Teaching Philosphy
Through my passion for art I create an
exciting environment that engages, inspires, and promotes critical dialogue
amongst students. My experience demonstrates that by leading through example
and investing time in the students, a stronger sense of community forms. It is
within this cooperative spirit that students positively and confidently
challenge themselves as well as their peers so that personal goals, the
inception of ideas and aspirations may be achieved.
I have high expectations of my students, and I thrive when they have high expectations of me. By championing accountability, remaining approachable, and valuing individual, personal identities, the classroom becomes a cherished space. As a contemporary educator specializing within the realm of Fine Arts, I am keenly aware of the importance of developing a cross disciplinary and trans-cultural understanding within the classroom. Contemporary art making has bled the fine lines of media-specific specializations. The need for a more interdisciplinary approach to knowledge encompasses not only the visual arts but also performance, music, literature, philosophy, religion, art history, STEM, cultural and political histories.
My primary goal in teaching is to expand students’ worldviews, technical capabilities and conceptual expertise by fostering appreciation of historical and contemporary art practices, values, cultural productions, and belief systems in an inclusive and accessible environment. I foster a framework of not simply tolerance, but of the recognition and celebration of diverse practices, processes and the validity and vitality of a multiplicity of points of view. In our own present-day society, in which damaging and unfounded misconceptions of other cultures abound, despite the advances of globalization, the necessity of cross-cultural understanding is fundamental to an education in the Fine Arts.
My experience as both a student and teacher has confirmed that cultivating a comfortable classroom environment, one in which students may exchange ideas and perspectives without fear of ridicule, is essential. I encourage open discussion relating to projects, readings and lessons as a way to both strengthen the rapport among the students and engage them in the material. Class-wide dialogues, open/in progress critiques, and individual discussions with the students enable me to gauge students’ processing of information and technique, as well as learn about students’ own unique perspectives or approaches to the materials or assignment. By opening the lines of dialogue between the instructor and the student, by questioning contemporary and historical art concepts and works, and by further comparing perspectives, students engage and develop the critical thinking skills necessary for competence in higher education.
While class assignments, utilizations of E-Portfolios, and discussions are integral to the dissemination and processing of course material, I incorporate a variety of pedagogical tools in order to engage students of diverse backgrounds and various learning styles. I understand the necessities of lively delivery and continual engagement. To this end, I utilize lectures, digital media, critical demos, music, film, readings, ideation within their sketchbooks, and small group work in the classroom. Fortunately, the usage of the internet has allowed for the proliferation of newly developed open source 3D media, museum-owned digital image collections, and the ability for my students and me to keep our “finger on the pulse of the contemporary art world.” Online resources such as these have enabled me to bring into the classroom the material culture of various practices, approaches and processes from across the globe.
While remaining cognizant of the various learning styles shared by my students, I design assignments, exercises and assessments that allow for a range of opportunities to succeed, while processing knowledge at a steady pace. My development as an educator has been significantly influenced by my “Communiversity” work with students from regional communities, lower income families, under-represented minorities, and students with accessibility and accommodation concerns. I actively work with surrounding non-for-profits and community based programs to extend the roots of a collegiate perspective and academic approach to the visual arts within an environment of inclusion and insatiability for knowledge and information.
I am also a big proponent of discovery learning, which enables the students to be given tasks, and upon their explorations and ideations of the assignments, they intuitively, subconsciously and gutturally find the meaning within the ebb and flow of their investigation of the assignment and materials. In return, their work seemingly is heightened as they progress through my course. I believe that students’ retention of information can be enhanced when they have to problem solve within open environments that assist them in their “greenness.” Here, new information and techniques, in tandem with an appreciation of ownership and creative solutions, fosters self-reliance. I guide them in strengthening their own voices, emphasizing that their own ideas must remain paramount, despite the fear of authoritarian instruction and the need to appease.
