It is as a lifelong artist and a lifelong student that I am motivated to be an art teacher.  I have extensive, firsthand knowledge of the benefits art and education have on our lives and strive to enable students to make similar discoveries, and reap equally fulfilling rewards.  My strategy towards achieving these goals lies in an emphasis on student engagement through visual culture, the essential skills gained in the studio, and the crucial role of failure in the learning process.

Part of being an art teacher is acknowledging that not everyone has an inherent interest in the subject.  As the benefits of an art education are universal, my responsibility is to find ways to build intrinsic motivation into those who may at first be skeptical.  I believe I can achieve this by presenting lesson plans based around popular, visual culture. Through visual culture I can demonstrate to students that “art” is more than just “paintings on canvas, hanging in a gallery.”  The work of artists can be found in movies, in television, in toys and video games, books and clothing.  I can demonstrate to students that, regardless of their background, art can be found everywhere in things they personally value.  By framing discussions around works and working methods of relevance to a diverse student body, I can bring the conversation to them, and build a connection with those who may not immediately see a place for themselves in the fine arts.  This focus on visual culture is something I intend to carry forth into the studio.

I believe it is through the studio that students develop skills and attitudes that will be of lifetime benefit, regardless of their long-term interests in art.  It is in the studio that students learn to assess problems without singular, obvious solutions, envision alternative approaches, and execute on them.  They stretch their concepts of what is possible, and what they themselves are capable of.  They explore.

As a teacher, I see my role as a facilitator of these explorations.  I will plan activities that challenge their preconceptions, both of art and of themselves.  The key to this is frequent assessment, so that I am always aware of what students are learning, where they may be struggling, and how I can adjust my instruction in response.  Through assessment, I can keep a constant finger on the pulse of my students, collectively and as individuals.  I can make informed decisions as to when and where it is safe to push them, towards success, but also, towards failure.

Failure is a critical part of the process.  Bit by bit students learn through failure what works and what doesn’t, what has potential and what is a lost cause.  They formulate new plans, develop new strategies, and conceive of alternate solutions.  Over time, they discover that a rigorous adherence to trial and error allows them to take concepts out of the realm of the theoretical and make them real.  They learn that a combination of perseverance and flexible thinking leads to success, a lesson that will prove invaluable in pursuits academic, personal, or professional.  As a teacher, I aim to help them fail gracefully, and to provide opportunities for reflection so that they may recognize and grow from their struggles.

And they will struggle and grow together, for it is also in the studio that students form a community.  They learn to collaborate, to respect, respond to, and incorporate the views of others.  They develop empathy.  I will foster a studio setting where every voice is valued, every point of view is worthwhile and every idea has merit.  We will learn together, because my goal as a teacher is not just to make better artists, but better global citizens, and better people.