My goals as an art educator are to provide an environment where students can learn the visual language of art and begin using it to study expressions of people throughout our human story, communicate their personal reactions to life and interpret the current world flooded with visual images; from the juxtaposition of physical matter to persuasive messages of mass media. Pertinent to my method of teaching art is the importance of placing all disseminated information, whether it is material and tool based or culturally stylistic, within a historical as well as current context.
Students ought to be familiar with traditional western media, but also have an opportunity to explore innovative, non-traditional concept-based materials and to study visual art forms and mental constructs of other cultures. The induction of fiber arts into a visual art or general curriculum provides numerous avenues for implementing intercultural and cross-disciplinary lessons. Raw animal and cellulose fiber has been transformed by every people to meet basic needs of shelter and clothing, as well as, employed by cultures and individuals as a medium to communicate aesthetic pleasure, and conceptual expression.
The art classroom offers an environment for the building of social skills and not only tolerance for, but an appreciation of differences in opinion; as communicated through group critiques of artwork and class discussions on a variety of topics influencing student work. The creative arts are, therefore, an ideal platform for the study of various cultures through constructive criticism of art styles and reflection of symbolic subject matter. It is through this interactive dynamic that self-efficacy is built and higher ordered thinking is nurtured. Students learn to observe, analyze, interpret and evaluate artistic expressions, information, physical surroundings and their own personal experience and existence; the basis for developing conceptual, meaningful art work. It is essential for an educator to model these skills and thought processes and to be self-reflective of their teaching methodology while simultaneously evaluating student learning and effort through a variety of assessments.
Throughout my life, I have been aware of the avenue for expression and interpretation offered by the visual arts and this communicating through the arts has facilitated my interest in and respect for the visions of young people. I have a passion to mentor our children through the complexities of contemporary life by using art to gain a comprehensive vision of reality and their boundless existence within it.
