Teaching Philosophy
I strive to promote an Art Education that is...
Accessible:
As a Visual Arts educator, I try to first and foremost educate my various teaching populations that art is not meant as an exclusive, specialized field reserved for the highly talented or elite members of society to produce or enjoy. I truly believe that anyone who can embrace both play and curiosity in their life has some artistic gift which can be shared with others to enjoy. Everyone should be allowed ample opportunities to help develop these gifts and appreciate the art that exists around them. I believe that these valuable lessons gained through the visual arts can be utilized throughout my students’ lives.
Playful:
Developing my students’ creative processes through problem solving and artful “playshops” is a key factor in my art teaching philosophy. It involves the act of inspiring my students to explore ideas, ask questions, experiment and play with a wide range of mediums, attempt various solutions, verify ones’ effectiveness, and critique one’s own work as well as the work of others. These components of my visual arts teaching help me to attain my educational goal, which is to develop my students’ personalities as well-rounded individuals and future agents of change. By applying the information they have acquired in my classes to make decisions about their own work, students strengthen their critical thinking skills; which could aid in their other areas of life. My role is as a facilitator to my students’ creative processes, by demonstrating techniques and prompting my students to engage with their exploration of subject matter and mediums through play and self-reflection.
Inspiring:
The visual arts class opens doors to cultural acceptance by helping students make connections to various traditions and diverse ethnic customs. Everyone has a background that can be enriched by what is learned from a visual arts class. The typical Montreal art classroom is truly a mosaic of heritage and history. I try my best to draw from my students as my inspiration for their art lessons. Making my lessons meaningful to my students can give them the vital connection that can inspire them to be global citizens and inspire change in the world. I strive to include an element of “Phi(ART)thropy” and global citizenship in many of my lessons, allowing the students the opportunity to collaborate on projects towards a greater cause, both locally and globally. Just as it is important to infuse art with an investigation beyond our own geographical borders, it is crucial to travel outside of the classroom; utilizing local museums and gallery facilities, outdoor public art collections, and the experiences of other working artists and makers to help inspire my students. I have welcomed many opportunities in the past to partner with other artists and institutions and will continue to seek out more meaningful collaborations to expose my students to allowing for authentic art-making opportunities and connections.
As a Visual Arts educator, I try to first and foremost educate my various teaching populations that art is not meant as an exclusive, specialized field reserved for the highly talented or elite members of society to produce or enjoy. I truly believe that anyone who can embrace both play and curiosity in their life has some artistic gift which can be shared with others to enjoy. Everyone should be allowed ample opportunities to help develop these gifts and appreciate the art that exists around them. I believe that these valuable lessons gained through the visual arts can be utilized throughout my students’ lives.
Playful:
Developing my students’ creative processes through problem solving and artful “playshops” is a key factor in my art teaching philosophy. It involves the act of inspiring my students to explore ideas, ask questions, experiment and play with a wide range of mediums, attempt various solutions, verify ones’ effectiveness, and critique one’s own work as well as the work of others. These components of my visual arts teaching help me to attain my educational goal, which is to develop my students’ personalities as well-rounded individuals and future agents of change. By applying the information they have acquired in my classes to make decisions about their own work, students strengthen their critical thinking skills; which could aid in their other areas of life. My role is as a facilitator to my students’ creative processes, by demonstrating techniques and prompting my students to engage with their exploration of subject matter and mediums through play and self-reflection.
Inspiring:
The visual arts class opens doors to cultural acceptance by helping students make connections to various traditions and diverse ethnic customs. Everyone has a background that can be enriched by what is learned from a visual arts class. The typical Montreal art classroom is truly a mosaic of heritage and history. I try my best to draw from my students as my inspiration for their art lessons. Making my lessons meaningful to my students can give them the vital connection that can inspire them to be global citizens and inspire change in the world. I strive to include an element of “Phi(ART)thropy” and global citizenship in many of my lessons, allowing the students the opportunity to collaborate on projects towards a greater cause, both locally and globally. Just as it is important to infuse art with an investigation beyond our own geographical borders, it is crucial to travel outside of the classroom; utilizing local museums and gallery facilities, outdoor public art collections, and the experiences of other working artists and makers to help inspire my students. I have welcomed many opportunities in the past to partner with other artists and institutions and will continue to seek out more meaningful collaborations to expose my students to allowing for authentic art-making opportunities and connections.
Expressive:
Strong communication skills constitute another important life lesson I attempt to teach my visual arts students. The visual arts are somewhat unique in that they can be used not only to develop and enhance visual literacy through interpretation and defining what is seen through semiotics, but also verbal literacy. Helping students to read and interpret art is a great way to foster a lively discussion and bring about a growth in verbal literacy. I enjoy constructing a dialogue in the classroom through questioning, by often using a repurposed Jenga® game format, allowing my students to practice the ability to express their own thoughts through the use of a tangible platform of the nostalgic game as a starting point for their conversations. As an art educator it is my goal to create a physically and emotionally safe environment for students to narrate their stories through the visual arts. By focusing on creating a student-centered curriculum, I strive to develop student success not only in the arts, but also through the arts. Art education grows the ability to understand oneself as well as the world around them.