I enter into this teaching philosophy knowing that it is time-specific and will change and grow as I do.

My philosophy of teaching art stems from a lifetime of loving to create, loving to learn, and loving to share that learning. It is also deeply influenced by my mother’s art therapy practice and a lifetime spent watching the healing and expressive powers of art in action.

I grew up under the omnipresent idea that art can be a marvelous way to play, to explore the world around you, and to make your imagination visible to others. I also grew up surrounded by proof that art can bring out feelings, thoughts, memories, and realizations in people that can’t express those feelings and realizations otherwise. I came to understand and believe in the excitement and wonder that art can instill and foster in people of all ages and in the healing, therapeutic power it possesses in equal measure. I find myself thrilled by art and healed by it, too. I aim to bring all aspects of art with me wherever I teach and give others to opportunity to find in art what I have found... or perhaps to find something entirely new.

I believe that everyone, regardless of background, experience, or age, can learn art and that everyone has an artistic side which manifests differently in different people. I see creativity pour out of people as they write, cook, create gifts for others, and decorate spaces. I have heard so many people say, "Oh, I’m not artistic [or creative], I can’t even draw a stick figure." I want to be able to teach others that their inability to draw is not a permanent state, nor does it mean that they’re not artistic or creative. I believe in celebrating learners’ abilities and interests and channeling their creative energy into those areas because I believe that we are much more engaged and able to learn deeply when we’re working on something that we care about — something with intrinsic value. I want to allow learners to take their artwork in a direction that feels genuine to their spirit. I hope to learn as much from those I teach as they learn from me. "At some point, good teachers must plunge into the unknown alongside their students, to adventure on together (Ayers, To Teach, p. 5)."

I believe that art can empower children to express themselves deeply and meaningfully, at times when words don’t or can’t quite capture what children are feeling and hoping to say. I dream of creating a classroom that is completely choice-based and a designated safe space for all who enter. If a learner wants to learn about printmaking, or wheel-throwing, or wire sculpture, I would be close by to teach techniques, share about artists, and offer feedback if the learner wants it. On the other hand, if a learner wants to create because they need to, because they need the outlet and the space to express themselves without boundaries or criticism, I would be present simply to provide materials and a safe space to create in. Within a traditional school setting, this is a nearly-impossible model to put into action.

However, there are elements of this dream classroom that I plan to implement regardless of where I find myself as an art educator. I plan to create an environment that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive for everyone. I hope to fill the space I’m in with artwork from diverse artists, representing different races, ethnicities, genders, orientations, and religions, so that everyone feels represented and valued. I also plan to include visuals that celebrate kindness and respect, regardless of the age group I work with. Beyond the visuals in the space, I hope to be able to offer a variety of materials to the individuals I teach, hopefully with some degree of choice in which materials they get to work with. I have had some experience with student-teaching in a partially choice-based classroom, in which either a material or a subject is set and the other is up to the choice of the students. I plan to carry over this model in some way, so that there is always some element of choice in my teaching.

I will also create a learning environment in which assessment focuses on celebrating process and growth. I hope to cultivate a space in which learners feel inspired to push themselves and challenged enough to grow and stretch, without fear of harsh criticism. As far as I’ve observed, within myself and others, feedback that focuses on criticizing a student’s work and comparing their work to others’ is usually harmful rather than helpful, as are arbitrary grades with no explanation whatsoever. In the past, I have used detailed rubrics that the students and I grade together. I find that co-grading helps students understand where they’ve succeeded and how they can continue growing, and it allows their personal input to be a part of the grade they receive. I want to continue using this model, which is based more on students’ ability to think divergently, work through challenges, and grow in their technical abilities over the course of an exploration. I feel that persistent effort, particularly in the face of difficulty, is a much better measure of how someone is learning and growing.

The final aspect of my teaching philosophy centers on empathy. I believe that the greatest thing we can do as humans is to care for one another, genuinely and selflessly. As our world changes, having empathy for one another is of the utmost importance. I plan to keep the importance of empathy at the core of my teaching, both in the way that I interact with my students and in the way that I teach them to interact with each other. I want to help my learners become good artists, but more than that, I want to help them become good human beings.

- Indigo