Educational Teaching Philosophy
My curriculum is expressive, experimental, and choice-based. Each student brings a unique world perspective, and my pedagogy allows them to delve into their identities and discover what is important to them. Every student’s voice is important, and they deserve an atmosphere that allows them to be heard and validated.
I learn from my students just as they learn from me, as our class is built on openness and communication. By working with and facilitating student progress rather than teaching strictly at them, my class becomes a dialogical space where students discover and learn through their experimentation.
Lessons are social justice and issue based, allowing students to explore current ideas and problems through their art making exploration. Students are not only artists, but activists who create art that stands for what they believe in. My classroom fights to be non-oppressive, and I am a lifelong learner who embraces and learns from my mistakes to work towards an equitable, safe environment for all.
Art-Specific Teaching Philosophy
My art pedagogy revolves around using art as a mode for students to express their identities and to be heard. Art making can be a valuable way to do this, as it allows internal expression in ways not always possible otherwise.
Process Over Product
I believe that the process of art-making can be even more important than the final product. Learning occurs through the creation process, and students learn through their failures and grow as artists. The interest, dedication, and experimentation a student goes through during a project are all a part of their artistic assessment.
Introduction of Contemporary Artists
Contemporary artists are introduced at the start of every lesson, as this is the art that relates the most to the students’ current world and lives. These artists often discuss relevant problems that tie into current social issues. They help to inspire student art making while also exposing them to the infinite possibilities of what defines art in our current society.
Interdisciplinary Connections
My teaching is multidisciplinary in that it connects to core subjects and promotes student overall academic success. Students connect art to science through conducting their own artistic experiments and through tackling topics such as climate change to become activists for their futures. Art meets language arts through artist statements that require students to delve into their rationale and thought processes. Students develop critical language and communication skills through collaborative critiques to share and interpret ideas. We discuss history and how art has evolved, as well as question and critique issues of the past and how those continue into our society today.
Technology
My classroom keeps up to date with current technologies, and I integrate computer-based art into my curriculum. Art has spread far beyond “traditional studio art,” and I provide the opportunity for students to explore the many avenues of creation within our technology-based society. Because of modern technology, Students are exposed to and shaped by visual culture on a daily basis. This culture is acknowledged and reflected upon, allowing students to see and critique the art within their daily lives.
