My Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy is a culmination of a multitude of ideas gathered from my experiences as a teacher, a student, and an artist; however, when condensed there are four essential concepts that build my pedagogy. I want my students to make connections, take creative risks, learn to reflect and adjust accordingly, and be explorers of the world.

My favorite part of studying at Nazareth College is the emphasis on the liberal arts. Each semester, my courses inform each other, even if they are about completely different subjects. I love that feeling when you are learning about something and a lightbulb goes on in your head while you break down and reorganize the information you already had about that subject. I want my students to make connections like that in my classroom. I want my students to use knowledge acquired in other subjects—and understand how art connects to other content areas. Making connections for my students is critical to my pedagogy for creating meaningful, engaging lessons. Most of all, I want my students to understand that meaningful art making is about critical thinking and making connections. For me, making art is as much about the process as it is the end product.

I believe a strong foundation in art history makes for a more thoughtful and successful artist. For this reason, I will continue to find ways to make connections between art-making, contemporary art practice, and art history.

How to Be an Explorer of the World by Keri Smith is a book that changed how I approach teaching. I loved the curatorial and detail-oriented approach to mindfully observe the world set forth in this book. In this book, Smith takes a curious look at what is usually labeled mundane. The reader is urged to make lists, collect small items, and slow down to find the extraordinary in the ordinary. In a world where technology is so accessible and life is fast-paced, I want to adapt some of Smith’s exercises in my own pedagogy so that my students can take a more playful approach to learning, and be explorers of the world.

I want my students to learn to experiment, to take creative risks, and to question their world. I want my students to try new things and if they fail, I want them to keep trying. By learning how to be a critical thinker and creative problem solver, my students will be well prepared for real world experiences.

As an art educator, I want to create opportunities for my students to reflect, assess, and adjust. Art-making is a process, and self-reflection and critique play a huge role in that. For this reason, I will teach my students how to critique their own art, as well as their classmates. Learning how to provide and receive constructive feedback is a critical skill I believe is an important aspect of art instruction. My students not only grow artistically by learning how to critique, but they will grow personally as well learning the appropriate and respectful way to give and receive constructive criticism.

Being a life-long learner is very important to me. It is what drives my curiosity and passion for teaching. If I can impart this passion to my students, then I will consider myself a successful art educator.