TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

As a teacher, I learn from my students as well as teach them. I expect to learn from my mistakes and use them to generate new ideas. Through my teaching journey, I focus on the big idea of discovery. Through discovery, I want the students to form self-art which furthers their mental and emotional development and self-awareness. People discover new things about the world and themselves every day, and the special thing about art is that an artist almost never stops exploring the world through their art. I teach many different students throughout my career, and I hope to guide them to new art mediums, techniques, and spark a passion in them for self-expression through art.

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I encourage my students to let their true selves be known by maintaining a judgment-free classroom. This allows for a safe and fun environment where the students feel comfortable and able to create passionate art. Having such a great experience in my art classes as a student grows my love for art and helps me identify the teaching styles I want to use with my own students.

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I believe the best way to learn a new technique is first learning about it and then studying other people doing it. When I first learned how to draw with colored pencils, none of my art came out the way I imagined it or the way I wanted it to look. After sitting at several tables with my classmates, I watch how each person drew and developed my own style from watching them. It is magical when someone can take an art form and make it their own. I bring this approach into my classroom by intentionally getting to know each student and paying close attention to their individual strengths and areas for growth.​ My own student experiences coupled with my teaching experiences form a strong foundation, but I continuously improve my teaching as I grow in my career. I focus on discovery because I know I will be discovering new things about teaching every day and discovering new art from my students.