TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Being able to think and solve problems is one of the most important skills that a person can possess. As a teacher I believe that it is my job to help students see ideas from multiple perspectives and develop the ability to think for themselves. I want to give them the tools they need to make learning a life-long process. It is my responsibility as an employee of the community to dedicate myself to promoting genuine learning and holistic development in my students so that they have the ability to reach for whatever their dreams may be.

My professional practice as an artist and experience as a teacher have prepared me to successfully foster creativity and active learning in the art classroom. I passionately believe in an interdisciplinary model of art education that encourages students to research ideas and topics in order to make informed aesthetic decisions. Through the incorporation of art history, exploration of various techniques and mediums, and experience with critical discourse and theory, students will become well-rounded thinkers. They can use these problem-solving skills throughout their life and even if they decide to stop producing art, they will still have with them the lessons that it taught them.

It is important that students become active participants in their learning process. As a teacher I am a guide that the students can lean on for direction, and with my help they realize that they are responsible for the artistic and educational decisions they make. I work to motivate students to strive for and achieve excellence, not for me, but for themselves.

As members of both a local and global community students need the ability to creatively respond to the world around them. I want to support free thinkers who believe in what they do and have the skills to do it. I am dedicated to make this happen in each and every one of my students.