Teaching Philosophy:

Students should gain tools to approach problem-solving by making connections through new perspectives and skills cultivated by educators. Art educators build a foundation for students to reach new goals through their technical skills, innovative approach, and by being proactive role models. I seek to create an inclusive environment that encourages students to explore their interests, backed by academic rigor, to push them to acquire the skills to do so.

I emphasize that students should produce skills that build upon connections to their interests and 21st-century skills. Assessing a student’s strengths, weaknesses, and interests will allow me to build a positive relationship with them. I want my students to find how they learn best and form connections with concrete concepts and the formal elements of art. To teach this effectively, I use flexible units that accommodate multiple intelligences and fosters creativity. While I, like many artists, learn through visual and tactile-based approaches to lessons, I also incorporate handouts to provide different forms of explanation to students to maximize feedback. I model an active artistic career and expect students to produce work too.

The individualization of students’ learning and the Discipline-Based Art Education (DBAE) standards intertwine in my teaching. The DBAE standards hold four core elements; Art Production, Art History, Art Criticism, and Aesthetics. Research on projects is necessary and encouraged through sketchbook assignments to build discipline and continue the improvement of students’ drawing skills. Self and peer evaluations are critical in developing artistic and academic growth. Maintaining critiques teaches students to be comfortable speaking about their work, think more conceptually about what they’re making, and provide meaningful conversations with each other. These are skills that prepare students for success in a competitive 21st-century context.