I am honored and thrilled to share my passion about the importance of art and the visual world with students. It is my belief that the purpose of education is to share knowledge with others and inspire them to want to learn even more. The purpose of art education is to engage students in creative thinking, problem-solving, and exploration of hands-on art making. It is also my belief that the exchange of knowledge in the classroom is a two way street, and that teachers learn just as much from students as students do from teachers. 

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Learning about and making art presents so many opportunities for students to express their individuality and explore their own unique identity. It is my goal that students will be able to experience this exploration of self and use their creative voice in other areas of life. However, this is only possible when students feel seen and heard, as well as have a support system and safe environment to do so. My priority as an educator is to build relationships with students so that I can try to know the whole student, not just who they are in my classroom. Building these relationships will help me be a more empathetic and amicable teacher, and will allow students to feel comfortable to truly explore creativity and express themselves.

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While I develop comprehensive standard based lessons, my teaching style is one that is flexible, enthusiastic, and values student voice. I embrace the fact that no two students are the same and understand that each student is at a different place emotionally, physically, and intellectually. My flexibility and commitment to building relationships ensures that each student knows that I will meet them where they are and we can create a plan to grow and learn together. 

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Reflection is an essential piece of learning and amplifying student voice. Students will always have opportunities to reflect and modify their work and I will share with them that I, too, learn best by reflecting. I will model this growth mindset by continually seeking feedback from students, colleagues, and community members and then utilizing that feedback to be a better educator and artist.