Teaching Philosophy

For as long as I can remember, I have always been interested in creative activities. When I entered junior high school, I got to take my first art class and that is when I truly began to love art. This continued into high school where my art teacher pushed me out of my comfort zone and encouraged me to do what I loved. She had very few boundaries when it came to making art and had no fear of making mistakes in her artwork. I ended up taking every one of her art classes until I graduated high school. It was this same teacher who suggested I become an art teacher. She has been a huge inspiration in my life. I have also been a Day Camp Counselor where I spent a lot of time with children throughout the day and really enjoyed it. I figured I would combine art and education, both things I love, to become an art teacher.

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One thing I have learned in my coursework is that collaboration is a powerful tool. Having the kids work together on projects teaches them teamwork and, most of all, sharing. My classroom will also be a judgement free and respectful zone, where students can be themselves, and mistakes will be acceptable. I was once taught, if you make a mistake in your art, it is even more beautiful than before because you can make it into something you could never have imagined. Art can be scary and stressful for students because errors can happen easily. However, my goal as an teacher is to push them to try new things and go out of their comfort zone. I will ensure them that mistakes are okay, and they are bound to happen. They will learn from those mistakes and strengthen their creativity bone by turning that mistake into something beautiful.

Not long ago, I read an educational book titled “The Open Art Room,” by Melissa Purtee and Ian Sands. I believe you never stop learning because this book ended up changing my whole perspective on teaching. It focuses on student-directed learning rather than teacher-directed learning. Every student is an artist; therefore, they should be treated like one by giving them the opportunity to use their own ideas in art. If students have ownership of their art-making process they will become more engaged in their art. According to this book, “Lesson plans that deny students the opportunity to present or represent a deeper personal connection to tell their own story miss out on the richness and depth that a student can reveal in a work of art.” Every student has a voice and a unique artistic style but like most things in life, it develops over time. In my classroom, I will start out with “bootcamps,” where specific skills or techniques are directly taught and then the class studies them further by practicing and experimenting with the specific skills or techniques using their own ideas. In the beginning I will completely start with step-by-step directions by telling them what theme and media they should use for their project. However, I will slowly ween them off teacher-directed learning as they learn their artistic style through experimentation using media, techniques, and their own ideas. Purtee and Sands suggest, “Challenging projects and open-ended questions can be introduced after the base knowledge.”

My goal as an art teacher is to “make artists.” What do artists do? They observe the world around them. They plan, design, revise, and then reflect. They use sketchbooks. These are the “artistic behaviors” that I plan on enacting in my classroom. I will show teacher examples if it’s a project that direly needs it, but I will not leave it up during the work process because it can sometimes hinder creativity. I will display mastery artist examples instead, to spark inspiration. I will not place emphasis on the appearance or the end product but rather the process. Also, the student learning will be assessed not the artwork. I will accomplish this by asking questions and observing their work process.

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A wise man once said, "Over at our place, we're sure of just one thing: everybody in the world was once a child." This famous quote was said by the one and only Walt Disney, who was the epitome of creativity, fun and joy. He believed when we grow up, we lose sight of what it is like to be a kid. It is important as an educator to stay in touch with our student’s perspective of the learning process. Disney was also willing to take criticism in order to change; we could all learn something from him. I will encourage students to accept constructive criticism given in a positive, respectful manner. I want them to understand it is a powerful learning tool that they can use to their benefit. I also think it is important to remember that the students are not the only ones who are learning in the classroom. The teacher and the students learn from each other, and this improves the learning process. I will be receptive and open-minded to suggestions from my students.

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I believe it is essential as an educator to get to know your students, so you better understand their strengths, weaknesses, and interests. That way, I can help them to become successful academically and better connect with them in the process.  As an aspiring art teacher, I not only want to teach kids the fundamentals and concepts of art but make it fun and exciting as well. Sometimes art is a good way for students to express themselves when they have trouble doing so in other forms of communication. If anything, I want them to be able to take away that they are all creative in their own unique way. Art can be uplifting, impactful, enlightening, and so much more if you allow it to be.

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Bailey E. Bryan