Teaching Practice
Philosophy of Teaching
Helping a student in Advanced Painting with her first oil painting
As a professional educator, my first priority is to engage students in the creative process. By selecting relevant subject matter and planning lessons that are meaningful for students, I inspire students to take their artwork seriously, and develop their skills in knowledge in art history and art criticism. I understand the importance of creating and maintaining safe and supportive learning environments, where students are encouraged to take risks and make mistakes in order to develop their own personal vision and voice in art.
I believe that every student has the ability to the excel in art, and am committed to the success of each of my students. Because students have different learning styles, I regularly differentiate instruction, and frequently assess student learning to ensure that every student is mastering new skills and meeting lesson objectives.
Working with iCAN
My classroom environment
Teaching at the elementary level has provided me with a broader range of skills and experiences that have made me a stronger, and more well-rounded teacher. I developed a classroom management system based on routines and incentives for positive behavior, including class points and table points. I regularly incorporate opportunities for critical inquiry and reflection into my lessons, many of which are based on Visual Thinking Strategies, and the Eight Habits of the Mind, by Harvard’s Project Zero.
Second grade artist painting a still life
My curriculum includes a wide variety of projects that allow students to develop their skills in art through engaging and challenging art-making experiences. Throughout the year, students create projects using watercolors, acrylic paints, oil pastels, ceramics, paper maché, plaster of Paris, mixed media assemblage and a variety of other media. Through these projects, students are exposed to the elements of art, such as line, shape and color. I regularly include technology in my lessons, by presenting powerpoints about various aspects of art theory and art history that relate to each project I teach.
Community Collaboration
Sixth Grade students working with guest artist Laura Denny
I have used my skills in communication and organization to collaborate with different professional artists and organizations in order to provide my students with a variety of special opportunities in art. Last year, I planned field trips to the Getty Villa, Casa Dolores, Art from Scrap, Just Folk Art Gallery, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the College of Creative Studies at UCSB, and the International House of Blues in Hollywood. I also organized opportunities for local professional artists to visit my classroom and share their skills as students completed projects inspired by their work. These artists include painter Brad Nack, muralist Laura Denny, mosaic artist Betsy Gallery, and professional illustrator Mike Gordon.