In our pluralistic society with ever-changing technologies and a global economy, schools face an enormous challenge to prepare students for the workforce as motivated, adaptive, literate, and creative individuals. To prepare students for the needs of the future, it is essential to teach them how to problem solve, think critically, give and take constructive criticism, embrace mistakes, communicate effectively,  and be aware of the visual culture which we live.  One of my goals is to help students interpret the universal language of art in every day life.



       My enthusiasm about art is boundless and I love sharing that with young people. Originally interested in becoming an art therapist, I studied the purposes of art-making from a different perspective. Nearing the end of the program, I chose to switch into education knowing the differences and overlapping qualities of both fields. My experiences in the field of art therapy solidified an important belief that I still hold today; every human being is born with an innate ability to create and be creative. The purpose of art education isn’t to teach someone how to be an artist, but to teach them how to channel what they already have.  

   

        My background in the arts has shaped the way I approach art education, perhaps in a way that is different from the norm.  I write every unit with opportunities for media exploration with an emphasis on process, enduring ideas,  and ties in four art disciplines-  art production, art history, aesthetics, and art criticism.  Young people can have a natural sense of wonder about the world and my lessons are often crafted around natural science, creative writing, and geometry.  In fact, a positive and encouraging art experience for students is one that allows and even encourages a dialog about mistakes and the varying beliefs about beauty.

   

       Art is particularly important for students with special needs. Having a lifetime of experience with children having special needs, I believe that with modifications students can experience the power art-making has to promote independence, prosocial behaviors, and opportunities for student voice.  Art education addresses an academic blind spot; students who may have difficulties in one subject may excel in another area, which is why I believe art educators should be involved in IEP meetings and have a communicative relationship with parents.  In addition, it is equally important to inform the faculty, parents, and public about the messages that art carries and the research supporting art's place in schools.

 

      Students often walk into the art classroom feeling insecure about their skill-level and artistic ideas. I meet this challenge with positive reinforcement of the students’ creative choices while prompting students with questions and exercises to coach them through their creative dilemmas. An art educator also has a responsibility in preserving democracy by facilitating an environment for safe expression, communication, exploration, imagination, cultural, and historical understanding.  Art education can be a rewarding and deeply personal experience that allows students to become like themselves instead of more like everyone else.  I have an important responsibly and obligation to young people to teach them how.