Teaching Philosophy
I was sporadic as a child, and it was effortless for me to get distracted during class. Many of these experiences influenced me to approach teaching by educating each student based on their needs. I would relate my teaching style mostly with progressivism as I want to treat the drawing techniques learned as flexible tools rather than "authoritarian sources of knowledge." The children are the experimenters and should think for themselves while learning new skills. I do believe in the existentialist idea that there are bodies of knowledge and skills that all students should possess.
I believe students learn best when they’re given choice and clear instructions modified based on everyone’s needs. Therefore in my classroom I would offer them tools (drawing techniques, cheat sheets, 1-on-1 aid) and the flexibility to learn outside the established instructions. I would also ask the students questions about their interests that could tie into our lesson. For example, one child may like Pokémon, so for an assignment about undersea life, I would give them the freedom to draw fish that resemble specific Pokémon. I would use informal assessments to create detailed rubrics and quick checklists and check them off in front of the students to visualize the improvements they're making. I value that every student has their own story, and once I understand how to gear the class around everyone's interests, it makes a huge difference. I also want the students not to be afraid to ask questions if they are stuck or disagree with the effectiveness of a teaching or drawing method. As a student I was regularly afraid to admit to the teacher that I didn’t understand what to do, even when I genuinely tried to pay attention.
I ultimately have two goals: to be an academically effective teacher for all types of students and to grow empathetically. Learning every student’s strengths and weaknesses is important to tailor how I communicate drawing techniques with them. I can’t teach the class in one specific style and expect everyone to follow along. I want to challenge my biases on what I think is effective teaching and to hear the students out. That’s where empathy comes in and I believe is just as important as the academic side of teaching. I can’t jump to conclusions about why students do what they do, even if it’s disrespectful. Students may be facing obstacles such as time management, academic pressure, family troubles, peer pressure to continue deviating from the task, or loneliness from being neglected by other students. Not to mention that, by knowing children who need accommodations for their disabilities, I can work to provide them with extra tools to have an equal opportunity to learn like everyone else. I will help students learn and grow by reminding them not to feel embarrassed of themselves, not to be upset for not understanding the lesson, or to feel ashamed to feel negative emotions, especially if they are having a bad day. A student's mental health determines the quality of their education, and I hope I can help them be comfortable with themselves while learning something new about art.