Teaching Philosophy

As an art educator I believe that art has an important function in our society. It functions as a communication tool, expressing the values and beliefs of the people.  Art has a unique role in our society, bridging social content and an individual’s own personal expression.  The creation of art is an intrinsically human quality practiced around the globe and in every culture. Art can be a tool to analyze and explore the complex world, and to better understand our place in it. The role of art teacher is complex and privileged, helping students express and develop views, ideas and beliefs about their environment.

 

As a teacher I will provide students with knowledge and tools to express themselves and to become creative, concerned thinkers, able to view and interpret their world from multiple points of view, and to form opinions through which they can contribute to social progress and egalitarianism.  My art curriculum focuses on exploring self, community and global issues as they reflect contemporary society, politics, economics, environment, religion and spirituality.  Art has the capacity to bring all this information, facts, truths and principles together to develop students’ awareness and understanding of themselves and the world they live in. Through critical art education practices students will develop their potential as effective communicators and analytical audience members in a contemporary conflicting world of visual media proliferation, ideological representation, and altruistic aspiration.

 

In my teaching I use techniques that build a student’s confidence in their own abilities, promoting open discussion on germane historical and social issues. Through the use of art history, aesthetics, art making, cultural issues and social studies my classes become a laboratory to facilitate a safe environment for open discussion on complex issues that students are aware of and concerned about and maybe otherwise anxious about expressing. I also look to my colleagues for inspiration and seek out collaborative projects, which would enlighten the educational process for the students as well as the teachers.  I always adapt my teaching methods to best fit each class that I teach be it studio, lecture or seminar bases. 

In my classes I assess students on individual effort and progress as well as by objective tests and writing skill assessments. Through maintaining sketchbooks, journals and a portfolio of their work I am able to fairly assess each individual’s progress in the class. I also use traditional methods of assessment—testing, using standard essays, and quizzes to evaluate their ability to formulate ideas and knowledge of principles and the historical references taught in the courses.

 

I believe that as educators I have to maintain balanced perspective of the educational organization, teachers as well as students. I have to not only be able to help students to understand the world, but  also have to understand and learn  about my students. Further, I constantly learn and re-evaluate my teaching with respect to the changing values of our culture and society, the changing needs of my students, and continue to strive to integrate these with the basic principles of high quality art education.