Teaching Philosophy

An education of value is one that equips students with the tools and skills to think critically, both inside the classroom and beyond.  In contrast with a traditional educational model where the teacher lectures and the students passively absorb the material, I believe a student-centered approach promotes deeper and transformational learning for all.   

I employ a Choice-Based Art Education approach, which I pair with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL).  Through Choice-Based Art Education, my students are equipped with tools, techniques, and agency they can exercise in authentic self-expression to grow as artists.  In my classroom, students reflect on questions of artists’ motivation and purpose in creating work, develop their approaches to the creative process, and are encouraged to experiment with the techniques I teach. The art classroom should be a space for students to develop creative problem-solving skills, take risks in a safe space, and learn from those experiences.  Whether students are creating with paint, clay, fiber, or paper, I encourage them to keep an open mind and try something new.  In line with UDL, my curriculum allows for flexibility to meet the unique needs of students of diverse backgrounds and abilities.  I provide a variety of options that students can choose from so that each individual can meet the target learning goals and express themself through a method that resonates with them.    

In the classroom, I aim to cultivate a culture of respect, mutual learning, responsibility, and curiosity.  As students make choices around the direction they take their assignments, they see a diversity of perspectives from their classmates and learn to appreciate points of view different from their own.  In each course, my curriculum will invite students to envision the world they hope to live in and create.  My goal is that through art education, my students develop greater curiosity, self-expression, and confidence that they can carry into all aspects of their lives, creative or otherwise.