to their mind and have not built a filter yet. This makes discussions and the classroom dynamic all the more interesting. When working with older children it is fascinating for me to see that something such as the visual arts can help students in areas such as concentration and many other disciplines. A goal for myself in my teaching is to provide lessons that go into a more interdisciplinary route; which I believe will help to not only diversify projects but reach different learners and allow certain learners become engaged in a project who would otherwise be less so. Throughout my lessons I constantly check with my students for understanding of the project during initial explanation and throughout the artmaking processes. I have worked on different ways of doing this and what would benefit students the most. I have felt that a balance of guided practice and self discovery/independent work has been the most effective. Of course this depends on the group of students.