Statement of Teaching Philosophy Tammy Hoppe

I teach the visual arts because I know the difference between teaching students how to make art projects and teaching them how to think like and be artists. After having attended art teacher workshops and walking away knowing only how to make another art project, I am reassured of the need to focus my teaching on the who, when, where, and why of each particular art lesson. Teaching simply how to make an artwork is fun and easy, but it is only a small part of a compete art lesson. In my classroom I keep my teaching focused on students artistic efficacy through the careful alignment and use of curriculum and assessment tools. I format my lessons so that students have to think like artists, make artistic decisions, and reflect upon processes and products like artists do. My assessment tools guide students through this decision-making process, allowing them the greatest amount of learning possible in each lesson. I teach students from age five to adult. I have an elementary and middle school art classroom comprised of 530 students. I teach adult community education art classes for the local community college. Until this year I had also had a high school art classroom for a total of eleven years. At every level I teach, my focus is on teaching people how to be effective, productive artists. Students improve their artistic efficacy in a number of ways. I employ multiple teaching strategies and differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all students. The strategies students express the most growth with include guided inquiry, service learning, cooperative learning, demonstration and modeling, technology inclusion, problem-centered learning, and other instructional models such as concept development and concept attainment. Often students prefer guided inquire when they are working on individual projects. They express empowerment when they can answer their own questions and solve their own problems. When working in groups or being introduced to new art concepts, students respond well using the concept development or concept attainment model. They are grateful to network ideas among work groups and then to base their new learnings upon previous understandings and their own concept definitions. Plus, reading and writing is encouraged for students who may otherwise struggle with these skills.

Technology is another tool that can improve students artistic efficacy. First, I give my students their own blog page where they can publish their artwork and give as well as receive positive feedback, and they can edit their sites as needed. Second, the voice memo tool is a great tool that allows students to practice art critiques and to post podcasts about their online work. Finally, we use Skype to communicate with others both within our school and in other locations. Students can have conversations with popular area artists and can share with other same-age students what is going on among art classes around the world. I know my teaching strategies are effective because I regularly assess what the students and I are doing in the fine arts. Student perception data, student achievement data, and peer feedback data are my commonly used assessment tools. Throughout the year I gather self-assessment by inviting peers to observe my classes and offer formative feedback. My most recent feedback is from an instructional coach who held her hand out low, palm down, and said, I have seen many art teachers... Then she put her other hand out high, palm up, and said, and then theres Tammy. Shortly after that she informed me that she had nominated me for another Iowa Art Educator of the Year award. Student perception data is quite easy to collect with a reflections activity either while a lesson is in progress or after it is completed. Students can write or record audio reflections and make suggestions on what is working well and on how to improve their learning experiences. Older students can text or use computers and SRS devices to complete information surveys. Student achievement data is often based upon an art lesson rubric. The students and I work together to progressively assess their work. We discuss their acquisition levels for all new skills, techniques, and knowledge associated with each art lesson. Then we work out a plan for growth and improvement in the necessary areas. Often these rubrics accompany students artwork in their growth portfolios. My visual arts classroom is always evolving according to my students needs while remaining consistent in its focus on and dedication to students artistic growth and efficacy. The atmosphere changes as the enrollment changes, but the students learning needs are always at the center of the activities and decision-making.