Art is the bridge between people and their environment. As an educator I get to facilitate those connections.

My whole reason for wanting to be an educator is to be the person who changed someone’s life. If down the road they come to me and say “you’re the reason I did this” then I'll know my job was done right. Kids are our future and knowledge is power. My role in the classroom is to make the experience with students meaningful, and figure out how to connect them with the art they’re making while understanding key concepts behind them. Teachers should make a difference in their students’ lives. Kids spend more hours awake during the day then they do at home, and the teachers have the job of educating and changing the lives of each student to the best of their ability. I believe educators should be encouraging and positive, but at the same time honest when they need improvement. It is very important each student is equally involved and to pace the learning abilities of all students. Teachers need to be fair and make sure to take time to involve each individual. Being prepared to move faster or slower depending on the class, and to transition smoothly will allow the students to dictate the pace while still giving deadlines. This promotes democracy, and every students input is valued. 

 

My focus will be on my students learning to think for themselves and problem solve. If a student needs help I will make sure to help them talk through the issue in a way that promotes self-awareness. In my classroom, each assignment will have a common goal but you can take different routes to get there leaving some creative freedom. My background is in ceramics, so a lot of hands on learning and 3-D projects (working with modeling clay, coil building, molds, color theories) will be a part of the curriculum. Kids should have the opportunity to explore different mediums and applications. The classroom should be changing as the students are learning. Readings, examples, and projects should reflect the layers of knowledge throughout the year. Finally, creating a safe organized environment for students is crucial for learning because it helps students stay on task. Each student should know where to find all the tools they need for that day, clean them, and put them back. Along with making their classroom environment more organized, it teaches them responsibility and empowerment.  

 

Being able to convey what you're teaching is the  tricky part in being a successful teacher. You never know how students will best take in information. When your kids are learning, and thinking intellectually, that means you’re doing your job. I plan to ask many questions to my students and poke their brains and push their thinking. By doing hands on teaching it’ll keep the kids more engaged and less distracted. It’s important in the classroom to broaden their knowledge of art history so they can understand where their assignments are coming from. Each assignment should be focused and have many artists to look at for inspiration on instruction days. Learning what art is about is important to be able to speak about your art. I want to change my students lives and richen their culture though art and expression.