My Teaching Philosophy
"Every child is an artist" - Pablo Picasso
Reflection is crucial for improvement, and for that reason my teaching philosophy is always evolving. I consider one of my greatest strengths as an individual and as an educator to be empathy. Every time I go into a new classroom I enjoy gaining a greater understanding of the students, school environment, and community in order to tailor the educational experience to their interests and needs.
I am an advocate for consistent and congruent goal setting. My objectives as a teacher and for all of my future students are to:
For my students I will act not only as a teacher and artist, but as a mentor, counselor, and role model. I strive to create a compassionate, nurturing environment where students will feel safe to take risks and be themselves without fear. They will learn that making mistakes gives them a chance to improve and making art is experiential.
I am an advocate for consistent and congruent goal setting. My objectives as a teacher and for all of my future students are to:
- Teach students new ways of looking at the world and thinking outside the box.
- Encourage students to push their creative bounds and inspire innovation.
- Make genuine connections with students to promote personal growth and development.
- Introduce students to social justice and their ability to affect positive change in their communities.
- Put emphasis on service learning and volunteerism.
- Foster self-expression, exploration, and confidence.
- Engage students with contemporary use of emerging technology.
- Instill value in not only art-making, but meaning-making.
- Concentrating on a cross-curricular approach to art education to enhance overall learning.
For my students I will act not only as a teacher and artist, but as a mentor, counselor, and role model. I strive to create a compassionate, nurturing environment where students will feel safe to take risks and be themselves without fear. They will learn that making mistakes gives them a chance to improve and making art is experiential.
A Little Bit About Me
I graduated from Central Michigan University in May 2012 with a Bachelors of Applied Arts in 2D Art with a minor in Psychology. After working at Wichita State University for a semester as an Assistant Residence Life Coordinator I decided to return to CMU to complete my teaching degree in Visual Arts K-12, which I earned in December 2014. After graduation, I earned my first teaching job with Troy School District and in 2015 I had the deep honor of teaching art at Grand Haven Area Public Schools for 3 years.
When I am not in the classroom I also work as an RYT 200 Yoga Instructor, which I find very valuable as an educator as it allows me to integrate mindfulness and meditation into all of my classroom settings. In my free time, I enjoy making my own art, spending time outdoors, vegan cooking, and playing with my rescue pup, Mr. President.
When I am not in the classroom I also work as an RYT 200 Yoga Instructor, which I find very valuable as an educator as it allows me to integrate mindfulness and meditation into all of my classroom settings. In my free time, I enjoy making my own art, spending time outdoors, vegan cooking, and playing with my rescue pup, Mr. President.
Original Photography
I shoot with a Nikon D3000 with either an 18-55mm lens, or my favorite, a 35mm lens. On occasion I also explore iPhone photography (iPhoneography) with add-on lenses by Photojojo. I run a lifestyle blog which gives me the opportunity to practice my photography often in regards to capturing the beautiful moments in life that are worth documenting. All of my photo editing takes place on Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Photoshop Elements.
Below are photos pulled from my full portfolio.
Below are photos pulled from my full portfolio.
Original Painting
In college my concentration was primarily in painting. I focus on watercolors, oil, and acrylic and love to explore mixed media. As a painter my greatest pleasure comes from focusing on the process. I like to focus on intuitive painting as an interaction between media and emotion. The experience of painting is just as important, if not more important, than the final product in my abstract works. I draw inspiration from natural landforms, maps, and social issues.
Since college I have also begun exploring painting on untraditional surfaces and in untraditional sizes. I have also included images from my sketchbooks where I experiment with new techniques and work on watercolor illustrations. The Intuitive Painting Series is from a set I worked on in Painting 4 at Central Michigan University. The State Pride Series is a watercolor series that I created and sold to raise money for the Hurricane Sandy Relief effort. The Great "Big" Adventure series explores extremes by creating a big scene in a tiny space.
Since college I have also begun exploring painting on untraditional surfaces and in untraditional sizes. I have also included images from my sketchbooks where I experiment with new techniques and work on watercolor illustrations. The Intuitive Painting Series is from a set I worked on in Painting 4 at Central Michigan University. The State Pride Series is a watercolor series that I created and sold to raise money for the Hurricane Sandy Relief effort. The Great "Big" Adventure series explores extremes by creating a big scene in a tiny space.