Teaching Philosophy

The past two years of experiencing and studying art education have made me view

curriculum development and philosophical stances in a different light. The question “What do

you desire for your future art room? “ has been a lingering, hypothetical idea that is finally being

pieced together. I began to understand the power educators hold and the impact they have on the

community and the development of youth. I find myself drawn to the ideas surrounding

pragmatism, which encourages students to observe and experience the relevance of art and

education in the real world (Hall,2019). Flexibility and change are very prevalent in pragmatism

along with life, education, and the evolving world around us.

The ideas of progressivism and constructivism align with my beliefs about the nature of

learning and teaching. Progressivism embraces student-centered learning and compliments

personal growth and exploration, which I believe art thrives upon (Hall,2019). Art is a language

that communicates one's feelings, thoughts, and experiences. Philosopher John Dewey stated that

humans are social creatures that learn through social interaction, which is a key element for both

students and teachers to grasp. Art is a way of life and contributes to how one views the world

around them. To assess and evaluate art is an ambiguous task that takes into consideration of

various components. I believe while viewing art you look at everything; intent, what is trying to

be conveyed, exploration, materials, growth, and ultimately process (Hogan,2018).

Constructivism encompasses similar ideas to progressivism with more focus on

individuality and collaboration. I connect with elements of choice and students taking control of

their learning to nurture uniqueness. As an art teacher, I think understanding general art content

is an important building block for deeper, more critical art knowledge. The intangible content is

crucial to understand. The hows and whys of creating and artistic decision-making are based on
prior knowledge and creative thinking. These skills emerge from understanding basic art content

and concepts. Art is responsible for concrete and abstract ideas that are all vital to the world of

art and life. Constructivism encourages hands-on exploration and discovery which aligns with

my personal beliefs about art and art education (Hall,2019). I connect with the emphasis on trial

and error, making mistakes, and learning through challenges that Jean Piaget, John Dewey, and

Lev Vygotsy promote (Hall,2019).

The need for expression and creative thinking in today's society has contributed to my

goals as an art educator. I desire to create a curriculum and classroom that excites me and pushes

me to continue to grow as an educator, human, and artist. My goal as an educator is to help my

students develop a love and/or understanding of art and see how it is relevant in every aspect of

life. I wish for my students to develop and expand creatively, cognitively, emotionally, and

socially through various elements of art.

I will support my students with a student-centered classroom that displays a variety of

instructional strategies and deliveries to benefit all students (Strong,2019). I connect with active

learning, guided discovery, and cooperative learning to immerse students in a dynamic way of

learning (Stronge, 2019). My role is to facilitate student reflection, observation, curiosity, and

experimentation through art with their interests and desires at heart. My goal is to showcase art

as a tool to be used throughout their life for expression, inspiration, change, and self-discovery. I

want my students to appreciate art and to feel well-versed in all that it encompasses.
 Works Cited

Hall, G. E., Quinn, L. F., & Gollnick, D. M. (2019). Introduction to teaching: Making a difference in
student learning. SAGE Publications, Inc.

Hogan, J., Hetland, L. author, Jaquith, D. B., Winner, E., Nelson, D. P., & Gsell, N. illustrator. (2018).
Studio thinking from the start: The K-8 art educator's handbook. Teachers College Press.

Stronge, J. H. (2018). Qualities of effective teachers. ASCD.