My Philosophy of Art Education
What is art? What. Is. Art. That question has been asked over-and-over throughout history. How do I see art? Art is imitation and creation. It is beauty and harmony. It is a thought or a message. It is calming and chaotic. It is self-expression and communication. It is a process of thinking, connecting, and creating. Art is life; the beauty in it and even all the messy bits. Art creates a new world and new perceptions where wrong answers don’t exist and mistakes never happen. Art presents possibilities, utilizes imagination, and encourages risk-taking. Why is any of this important? Because art is something we do every day, sometimes without even thinking about it. Without art, the world would be a dull place.
It is my goal to reintroduce art to students as something more than just another class they have to take. While some students are naturally talented in art, others find it a challenging and frustrating subject. As children grow into young adults, many lose their initial passion for art. The world starts telling them things need to be perfect; they need to fit the mold of what society is looking for. During this time, students start doubting themselves and questioning if what they are doing is good enough anymore. My hope is to inspire students to ask questions, develop theories, and think for themselves. I want to show them that art is not always “perfect,” but rather as series of imperfections that somehow became beautiful over time. That art can be realistic, abstract, animated, and even junk. It is about their own expression.
While I will always be there to guide my students, I want to be able to step back and allow them to formulate their own opinions and ideas. It is, however, also important to teach them the basic skills and techniques in the creation process. Art is about more than just the actual making of art, though. My students need to understand how to problem-solve, critique, evaluate, and respond to their own works and works of others. Furthermore, they should develop a respect for art in history, other artists, the classroom, their teachers, and materials. They should be able to read about and research different art topics and constructively respond to them. Also, they should be able to work both independently and as a group in all aspects of the art world.
While art can be a fun and exhilarating process, it also requires discipline for both the students and the teacher. It is my responsibility to come to class every day organized, enthusiastic, and prepared to teach every student that walks through my door. Art can be subjective in nature, so it is also my duty to develop no biases, and grade each student fairly according to the objectives and materials being taught. Compassion, empathy, and communication are vital in establishing a strong relationship with my students. Finally, I plan to at all times maintain a professional demeanor with my students, parents/guardians, and colleagues. I realize there are always new things I can learn, and like everyone else, I will make mistakes along the way. Asking for help when needed, accepting constructive criticism, and constantly reflecting on how I can improve will make me a much better teacher for my students.
Ultimately, art has been a constant source of happiness and encouragement in my life, and teaching puts everything I have come to love and value to good use. I want to show my students that any and every one of them can be a successful artist if they only set their minds to it. One day, I hope all my students can walk into and leave my class feeling confident and important. If I can change or influence even one student’s life for the better, I will know I have done my job!
It is my goal to reintroduce art to students as something more than just another class they have to take. While some students are naturally talented in art, others find it a challenging and frustrating subject. As children grow into young adults, many lose their initial passion for art. The world starts telling them things need to be perfect; they need to fit the mold of what society is looking for. During this time, students start doubting themselves and questioning if what they are doing is good enough anymore. My hope is to inspire students to ask questions, develop theories, and think for themselves. I want to show them that art is not always “perfect,” but rather as series of imperfections that somehow became beautiful over time. That art can be realistic, abstract, animated, and even junk. It is about their own expression.
While I will always be there to guide my students, I want to be able to step back and allow them to formulate their own opinions and ideas. It is, however, also important to teach them the basic skills and techniques in the creation process. Art is about more than just the actual making of art, though. My students need to understand how to problem-solve, critique, evaluate, and respond to their own works and works of others. Furthermore, they should develop a respect for art in history, other artists, the classroom, their teachers, and materials. They should be able to read about and research different art topics and constructively respond to them. Also, they should be able to work both independently and as a group in all aspects of the art world.
While art can be a fun and exhilarating process, it also requires discipline for both the students and the teacher. It is my responsibility to come to class every day organized, enthusiastic, and prepared to teach every student that walks through my door. Art can be subjective in nature, so it is also my duty to develop no biases, and grade each student fairly according to the objectives and materials being taught. Compassion, empathy, and communication are vital in establishing a strong relationship with my students. Finally, I plan to at all times maintain a professional demeanor with my students, parents/guardians, and colleagues. I realize there are always new things I can learn, and like everyone else, I will make mistakes along the way. Asking for help when needed, accepting constructive criticism, and constantly reflecting on how I can improve will make me a much better teacher for my students.
Ultimately, art has been a constant source of happiness and encouragement in my life, and teaching puts everything I have come to love and value to good use. I want to show my students that any and every one of them can be a successful artist if they only set their minds to it. One day, I hope all my students can walk into and leave my class feeling confident and important. If I can change or influence even one student’s life for the better, I will know I have done my job!
I may not be 007, but this writing sample shows my expert covert skills! Feel free to read my Shadow study where I spent an entire day undercover observing a student!
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This is definitely one of the longest and most intense assignments I have ever done! However, with hard work and a great class of students, I was able to accomplish it!
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It's always good to have someone else watching over you and giving you advice for improvement. Check out my evaluations over the semester to see how I did!
Honors, Awards, and Activities
Member of the National Art Education Association Member of the University Art Association Active participation in numerous Art and gallery shows at and beyond Pitt State Active participation in the Pittsburg Art Walk Participant in the design, set up, and installation of a collaborative art project in Downtown Pittsburg Unrequired internship and independant study at the Spiva Center for the Arts Induction into the National Honors Society of Leadership and Success And, of course, MY DIPLOMA!!! Recipient of the Princhett Trust Scholarship-2013-2014 and 2014-2015
Recipient of the C. Merril and Vivian Cole Scholarship- 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 Finalist in the college age category for the international Photography Forum Magazine for the 2015 and most recently 2016 school years
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While I always knew teaching was my calling, here are some others who think so too!
REFERENCES:
Lanita Southard- Cooperating teacher Junior High; first 8 weeks of student teaching (417) 439-7127 Leslie Clark-Cooperating teacher Elementary; second 8 weeks of student teaching (417) 392-0347 Kim Verga- My manager and Ron's supermarket for the past 6 years (620)249-9052 Dr. Charles Kent Runyan- Senior professor in the Department of Teaching and Leadership and adviser to my student teaching semester (620) 875-2697 0r [email protected] Dr. Li-Lin Tseng- My Advisor and professor while in the art education program (620) 235-4308 or [email protected] (best way to be reached) Working with my amazing friends at the Murrow Indian Children's Home!!
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