Teaching Philosophy
Teaching Art in Elementary School
Art is the universal language of the world. As a visual arts teacher, I am facilitating a classroom of students through a creative practice in visual literacy, cultural knowledge, and the discovery of personal and social identity, as well as a day full of enthusiasm and discovery. Teaching is about making the world a little different because that day I shared my vision for the contributions of the artist and the value of each student as an artist. Knowing the shift I want to make in the world means I must continually reevaluate myself and remain vigilant on the effect I am having on students and their learning.
My style is very personal, first addressing the class as a whole and doing demonstrations and engaging the students as an essential part of the demonstration. Next I work with students either in small groups or one on one. In a beginning art or design class, I am keenly aware of the diversity of artistic backgrounds and the fact that many students are considering themselves artists for the first time. I am successful when my students leave with a solid curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, questioning, and experimentation in the arts.
To implement this goal, I present carefully prepared lectures with visuals and guided class discussions, being cognizant of their short (from a few seconds as young children to only ten minutes in college) attention span. I work to create an atmosphere that is stimulating and challenging enough to confront the student with new possibilities and concepts.The environment must be such that students feel able to articulate their ideas in their work with confidence and support, and feel secure and safe to when pushed out of their comfort zone.
The balance of a collaborative instructional classroom setting encourages the student to pursue their value as a person, and see himself or herself as an artist, in a way that cultivates their desire to push themselves to new levels of academic and creative discovery. The importance of making is balanced by supporting the reflective process of the students’ work through thoughtful discussion and at an age-appropriate time, participatory class critiques, as well as critical and research-based writing assignments. It is during critiques where students first see the value in the process of finding their own unique voice, with the reward of a highly privileged and distinctive experience. The result of working with tangible material, with images, with one’s hands, is a way the inner self is revealed; an experience that I have only encountered in the creative process of making art and art education.
To expand the scope of the students’ exposure to the art world, beyond the classroom studio, I plan field trips both as a whole class and encourage family visits to local art venues whenever feasible. I show my students that art is everywhere - in nature as well as in museums. Art is in the sky when they look at clouds and see a recognizable shape, a rainbow is a color wheel made of light, and deciduous trees create a show of color in the fall before dropping the leaves for the winter.
I grade, partially, on a scale of improvement and effort, recognizing not every student has the same dexterity and talent, although all students have the same abilities to move forward in their education. The students, when mature enough, participate in the grading by writing self-evaluations of their projects and directed critiques of their cohorts. A student’s growth as an artist can be an enlightening experience, particularly for children who have never considered they might be an artist. For all students, art classes are a chance to experience a new area and to discover a new way of seeing. This enhanced way of looking will be beneficial throughout the students’ educational experience and is a solid piece of the cradle to college/career model.
My style is very personal, first addressing the class as a whole and doing demonstrations and engaging the students as an essential part of the demonstration. Next I work with students either in small groups or one on one. In a beginning art or design class, I am keenly aware of the diversity of artistic backgrounds and the fact that many students are considering themselves artists for the first time. I am successful when my students leave with a solid curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, questioning, and experimentation in the arts.
To implement this goal, I present carefully prepared lectures with visuals and guided class discussions, being cognizant of their short (from a few seconds as young children to only ten minutes in college) attention span. I work to create an atmosphere that is stimulating and challenging enough to confront the student with new possibilities and concepts.The environment must be such that students feel able to articulate their ideas in their work with confidence and support, and feel secure and safe to when pushed out of their comfort zone.
The balance of a collaborative instructional classroom setting encourages the student to pursue their value as a person, and see himself or herself as an artist, in a way that cultivates their desire to push themselves to new levels of academic and creative discovery. The importance of making is balanced by supporting the reflective process of the students’ work through thoughtful discussion and at an age-appropriate time, participatory class critiques, as well as critical and research-based writing assignments. It is during critiques where students first see the value in the process of finding their own unique voice, with the reward of a highly privileged and distinctive experience. The result of working with tangible material, with images, with one’s hands, is a way the inner self is revealed; an experience that I have only encountered in the creative process of making art and art education.
To expand the scope of the students’ exposure to the art world, beyond the classroom studio, I plan field trips both as a whole class and encourage family visits to local art venues whenever feasible. I show my students that art is everywhere - in nature as well as in museums. Art is in the sky when they look at clouds and see a recognizable shape, a rainbow is a color wheel made of light, and deciduous trees create a show of color in the fall before dropping the leaves for the winter.
I grade, partially, on a scale of improvement and effort, recognizing not every student has the same dexterity and talent, although all students have the same abilities to move forward in their education. The students, when mature enough, participate in the grading by writing self-evaluations of their projects and directed critiques of their cohorts. A student’s growth as an artist can be an enlightening experience, particularly for children who have never considered they might be an artist. For all students, art classes are a chance to experience a new area and to discover a new way of seeing. This enhanced way of looking will be beneficial throughout the students’ educational experience and is a solid piece of the cradle to college/career model.