My teaching philosophy

Having a teaching philosophy is important for all teachers because it helps them make wise decisions, identify the strengths and weaknesses of their teaching, and improve their teaching. To help my students grow, I will promote diversity, and inclusion, create a respectful classroom environment, ensure that my expectations are clear for each lesson, and provide choices in art projects. These are what I believe necessary for me to become a successful teacher and enhance my students’ creative growth.

To begin with, I will try my best to create community through diversity, inclusion, and equity. I will have students from various cultures and backgrounds in my class. It is my responsibility to make sure they feel safe, welcomed, and accepted. Allowing them to participate and realize that their input matters. Students would feel more comfortable when they are encouraged to share their culture, knowledge, and experiences. Educating other students that we are community. Some students may have completely different perspectives, it is my responsibility to teach them to listen and respect each other's opinion. Moreover, students are more than welcome to incorporate their cultural knowledge into their projects.

Secondly, respect is be the obligatory principle in my class. I ensure that students are respectful with each other and not discriminating against one another. There are number of ways students can demonstrate respect such as by actively listening, not talking over me, using positive language, and refraining from offensive comments. I tend to create class activities in a way that allows students to engage with each other in a respectful manner such as open discussions, demonstrating respect expectations by using words like “sorry”, “please”, and “thank you” and group work. Open discussion helps students actively listen to opposing viewpoints and raise their hand when it's their turn to speak. Using respectful words builds kindness and empathy towards one another. Group work breaks downs barriers, builds trust between students and allows them to listen opposing point of views.

Keeping expectations clear is also something that is often neglected. Going over expectations is the basic requirement in any art project. Before using any materials or supplies, students must know how to use them properly and safely. For example, for a project involving sharp objects like scissors, I first went over the safety expectations to avoid students from accidentally harming their self and others. I also went over the general expectations like working quietly, meeting the project requirements, and wiping tables after work. Having clear expectations and lesson clarity helps students achieve the learning target and engage in the project.

Finally, freedom is essential when it comes to art activities and projects. Art is one of those subjects that students find difficult, which is why most art teachers provide a number of choices in a project. Through choices, students are more likely to stay engaged, motivated, and be more confident in their art. Students feel like they have ownership over their artwork as they made the decision to create it in a certain way. There’s a higher chance for students to succeed in art when they are given the freedom and opportunity to explore their creative skills. By giving choices, I do not mean to give them full control over the assignment, they still must meet the basic project requirements such as adding specific aspects of learning from my instructions. For example, in one of my lessons, I had students create a drawing incorporating at least 3 different shapes of their choice and it was up to them how they want to arrange it. They had the option to either use tempera paints or watercolors, overlap some shapes, and incorporate both organic and geometric shapes. This way students are more likely to practice and develop decision making, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.