Philosophy of Education
Educators have a tremendous responsibility not only to prepare students to become successful at school, but also contribute to help them grow emotionally, intellectually, physically and socially for their lives ahead. I believe all students are capable of learning and each student is unique and gifted. Teachers should not force their opinions on their students, instead, each students should be viewed as individuals who can contribute to the classroom, sharing, learning and gaining knowledge from each other. I will guide and educate students inspirationally by teaching them to use various skills they needed to solve problems through creative experiences.
I believe art education stimulates the imagination, engages in self-discovery, develops self-esteem and connects each others through visual experience. I will provide opportunity for the students to use things that are meaningful or relevant to their lives and interests as a motivation to incorporate their ideas in their artwork because I truly believe art is a reflection of one's life. Teachers should not limit the students' creativity by lecturing them what is a proper way to create art. In my classroom, students will experience the freedom of exploring variety of materials and methods in the process of art making, whether it would be painting, drawing, printmaking, found objects, as well as many new non-traditional methods such as technology.
I will also encourage students to participate in group critique because group discussion is a great way to understand multiple perspectives and be open-minded towards the opinions of others. Sometimes, different reaction or expectation from peers might make some students feel fear, insecure or lack of self-confidence because of the negative feedbacks, I want to instill my students that art is personal and objective; each student should respect their differences and feel comfortable sharing them with others. I will evaluate my students in various methods such as direct observation, progress portfolios and class participation. This will allow some flexibility for me to understand personal growth and expectation of each student because not all students learn in the same way.
Teaching is a life learning process and it provides an opportunity for continuous learning and growth. I wanted to become an art teacher because I could share my passion and knowledge of art to young students. Art provides us an excellent way to express one's emotion and perspective of viewing life. Art is also a journey of self-discovery and connecting with others, so I want my students to achieve their full potentials by exploring their uniqueness as an individual and responding with imagination, creation and innovation. I hope my beliefs of teaching and learning will influence students in a positive way that will last for a lifetime.