TEACHING PHILOSOPHY 

I believe that creativity is at the core of everything we as a society do. It is how we solve the numerous and complex problems that we face. No matter whether a student grows up to become an artist or a chemist, creativity is fundamental. I believe that all humans are born with an innate sense of creativity. As an art teacher, I believe it is my purpose to help students find this creativity and continue to build upon it. In order to develop a classroom that achieves these goals, I believe that there are two fundamentals: relationships and choice. 

 

Relationships allow students to feel comfortable in the classroom environment. Making art can be vulnerable and intimidating, but when they are comfortable in the environment, they may be more willing to go through the process of creating art. Alongside this, building relationships with students helps me to understand the interests of students, and therefore create lesson plans that students are passionate about and meaningful to them in their lives. Building relationships also makes students feel heard, which is so important in a world where they may not always feel that way. I can be a supportive adult in their life that listens and cares about what they have to say. 

 

In order to encourage creative thinking, choice is a necessity. Students who are given choice in the art classroom, are free to explore and create without limits. They can find their own creative interests and explore those endeavors freely. I believe that the Teaching for Artistic Behavior (TAB) approach allows for this to become the basis of the classroom. Students become an artist, and the classroom is their studio, where they have the opportunity to make, explore, and grow.