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I believe my role as an art teacher is to assist all students in expressing themselves creatively. I feel every student is an artist and has a unique story to share. They just might need some guidance in finding their artistic voice, and that’s where I step in to facilitate. It is important to build a community were students are able to experiment and express themselves without judgement. Although I inform my students what I expect from them, I provide opportunities for them to collaborate regarding where they want to learn. I provide the students with more choices than restrictions. They are able to choose to create where they feel would be the most beneficial for example, I would allow them to decide if they work individually or collaboratively and whether they work within the classroom or outside. Another component of my classroom is allowing students to work at their own pace; to give enough time for experimentation. This is important because it benefits both types of students, those that might need more time and those that can maintain their creative momentum. I gravitate towards the progressive philosophy, the theory that places teachers as facilitators that motivate students to use art for problem solving. My assignments will have some guidelines, but still have a few different possible directions. The assignments will provide a basic structure but will allow for various outcomes. In my project introductions I provide some art vocabulary, historical context, possible inspiration, and previous student examples. The projects are thought provoking for the students. I want to encourage students’ creative process by motivating them to create various ideas before working on their final outcome. I am continuously circulating and providing assistance to clear any confusion, discuss ideas, and provide some possible inspiration. They are then be free to work on their own for several days. I want every student, whether they decide to pursue art or not, to learn the terminology used in art and analyzing art. To quote John Dewry “We do not learn from experience... we learn from reflecting on experience.” Within this safe space, I provide the opportunity to have the students talk about their pieces, creative process, and personal experiences.Discussions allows students to think about how their background, process, and experiences shape the possibilities of their project and outcome. Personally, I was college age when I was first expected have these discussions. Ultimately, I want my students to see art as a tool to express themselves. I want them to feel confident in gathering inspiration, reflecting, experimenting, creating work, and having a dialog about art. |