ARTIST + EDUCATOR = ART EDUCATOR //
//Teaching Philosophy.
Thorough and effective learning is dependent on opening the mind to new information, all the while understanding why that information is important. It is my belief that students will have the most open of minds, and therefore learn most effectively, when they are in a supportive as well as structured environment. Students will understand why this information they are learning is crucial when significant connections are made between the classroom and their ‘real world.’
Working closely with a small group of 3rd grade students on a contour line drawing project
If learning is dependent on this opening of the mind, then I, as a teacher, must be the facilitator of the connection between the student and that new information. There are two critical steps in my being that effective connector. First, I must know this information, as well as care about it and see it as being an effective tool in the lives of others. Second, I must have the ability to authentically connect with the students that need this information. This authenticity, and the empathy that accompanies it, are what I believe to be the keys to a classroom that is supportive, structured, and naturally inclusive to all learners.
When I establish goals as a teacher, they encompass both measurable and immeasurable criteria. Each class - and each student within - will have certain skills that will need to be learned. In a visual arts class, that will frequently include the Elements & Principles of Design, as well as a proficiency with many different materials. These can and will be measured in standardized, pre- determined methods: through regular assessments (written or otherwise), individualized goal setting, and formal critique of work. I will also have students keep a portfolio of work throughout the semester or year, and will have them and myself regularly refer to previous work in order to see growth with our own eyes.
However, those measurable and sometimes arbitrary goals will not be the only focus in my classroom. Individual growth on a deeper level will also be important. Students will also be praised and assessed on immeasurable goals, such as conveying a meaningful message or making an abstract connection between two seemingly unrelated subjects or situations. Though there may not be a definable way to ‘test’ experiences and growth of this type, I will be authentically connected with each student will therefore have a keen sense of that improvement in both measurable and non-measurable ways.