My philosophy of teaching has developed and continues to evolve from observations, experience, practice and study. I have found that to be effective, instruction must be adjusted to the individual or group within this growing and diversifying culture. I believe that a healthy teaching philosophy should work within the context of the culture being addressed. I have been fortunate to study with many instructors who taught in an open and positive environment that encouraged individuality and personal growth while being sensitive to particular and cultural differences.
In my own teaching I have worked in this manner with students ranging in age from three to sixty-five and find that the creative mind evolves individually. Each student brings to his or her learning experience a personal history. I have instructed people with a variety of personalities from many different social, economical, cultural and geographical backgrounds. I have found that a positive and open environment encourages learning and personal artistic growth, as opposed to learning from an instructor's personal history agenda or style.
I aim to balance an atmosphere of openness with an extensive yet loosely structured curriculum. I bring to this format a philosophy of teaching that familiarizes students with all media of artistic creative expression, including computer, film, theater, dance, performance, video, sculpture, installation, printmaking, bookmaking, painting, and storytelling. This expands their artistic horizons by encouraging student to seek sources outside their present chosen field or medium and helps them develop an appreciation of all media.
The study of an art and its history through exposure to visiting exhibits and artists, along with museum and gallery trips, give students an opportunity to learn from others, and to criticize or rebel. Most importantly, it gives students the freedom to form opinions and make informed personal choices. In this way students become stimulated by experiences that can then be brought back to the classroom, where students can be introduced to articles and literature, both current and historical, along with techniques of debate and discussion. By making this a part of class discussion students learn to broaden their own concepts of themselves as artists and to articulate their visual language with both the written and the spoken word. Removing the barriers around words such as ontological, epistemological and didactic, which may intimidate novice students, is integral to developing a sound conceptual framework for discussion.
It is important that a class operate as a functioning group. The teacher operates within boundaries of mutual respect for backgrounds and personal ideologies while maintaining an appropriate degree of professional distance, rather that espousing a teacher's platform. My experience with the Hobart Art League taught me how much artists can learn from each other, despite the necessary distinction between teacher and student.
It is important to help each student find their own voice. I believe in offering support and encouragement, focusing on the positive without neglecting a firm critique from which students may grow. Assignments should be adaptable, subject to change based on location, background of students, and sensitive issues they may bring with them as individuals. For example, while working with teenagers at a runaway shelter, it became obvious to me that art classes intertwined with personal therapy. In every group of artists of students with which I have had contact, the subject of art therapy has emerged. There is a place for this type of art as it usually, if not always, develops into a strong social, cultural or political statement. Artists that participate in this genre, deal with issues as diverse as racism, child abuse, battered women, and feminism.
It is my place as a teacher to encourage the students to familiarize themselves with professional artists who deal with issues that concern each student. Giving students this personal encouragement often provides the driving force necessary for creation.
In addition to work in the studio, a teacher need to encourage students to display their work in outside venues and shows because exposure and feedback are crucial in establishing artistic identity, self-image and artistic purpose. I enjoy working with students as well as colleagues to help bring about such opportunities and find networking with fellow teachers and other artists beneficial for the department and school as a whole.
It is through having an open and accepting attitude and a deep appreciation for art and the individual that I have developed my teaching philosophy. It is in this way that I can give the student a guiding hand, an artistic background to stand on and draw from and the strength and confidence to express themselves in their own individual voice.
In my own teaching I have worked in this manner with students ranging in age from three to sixty-five and find that the creative mind evolves individually. Each student brings to his or her learning experience a personal history. I have instructed people with a variety of personalities from many different social, economical, cultural and geographical backgrounds. I have found that a positive and open environment encourages learning and personal artistic growth, as opposed to learning from an instructor's personal history agenda or style.
I aim to balance an atmosphere of openness with an extensive yet loosely structured curriculum. I bring to this format a philosophy of teaching that familiarizes students with all media of artistic creative expression, including computer, film, theater, dance, performance, video, sculpture, installation, printmaking, bookmaking, painting, and storytelling. This expands their artistic horizons by encouraging student to seek sources outside their present chosen field or medium and helps them develop an appreciation of all media.
The study of an art and its history through exposure to visiting exhibits and artists, along with museum and gallery trips, give students an opportunity to learn from others, and to criticize or rebel. Most importantly, it gives students the freedom to form opinions and make informed personal choices. In this way students become stimulated by experiences that can then be brought back to the classroom, where students can be introduced to articles and literature, both current and historical, along with techniques of debate and discussion. By making this a part of class discussion students learn to broaden their own concepts of themselves as artists and to articulate their visual language with both the written and the spoken word. Removing the barriers around words such as ontological, epistemological and didactic, which may intimidate novice students, is integral to developing a sound conceptual framework for discussion.
It is important that a class operate as a functioning group. The teacher operates within boundaries of mutual respect for backgrounds and personal ideologies while maintaining an appropriate degree of professional distance, rather that espousing a teacher's platform. My experience with the Hobart Art League taught me how much artists can learn from each other, despite the necessary distinction between teacher and student.
It is important to help each student find their own voice. I believe in offering support and encouragement, focusing on the positive without neglecting a firm critique from which students may grow. Assignments should be adaptable, subject to change based on location, background of students, and sensitive issues they may bring with them as individuals. For example, while working with teenagers at a runaway shelter, it became obvious to me that art classes intertwined with personal therapy. In every group of artists of students with which I have had contact, the subject of art therapy has emerged. There is a place for this type of art as it usually, if not always, develops into a strong social, cultural or political statement. Artists that participate in this genre, deal with issues as diverse as racism, child abuse, battered women, and feminism.
It is my place as a teacher to encourage the students to familiarize themselves with professional artists who deal with issues that concern each student. Giving students this personal encouragement often provides the driving force necessary for creation.
In addition to work in the studio, a teacher need to encourage students to display their work in outside venues and shows because exposure and feedback are crucial in establishing artistic identity, self-image and artistic purpose. I enjoy working with students as well as colleagues to help bring about such opportunities and find networking with fellow teachers and other artists beneficial for the department and school as a whole.
It is through having an open and accepting attitude and a deep appreciation for art and the individual that I have developed my teaching philosophy. It is in this way that I can give the student a guiding hand, an artistic background to stand on and draw from and the strength and confidence to express themselves in their own individual voice.