I embrace the risk takers and see failure as a viable option when working through ones voice and perspective on art making and education in a contemporary academic setting. In teaching courses in the Arts, I strive to expand students’ knowledge, sensitivities, and self-concepts. While specializing in three-dimensional modes of production, I also aim to expand students’ command of their own artistic expression in this contemporary, global context.
I have high expectations of my students, and I thrive when they have high expectations of me. By championing accountability, remaining approachable, and valuing individual, personal identities, the classroom becomes a cherished space. As a contemporary educator specializing within the realm of Fine Arts, I am keenly aware of the importance of developing a cross disciplinary and trans-cultural understanding within the classroom. Contemporary art making has bled the fine lines of media-specific specializations. The need for a more interdisciplinary approach to knowledge encompasses not only the visual arts but also performance, music, literature, philosophy, religion, art history, STEM, cultural and political histories.
My primary goal in teaching is to expand students’ worldviews, technical capabilities and conceptual expertise by fostering appreciation of historical and contemporary art practices, values, cultural productions, and belief systems in an inclusive and accessible environment. I foster a framework of not simply tolerance, but of the recognition and celebration of diverse practices, processes and the validity and vitality of a multiplicity of points of view. In our own present-day society, in which damaging and unfounded misconceptions of other cultures abound, despite the advances of globalization, the necessity of cross-cultural understanding is fundamental to an education in the Fine Arts.
My experience as both a student and teacher has confirmed that cultivating a comfortable classroom environment, one in which students may exchange ideas and perspectives without fear of ridicule, is essential. I encourage open discussion relating to projects, readings and lessons as a way to both strengthen the rapport among the students and engage them in the material. Class-wide dialogues, open/in progress critiques, and individual discussions with the students enable me to gauge students’ processing of information and technique, as well as learn about students’ own unique perspectives or approaches to the materials or assignment. By opening the lines of dialogue between the instructor and the student, by questioning contemporary and historical art concepts and works, and by further comparing perspectives, students engage and develop the critical thinking skills necessary for competence in higher education.
While class assignments, utilizations of E-Portfolios, and discussions are integral to the dissemination and processing of course material, I incorporate a variety of pedagogical tools in order to engage students of diverse backgrounds and various learning styles. I understand the necessities of lively delivery and continual engagement. To this end, I utilize lectures, digital media, critical demos, music, film, readings, ideation within their sketchbooks, and small group work in the classroom. Fortunately, the usage of the internet has allowed for the proliferation of newly developed open source 3D media, museum-owned digital image collections, and the ability for my students and me to keep our “finger on the pulse of the contemporary art world.” Online resources such as these have enabled me to bring into the classroom the material culture of various practices, approaches and processes from across the globe.
While remaining cognizant of the various learning styles shared by my students, I design assignments, exercises and assessments that allow for a range of opportunities to succeed, while processing knowledge at a steady pace. My development as an educator has been significantly influenced by my “Communiversity” work with students from regional communities, lower income families, under-represented minorities, and students with accessibility and accommodation concerns. I actively work with surrounding non-for-profits and community based programs to extend the roots of a collegiate perspective and academic approach to the visual arts within an environment of inclusion and insatiability for knowledge and information.
I am also a big proponent of discovery learning, which enables the students to be given tasks, and upon their explorations and ideations of the assignments, they intuitively, subconsciously and gutturally find the meaning within the ebb and flow of their investigation of the assignment and materials. In return, their work seemingly is heightened as they progress through my course. I believe that students’ retention of information can be enhanced when they have to problem solve within open environments that assist them in their “greenness.” Here, new information and techniques, in tandem with an appreciation of ownership and creative solutions, fosters self-reliance. I guide them in strengthening their own voices, emphasizing that their own ideas must remain paramount, despite the fear of authoritarian instruction and the need to appease.
I embrace the risk takers and see failure as a viable option when working through ones voice and perspective on art making and education in a contemporary academic setting. In teaching courses in the Arts, I strive to expand students’ knowledge, sensitivities, and self-concepts. While specializing in three-dimensional modes of production, I also aim to expand students’ command of their own artistic expression in this contemporary, global context.
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