Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy is a lot about the relationships I develop with my students. I firmly believe that the art room should be a warm and welcoming environment where all students feel safe to experiment with materials and styles and feel safe to learn from trial and error. I try to create a relationship with each student in which they can use art as a tool to express themselves and feel accepted the way they are and what they want to become. In my work, I let student interest guide lessons and do not fear to adjust my lesson plans to meet all students needs. From my experience working in public and private schools, I have come to believe that students thrive when they feel part of a community that supports them. My goal is to create such a community in the art room. This is the room where students can freely experiment and support each other as well as feel supported by me. 

The art making process is where students can learn how to solve problems, learn to work through frustrations and be OK with it, learn how to give and receive constructive critique and learn how to learn from it. Foremost, however, art should be fun, draw out the creative side of each person and create lasting positive memories.