My teaching philosophy is quite simple. I became an art teacher because I love art and I wanted to instill the same passion that I have for the arts in my students. Art is an amazing form of expression. I have seen children that are shy come alive, students that are angry become peaceful, and students that are hurting relieve pain. For me, teaching art is not about the product. I believe that it is the process of imagining and creating that really helps students to not only learn about art concepts, but to discover things that they didn’t know about themselves. Not everyone is born an artist, but we are all born with a curiosity for the unknown and art is one subject that allows students to explore their own personal interests.
Since art is a multi-faceted subject, catering to different learning styles is very simple. I think the best way to get students to retain information is to connect what they are learning in class with other subjects and real world connections. This generation of students wants to know “why?”, and making connections to the real world by explaining how the information in their classes will help them in the future is crucial. Today’s students are not able to learn in the ways of the past. Teachers are now competing with smartphones and seven second videos, which means that students can no longer listen to a lecture in order to learn. I think by integrating different art forms into the classroom provides students with the ability to learn in a way that is exciting, but still informative at the same time.
I strive to make my classroom a place where students can feel safe and free of judgement. I want all students to be able to make independent decisions about their learning what they create. My goal in teaching is for students to become more aware of the beauty around them, to make connections between art and life, and to continue art as self-expression into their adulthood. As Picasso said, “"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up."
Since art is a multi-faceted subject, catering to different learning styles is very simple. I think the best way to get students to retain information is to connect what they are learning in class with other subjects and real world connections. This generation of students wants to know “why?”, and making connections to the real world by explaining how the information in their classes will help them in the future is crucial. Today’s students are not able to learn in the ways of the past. Teachers are now competing with smartphones and seven second videos, which means that students can no longer listen to a lecture in order to learn. I think by integrating different art forms into the classroom provides students with the ability to learn in a way that is exciting, but still informative at the same time.
I strive to make my classroom a place where students can feel safe and free of judgement. I want all students to be able to make independent decisions about their learning what they create. My goal in teaching is for students to become more aware of the beauty around them, to make connections between art and life, and to continue art as self-expression into their adulthood. As Picasso said, “"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up."