Philosophy of Art Education

I foster creative development Some people say art is a subject we cannot afford. I know art is a subject we cannot afford to live without. Students in my art classes will learn to think differently, to problem-solve, and to develop a new sense of creativity required for todays ever evolving work force. Children need to express themselves through art in ways much further then the core subjects can provide. I will provide artistic enrichment to empower my students and to open their eyes to the endless opportunities their futures can hold. Students paint the portrait Children are like paintings, each one is unique, but every single one is beautiful and important. In my classroom, I will give my students the skills they need to succeed. Each individual should feel that they are capable and will have success in my class. I will teach varied lessons, always connecting student work to real artists and instruct using the principles and elements of art and design. I will have students work individually, in groups, and with their community. Teaching in these ways ensures the students' enrichment in the arts and their positive role in society. Welcome to the Art World My role as Art Teacher is bringing knowledge and passion to my students. I will foster a learning community in my classroom where everyone will feel safe and free to create. Each child will learn respect and responsibility, holding them accountable for their actions. I educate using an open mind and an open heart; I am ready to learn, teach, and inspire at every chance I get. Anyone can be an artist I will be a leader not only in my classroom, but also in the community. When teachers, parents, and students all work together, anything is possible. I will bring art to the community in many ways, including extracurricular activities, art exhibitions, community involvement, and service projects. I teach to open eyes, minds, and hearts to the world of art. After all, students achievements will be great when they learn to create.

Implementation of Philosophy

In my classroom, I will focus on a few core areas to execute my Philosophy of Art Education. The areas of focus include the bigger picture, individualized education, classroom environment, and community involvement. By concentrating on select goals, I will be able to actually accomplish the things I have set out to implement within the philosophy. First of all the students within my art classroom will need to apply what they learn to their future, to bigger picture things in their lives. In my class, students will develop creative thinking and problem-solving skills. I will teach in a specific style that caters to this goal. Students must "think outside of the box" to complete assignments in my class. The assignments will be open-ended or up to individual artist interpretation for completion. This style ensures a range of results from the class and also will require more involvement from me, the instructor. A students success will depend upon clear instruction, scaffolding throughout the class and close monitoring of the artistic process. I will assess the students skills for creative thinking and problem-solving at the beginning and end of my class. Initially each pupil will partake in a pretest, in the form of a performance-based assessment. For example, the student will be presented with an abstract, real life problem, such as creating the most value from a few random materials. All students will have the same materials and amount of time to work. After creating something, they will present their project to me with a verbal explanation. Results will be based upon individual student interpretation, creativity, and execution. The class will complete a postassessment at the end of the class in order for me to compare results and to see student progress. The second goal in my philosophy of art education is to implement an individualized education plan. I will need to alter instruction for each individual learner within my class. Every child learns differently, therefore this goal is vital to ensure the most comprehensive learning environment possible. Along with having assignments that look at specific artists and include some creative liberties, one strategy I will use for individualization is to have the students do self-critiques of their own projects. By learning how to self-evaluate students can convey their most honest responses pertaining to how each student feels about their artwork. Students are usually hardest on themselves. I will have a second one-on-one critique with each pupil to further discuss their work. Art is very subjective; however teaching and grading in the style described creates a method for tracking every student's personal progress. Tracking student progression is an advantage for me as a teacher, but for students, there are so many more advantages from individualized education. For example, students will feel capable of success in my class because their grades are based upon their own individual skill set. My third goal is to build a positive classroom environment consisting of fundamental principles of respect, safety, and successful classroom management. In order to build anything successfully, one must start at the foundation. Therefore, the first day of class is extremely vital in establishing principles that the class will be ran upon. People thrive with clear boundaries and expectations. I will state and reiterate my class rules and founding principles so that students will understand their importance. My class will follow the Golden Rule: treat others as you would like to be treated. The Golden Rule is founded upon respect and responsibility. On a daily basis I

will teach based around my class rules and principles; along with emphasizing safety. Safety is important in an art classroom, especially pertaining to the proper use of many art supplies. Finally, the art program I build will work to be involved in the community. Art sales, exhibitions and fundraisers will all help to build interest and raise awareness concerning art in the area. Students can do service learning projects as a part of their class work, helping to beautify the community.