Teaching Philosophy

Teaching Philosophy Statement

Art is a means to express one’s interpretation of the world they live in, to provoke thinking, and to give meaning to life’s experiences. The act of making art starts with the artist’s development of an idea, followed by a process of making and remaking along with periods of critical self reflection, and ultimately ending with the creation of something that had not yet existed. It is my belief that the appreciation for the artistic process itself is just as important as learning how to make art. Both art and the act of making art help us to understand ourselves better because of the intimate self-reflection that is involved. That self-reflection helps a student to improve their social emotional competencies, such as self awareness and social awareness. Developing cognitive and creative skills through the process of making art is essential to a student’s education because creative problem solving is utilized in all aspects of life. The mindful studio habits learned in arts curriculum are useful in other areas of academics. Therefore, with the goal being to equitably provide students with a well-rounded education as described in the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, I firmly believe in the necessity for arts education to be integrated into a broader educational experience.

As an artist, professional, and parent I have come to believe that any person of any age is capable of making great art. We as human beings are inherently good at creative problem solving, and possess a natural appreciation for aesthetic qualities. My main goal as an art teacher is to teach my students that they have within them all the abilities needed to make great art, and that they can apply those same abilities to their broader educational and life experiences. I also want my students to know that beyond their academic career they can continue to work as artists, and continue to learn and explore new things, even if they choose an occupation that has nothing to do with the arts. Being a lifelong learner is important to me, and I want my students to become lifelong learners as well, and to recognize their intellectual development should never have to end.

The classroom environment must be stimulating and conducive to learning why we make art, how to make art, and how to talk about art. The teacher must be responsible for creating an inspirational atmosphere where students feel excited about doing their work, and feel confident to express their opinions and ideas about the art they create and what other students create. As a form of scaffolding, constructive feedback through individual and group critiques is important to moving the art making process forward, and for students to achieve mastery of knowledge or mastery of a skill. The teacher must also recognize that each student learns differently. All students have their own unique individual needs, abilities, and desired outcomes. Students may also have certain passions that are part of their identity. They may have undiscovered passions as well. Students may come from diverse socio-economic backgrounds that inform their view of the world, and influence the meaning they attach to certain cultural things in a way that might be different from other students. I believe it is the responsibility of the educator to approach the teaching process with all of these factors in mind. As a teacher, I would create an emotionally positive classroom environment that encourages the student to freely participate and engage in their own learning process, and help them to feel comfortable to bring elements of their own individuality into the creative process.

Art instruction is not a one size fits all endeavor. Each student learns in a way that is distinctly their own. A teaching method that works for one student may not work for the next. That is not to say some students are not reachable. Every student is reachable. I believe the teaching process should be differentiated, where the instruction of concepts and skills is modified, if necessary, student by student based upon their preferred modes of learning, needs, abilities and desired outcomes. Throughout the learning process the student will evolve and mature. The teacher must evolve too and adapt the teaching method to the advancement of the student’s skills and knowledge. I believe that along with that change and adaptation the teacher must establish a framework that is reliable for the student, with consistent project expectations, and student evaluation standards.

Teaching students the cognitive, creative and technical skills needed in the art making process is much like making an actual painting: a variety of colors on the palette is needed, while using a color straight out of the tube is a rare occurrence. When the student comes into art class I want the student to adopt the role of the artist, to think and act as an artist, and to view the classroom as an art studio. I believe the art instruction method should be blended and holistic, incorporating a mimetic method where the teacher demonstrates processes, a formalist method where the students are given a set of tools and principles they can follow, and a pragmatic method where the students are given real-world problem solving challenges. I believe teaching concepts and skills are of equal importance. While conceptualizing an art project addresses why we make art, it is ultimately how we make art, the technical process of making art itself, which is vital in order to reach the desired outcome. Without developing technical skills the student is more likely to face unnecessarily difficult barriers to pursuing their ideas. It is the responsibility of the teacher to monitor the student’s technical progress and introduce new skills to learn as they become more proficient. The introduction of new skills to master will help to maintain excitement in the classroom and give students greater confidence to challenge themselves more.

Through my experience as a member of a cultural arts commission in West Chicago, IL I have come to fully appreciate the importance of community participation in public arts projects. I believe it is imperative for local school arts programs to be an integral part of public arts initiatives. It is the teacher’s responsibility to encourage and facilitate the students’ involvement in local arts and cultural events, and for them to see and appreciate the work of their peers and that of other artists. As an art teacher I want my students’ efforts to be appreciated, and for their work to be seen by the community they live in. The affirmation and recognition they receive will help them in realizing the power art has to express their views of a world they share with other people, and to encourage those people to be more supportive of the arts, and arts in public education.