Teaching, whether it is art or countless other subjects, is in its self an art. In the case of the arts, it isn’t merely instructing students to follow a rigid list of steps in order to create; it is about teaching the fundamentals of art and giving students the tools, both literally and metaphorically, to craft works entirely their own with the knowledge that we, the educators, provide them.
As an art educator, I want to be able to leave an impression on my students, whether they end up pursuing art beyond the classroom or not. Such a subject requires a very diverse set of talents for a single teacher, and not just in relation to art, but in life skills such as persuasive argument, compromise and the ability to work with others as well. With that being said, my abilities as an artist are diverse, including digital programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Flash. I am primarily a sculptor, having worked extensively with oil clay, polymer clay, wax, plaster, and paper mache. With sculpture, mold making is a large part of the reproduction process, and I can create silicone and plaster molds that can then have resin or plaster cast into. I have 4 years of experience with sand and plaster-based molds and the casting of metals into them, as well as the finishing of those casts. Other traditional mediums that I am confident in include painting (watercolor, oil, acrylic), printmaking, ceramics, sewing, and woodworking.
Unlike many artists who only work within a few mediums, my broad range of abilities enable me to help each student learn the way they are most comfortable. As students of art, they may only feel confident in one or two areas; I will be able to teach them within their comfort area and help them expand their knowledge in other areas of art. Beyond artistic abilities, my university degree also allows me to enrich the Kentucky Core Academic Standards for Art with many other areas; I can confidently integrate art history into my lessons, as well as connect my own art lessons into other curriculum being taught, such as creating nature-based lessons to cooperate with Biology or working directly with other teachers to sync our content for a more cohesive learning environment for students.
Along with the Core Academic Standards, life skills can also come from art class, being able to work and cooperate with others or a large group, learning to come to agreeable compromises is a very powerful and necessary ability. Critiques are a staple of the art world, and learning to graciously accept criticism and implement the suggestions given is an important skill that is integrated in every walk of life, and necessary in the classroom. Once integrated with giving the students the ability to solve their own problems (be it what colors should be in their painting, or in a word math problem), these life lessons can be applied to every aspect of my student’s lives.
One of my most memorable experiences with children was with an after-school elementary program in the spring of 2013 and it was a great experience for me being able to work with a group of kids of mixed ages and backgrounds outside of a classroom. I was able to quickly improvise bits of lessons and learn to go with the inevitable flow of many youngsters while maintaining order. In the fall of 2013 and the spring of 2014, I also worked with at-risk middle and high school students in addition to working with regular classrooms of all ages.
During that year I learned a lot about art, life, kids, and how they all intertwine. I saw self-esteem go up while I worked with my students; they were dependent on the art experience that I brought to them because that was their only outlet of self-expression and creative thinking. While art may be an escape - a therapy - for many, it is also a means of growth as an individual. I worked with one particular student for nearly a year, and although he wouldn’t speak to me in the beginning, with patience and mutual respect, he was excited to work with me one on one by the end of the first semester.
I believe it was the fact that I did not hover over the student and allowed him to make his own choices within the assignment that first earned his respect. Allowing me to solve my own problems was also largely how my high school art teacher, Mr. Griffith, taught me, because he recognized that I could do it and gently guided me in the right direction. He went the extra mile for me, ordering specialty materials that he knew would get me motivated. Mr. Griffith is my greatest influence when it comes to wanting to teach; his encouragement helped me to understand what it means to be an educator, and more than that, understand the power that a teacher has to influence their pupils for the better. I feel this style of education is an effective way of teaching art, especially at the high school level.
As an art educator, I strive to teach children the fundamentals of art so they can begin to listen to themselves and separate their voices from the multitudes that they encounter each day. My classroom is a place that they can learn how to express themselves and their ideas, work with others for collaborations and critiques and become a more rounded individual who is properly prepared once they leave school.
As an art educator, I want to be able to leave an impression on my students, whether they end up pursuing art beyond the classroom or not. Such a subject requires a very diverse set of talents for a single teacher, and not just in relation to art, but in life skills such as persuasive argument, compromise and the ability to work with others as well. With that being said, my abilities as an artist are diverse, including digital programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Flash. I am primarily a sculptor, having worked extensively with oil clay, polymer clay, wax, plaster, and paper mache. With sculpture, mold making is a large part of the reproduction process, and I can create silicone and plaster molds that can then have resin or plaster cast into. I have 4 years of experience with sand and plaster-based molds and the casting of metals into them, as well as the finishing of those casts. Other traditional mediums that I am confident in include painting (watercolor, oil, acrylic), printmaking, ceramics, sewing, and woodworking.
Unlike many artists who only work within a few mediums, my broad range of abilities enable me to help each student learn the way they are most comfortable. As students of art, they may only feel confident in one or two areas; I will be able to teach them within their comfort area and help them expand their knowledge in other areas of art. Beyond artistic abilities, my university degree also allows me to enrich the Kentucky Core Academic Standards for Art with many other areas; I can confidently integrate art history into my lessons, as well as connect my own art lessons into other curriculum being taught, such as creating nature-based lessons to cooperate with Biology or working directly with other teachers to sync our content for a more cohesive learning environment for students.
Along with the Core Academic Standards, life skills can also come from art class, being able to work and cooperate with others or a large group, learning to come to agreeable compromises is a very powerful and necessary ability. Critiques are a staple of the art world, and learning to graciously accept criticism and implement the suggestions given is an important skill that is integrated in every walk of life, and necessary in the classroom. Once integrated with giving the students the ability to solve their own problems (be it what colors should be in their painting, or in a word math problem), these life lessons can be applied to every aspect of my student’s lives.
One of my most memorable experiences with children was with an after-school elementary program in the spring of 2013 and it was a great experience for me being able to work with a group of kids of mixed ages and backgrounds outside of a classroom. I was able to quickly improvise bits of lessons and learn to go with the inevitable flow of many youngsters while maintaining order. In the fall of 2013 and the spring of 2014, I also worked with at-risk middle and high school students in addition to working with regular classrooms of all ages.
During that year I learned a lot about art, life, kids, and how they all intertwine. I saw self-esteem go up while I worked with my students; they were dependent on the art experience that I brought to them because that was their only outlet of self-expression and creative thinking. While art may be an escape - a therapy - for many, it is also a means of growth as an individual. I worked with one particular student for nearly a year, and although he wouldn’t speak to me in the beginning, with patience and mutual respect, he was excited to work with me one on one by the end of the first semester.
I believe it was the fact that I did not hover over the student and allowed him to make his own choices within the assignment that first earned his respect. Allowing me to solve my own problems was also largely how my high school art teacher, Mr. Griffith, taught me, because he recognized that I could do it and gently guided me in the right direction. He went the extra mile for me, ordering specialty materials that he knew would get me motivated. Mr. Griffith is my greatest influence when it comes to wanting to teach; his encouragement helped me to understand what it means to be an educator, and more than that, understand the power that a teacher has to influence their pupils for the better. I feel this style of education is an effective way of teaching art, especially at the high school level.
As an art educator, I strive to teach children the fundamentals of art so they can begin to listen to themselves and separate their voices from the multitudes that they encounter each day. My classroom is a place that they can learn how to express themselves and their ideas, work with others for collaborations and critiques and become a more rounded individual who is properly prepared once they leave school.