I think I have wanted to work with children since I was a child myself. I believe that children love challenges and are capable problem solvers. In many ways a child’s courage to imagine, question, persist, reflect and innovate pushes the boundaries of possibility and is exactly what the world needs. It was when I was a child that I realized that art was more than something I liked to do but something that I really had a passion for. I think this was because art was a way to engage and explore my ideas in ways other subjects fell short. It was in art class that I was encouraged to take risks and pursue ideas that were personally meaningful.
My hope is that children in my art class will use the skills they learn to create brilliant art and apply them across other disciplines and their everyday lives. I emphasize rich, hands-on experiences with art materials and concepts that always have practical “take-aways”. Art processes, critical thinking and inquiry are stressed over mastery.
Students are encouraged to explore and become comfortable with a variety of 2D and 3D media. These media and concepts are always introduced through their larger real world and art world contexts. For example, a unit on Cubism stresses the way Cubist artists radicalized art when they were inspired by the simple geometric shapes they found in African art forms. Students here learn to push up against established ways of seeing the world and to find value in marginal perspectives. This inspires dialogue about inclusiveness, community and remaining open to differences.
Sketchbooks are a critical tool in my classroom. I believe it is important for students to have a place to register unfinished ideas and make mistakes. A sketchbook becomes invaluable to a child’s creative process. Here, students are challenged to be awake to life and become close readers of the world. For an art teacher, a sketchbook is an important assessment tool because it can demonstrate the conscious and unconscious learning of a child.
As an art teacher, I hope to nurture the creative instincts of my students and support them on their creative paths. In this way, I understand that each child learns differently and it is essential to adapt art experiences so that everyone can participate and feel successful.
My goal is for students to understand that art is as powerful and transformative as it is joyful. I am excited to watch my students’ creative impulse live and grow.
