My Teaching Philosophy

At the beginning of my college career and still to this day, I struggled to label myself under
a certain category. Am I an artist first or a teacher first? How do I go about meshing the two
together? Early in my elementary days, I knew I wanted to help others. Career choices like
veterinarian, doctor, and counselor were all considered as my younger self desperately tried to
navigate life and discover who I was and what I wanted to be to others. By high school I had
found my niche in the arts; preforming in plays, giving speeches to the rotary club, and creating
art for my AP Digital Media Arts class. It wasn’t until high school that I began to view my
teachers less as parental figures and more as inspirational mentors. Stepping behind the scenes, I
observed how my Intro to Digital Arts teacher, Mrs. Barnes, continued to help me in Adobe
Flash while juggling homework for her Master’s Degree. Mr. Moore taught me constant empathy
and courage when he stood up for a student who identified as queer in front of the school’s
Board of Education. It was Ms. Snyder who never once questioned my abilities as a student that
inspired me to study to be an educator. All of these individuals stood as symbols for what I
wanted to be in the future. I would not be where I am today without any of them.
Since graduating I’ve realized that teaching requires a lot more stamina than some may
think. I looked so highly on my high school teachers that I believed all you needed to do to be a
great one was to give a good motivational speech and you would inspire millions. This, as I later
found out, is not the case. Teaching at a summer camp for two years followed by an all-girls
camp the next, gave me a reality check. For one, I realized that those motivational speeches are
great when they come up, but the backbone of teaching are the little details that most people
miss. Staying a little bit later with a student who is struggling, helping tie someone’s shoes when
none of their friends will, or telling a student that they did a good job that day. It is my personal
goal to be these things for all students. I believe that every student is worthy and deserves a safe
place to learn and grow. They deserve to have educators to guide and support them in every way,
shape and form. My hope is that I may integrate the student’s lives and ideas into everything we
do. My classroom will be a safe environment for students to learn and grow. I may not be able to
solve every problem, but my goal is to create an open, clean, and constructive space that is
accessible to all abilities.
My goal is to promote a desire in my students to independently seek out learning
opportunities, to feel secure in their art making, and to step outside their comfort zone without
high risk. I do this through sharing the techniques I use to learn, and by challenging students with
ideas and concepts. As a student I found that I learned best when I had visuals and kinetic
learning strategies enforced. The “I do-we do-you do” method will be implemented in my
classroom and will attempt to teach everyone based on their own learning styles. The needs of
my students will be diverse therefore I will have to form my instruction to meet those needs. I
measure success through teamwork, work ethic, and involvement with class activities. I maintain
and share my personal growth so that others can learn from example. I hope to build connections
not only within my classroom but out in the community as well. Regular speakers, community
engagement trips, and constructing projects that blend into their curriculum. Collaboration is
crucial. Working with everyone in the school such as cafeteria workers, special education
teachers, principals, and janitors will make it possible to obtain a productive work area and living
community.
 My own personal style of teaching is energetic. Combining popular culture references with
smiles and overall positivity will hopefully keep my students motivated and engaged. My role as
an educator is to cultivate relationships, provide a clear and open learning environment, and be
present and honest. I hope to continuously look for new ways to learn from my students and
staff, promote permeant diversity in everything I do, and collaborate with as many individuals as
I can in order to broaden my horizons and educate myself.