Teaching Philosophy
My philosophical approach to art education focuses on a student-centered approach involving critical thinking, utilization of cross-curricular techniques, and promoting techniques that encourage a lifelong passion of learning in students. I believe that art education is a vital part of a student’s complete education. In my three years of teaching art education, I have developed a teaching practice pushing students to think critically below the surface and be better creators and thinkers. I do this by mentoring their abilities in creating and guiding them through thinking about their work and the work of others.
The lessons that I developed focus on teaching students to be responsible, respectable citizens who are a part of their community. A teaching goal of mine is to expose my students to as much art and art history as possible in a variety of different mediums and materials. It is important for students to have an understanding of the history of art, how it started, where it came from, and how it evolved into the art we know today. It is critical for my students to learn to analyze and critique works of art by thinking deeper than just what they see or how they feel. Every year my students as in separate grades/classes collaborate as a school and work together to create a community art project that benefits the school and/or the community.
I believe every student is an artist capable of creating with some variances in how they learn. Mrs. Letellier’s art class sets high expectations for its students, and as a teacher I differentiate my lessons to accommodate all types of learners. Students learn the same process of creating in a multiple ways and techniques to ensure their success in my classroom. With the differentiation in my lessons, my students are successful and grow into confident artists that enjoy coming to art class.
Teaching art is what I was born to do. I have wanted to be an art teacher since I was young; my middle school art teacher Mrs. L inspired me through the projects we did. She was wacky, fun, and class with her always flew by. I inspired to be her even though my class was pretty sure she was watering her fake plants. Art teachers growing up influenced me in my own teaching by always making art fun and engaging while also working on a cross-curricular level. My students learn art through reading, math, science, history, and exploration. I believe the arts help promote an individual sense of identity, which in turn helps a student develop as an individual.
With the core value of being a life-long learner, I will continue taking art courses, attend workshops, and collaborating with others to improve my craft of being an educator. I actively collaborate with homeroom teachers and team members regularly. I believe it is crucial to provide my students the best art education for a 21stcentury creative mind to be successful.