Teaching Philosophy

I am committed to investing my students in the wonder, challenge and excitement of making art. It builds critical thinking skills, develops a sense of identity and personal vision and opens minds to exploring the world from new and diverse perspectives. I cultivate these skills in my students and teach them that art is limitless; even the most unlikely materials can be combined to create something meaningful.

My classroom is a warm and brave space where students take risks in expressing themselves without judgement and through the freedom of visual communication. I believe that education is imperative to making social change and therefore my lessons help students identify and celebrate their differences, critique social constructs and systemic oppression and develop empathy and respect for each other. Through collaboration, critical thinking, discussion, exploration of materials and creativity, my students are encouraged to use their art and voices to advocate for themselves and others.

I conference with students individually about their art, development and growth so that I become attune to their individual personalities, ideas and passions. This helps me understand what motivates them to learn and create so that I can differentiate my lessons to meet their specific needs. My projects and lessons are comprised of a combination of foundational drawing, painting and sculpture techniques as well as creative exploration. This gives my students the tools and confidence to express themselves artistically and to make deliberate choices as an individual artists. As an active member of the classroom community, I am a learner as well as the teacher and I gain as much from my students as they do from me.

In creating a trusting, joyous and brave classroom environment, my students embrace being themselves ad are challenged to explore all facets of their identities. They are respected for being open and honest and are free to express themselves wholeheartedly as artists.