I believe firmly that arts education transcends practical skills and has a central role in empowering students to be

independent thinkers. In my practice I aim to create opportunities for students to explore how the arts are relevant to a
range of subject areas and careers, and interpret, analyze and find and create meaning in images. A successful example
of this is a unit entitled Angry Artists in which students develop editorial illustrations to create a campaign image that
raised awareness of a global issue.
Much of the experience I gained before becoming a teacher feeds my practice. My first degree is in graphic design and
this allows me to work with students to communicate effectively through imagery, and edit the content of their work
thoughtfully. I use design skills as a way to engage students with the notion of audience which I encourage them to
consider at each stage of their creative process, considering an audience (where appropriate) in their process journals as
well as their practical work.
My experience as a postgraduate has enabled me to develop curriculum that has academic rigor and support and extend
the learning of students undertaking both the Extended Essay and the new visual art Comparative Study. As a
postgraduate Associate Tutor at the University of Sussex I taught a course called Visual Cultures, which sought to
develop visual literacy and introduce students to critical theory through research, analysis and discussion of images and
artefacts from a range of cultures and contexts.
Now that I am a teacher I have found ways to make analysis accessible and meaningful across age ranges and in the
same way that I base my teaching practice on a range of theoretical frameworks, provide students with a framework
that begins with personal response and interpretation, through developing questions and drawing conclusions. As an
active member of the National Society for Education in Art and Design I endeavor to follow research and developments
in my field and implement a range of strategies.
In 2007 I was approached by a publisher to write a book about the Surrealist artists aimed at students and gallery
visitors. This was a formative experience for me as a learner as I approached my research by formulating questions
which non-experts might have about a work. As a teacher formulating questions to aid understanding has become an
important part of my role, in both the planning and teaching stages. Teaching Theory of Knowledge as well as visual art
consolidated my love of inquiry in that its practical application of knowledge questions draws together seemingly
disparate areas of knowledge.
I was fortunate to train and hold my first teaching position at an IB schools and this in itself opened the door for me to
teach internationally. I continually seek to develop and hone my practice and expertise and although I began teaching
internationally because of a desire to see more of the world I feel lucky to have had the experience of great PD,
including working with the late Paul Ginnis to develop units of work, and the opportunity to develop curriculum that
engages students, focusses on authentic assessment and incorporates independent inquiry.

Laura Thomson, June 2016