MY TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
“Above all else, it is about leaving a mark that I existed: I was here.
I was happy. I was sad. I was in love. I was hopeful. I had an idea and I had a
purpose. That’s why I made works of art.”
Felix Gonzalez-Torres
Art was my first self-discovery; it was something that came naturally to me and provided me with a place in which I felt fearless. Teaching became my second. It was not until I had several years of teaching under my belt that I truly realized I wanted to teach art as a profession and it took me until just a few months before applying to colleges to even see myself as an artist. It was around this same time that I decided to create an entire art portfolio with no formal art education since the 8th grade. This became a hectic, passionate, beautiful journey in which I found who I wanted to be in this universe. It was the support of several wonderful educators that took my under their wing and believed in me at a time when I did not know how to believe in myself that sparked the sentiment of wanting to give back to the educational community what it had given to me. It was also during this time that one of them gave me the most precious lesson I have ever learned: no matter where you are in this life, if you feel happy or sad or confused, it is your destiny to make this life beautiful and just as Torres states, that is your one true purpose. I knew then that I had to create, and art was a means of self-exploration that I so fervently wanted to share with others. I sought to maintain this happiness and passion I had about the art world and it was that summer as I taught an art class that a 7-year-old said to me “I could really see you as an art teacher.” It was the nonchalant, obvious words of a 7-year-old that brought me to my two true loves in this world, and for that I will be eternally grateful.
Through my experience, I have obtained three main truths about why it is that I confidently believe in what I do as an art educator:
Art is universal. In my experience, art is a discipline that extends itself to every type of learning. Whether it is a student with special needs, an ESL learner, or just multiple intelligences, art provides a valuable form of expression for every student. I’ve gotten to work with many exceptional children, including a young girl in one of my classes that could not speak English. By adapting some of my lessons to show her rather than tell her what to do, I’ve noticed amazing improvement in just two years. Some of the same adaptations have worked well for one of my students that has Down’s Syndrome. If I keep him close to the front of the room and show him on a piece of paper what to do, he understands at a remarkably faster rate. In the four years that I’ve known him I’ve gotten to see him grow as an artist and an individual, which has been one of the most beautiful privileges I’ve encountered as an educator.
Art is interdisciplinary. It is my strong belief that art is an outlet in which all of the other disciplines make sense. A student may have trouble understanding fractions in their math class, but adding the visual approach of art makes all the difference. Many cartoon characters have very specific proportions, as do realistic human figures. By breaking a figure down in sections it not only prevents the student from getting intimidated by a drawing; it also helps them understand mathematical fractions. When applicable, I prefer giving my students choices in the projects the make, which allows me to stretch my lessons across a wide range of abilities and interests. I effectively design all of my lessons to provide something interesting and accessible to students with varying abilities, essentially showing them that no matter what the lesson, they will have an opportunity to succeed in my classroom.
Art is love. My kids are my passion. Apart from teaching them skills that align with the state standards, I’ve always felt it is my job as an educator to prepare them as better individuals for this world. I believe in a very authoritative approach that elicits respect from my students, while showing them that their ideas are as valuable as mine, regardless of age or ability. Children will amaze you with what they know, and I see myself as a teacher, but also a learner. I also believe in providing a safe environment where all thoughts are worthwhile and students feel confident enough to motivate their peers. In my classroom, every corrective criticism is paired with positive feedback. Education and art require a kindness and compassion that I have been blessed with and at the end of the day what I hope for as an educator is to touch the lives of my students in the same way they have touched mine.
I believe whole-heartedly that art is the means and education is the process by which I teach my kids on a daily basis to make life beautiful. The definition of beauty is up to them.