Personal Teaching Philosophy

I am motivated by the creation of social change in society, civic action, and spreading
awareness of the injustices in the world. I will use social reconstructionism/critical theory to
teach students how to become active in trying to change their communities and the world.
Teaching social action in art is about showing students how to critically think about the world
they live in and how to use independent thinking skills to question social structures. I believe art
is very important in the development of the critical thinking skills that students will use for the
rest of their lives.
I want to create programs at schools that will help create social change in communities by
getting students involved with the communities they live in. I personally believe all students
should be treated as equals. Teachers need to remember that students are only human and they
will have days where they act out, no matter what the situation; teachers must always treat
students with dignity. Teachers who strip students of their dignity will never be effective at
reaching their students because the student will have lost all respect for the teacher. I will
continually strive to direct my learning and self-growth to making sure I never diminish a
students dignity; I will also make sure that no student feels marginalized and/or alienated.
My favorite quote is by Voltaire, I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to
the death your right to say it; and I truly would because I believe if our voices are silenced then
death would surely follow. I feel student-teacher relationships are one of the most important
factors that contribute to having a successful classroom. The foundation for a strong studentteacher relationship based on mutual respect and democracy should be put in motion on the very
first day. Students cannot and will not respect the authority of a teacher who doesnt respect
them. I believe the structure of all classrooms should be based on democracy because without it

you run the risk of creating a we-they atmosphere in the classroom. In a democratic class
things will run smoothly with very little off task time and students will overwhelmingly succeed
in their studies.
I believe in the student-centered approach of constructivism. A teacher is there to guide
students in the learning process by presenting them with information and helping the student to
make sense of it so they can develop their own ideas on the topic. This approach I believe will
help the student develop critical thinking skills that are important in the development and critique
of art.
A learning environment where everyone feels safe and equal cannot be achieved without
rules, procedures, and democracy. Having an environment where students can feel safe to be
themselves will not be possible if harmful behavior is allowed in the class. Harmful behavior
includes racism, bullying, stereotyping, and sexual harassment. My personal philosophy is to be
open minded and understanding but on this issue there will be no exceptions, because the day I
stop looking out for the well being of my students is the day I will quit teaching. Teachers
cannot allow harmful behavior in their classroom, all students should feel safe at school and feel
that they could come to their teachers without fear of judgment or repercussions.
At the center of my personal teaching philosophy is the acceptance of all people and
cultures as equal. Multicultural teaching will expand the horizons of my students by opening
their minds to a world of cultures they dont yet know. Hopefully this new understanding of
other cultures will bring awareness to the struggles of other cultures and possibly the acceptance
of all cultures as equal. This would be achieved through Culturally Responsive Teaching and
Differentiated Instruction. Differentiated Instruction would be employed to teach the same
lesson to students with various art abilities; projects will be completed in different ways to

accommodate the needs of my students. I would teach equally about the art of the ethnic groups
within my class so that they would have a better understanding of their culture and the
contributions made to society by people of their culture. I would alter the lesson to include all
the ethnicities within my class by showing the socio-political work of artists from their culture.
It is my personal mission to get to know each of my students cultures and families so that I can
build a successful classroom based on acceptance, respect, equality and compassion.
Many students face problems at home that are out of their control and these
circumstances can cause students to act out at school. I firmly believe educators who get to
know their students will develop an understanding as to why a student behaves in certain ways.
This understanding will allow educators to better assist their students in the challenges they face.
I want to teach my students to never stop fighting for their beliefs, even in the direst of
circumstances and regardless of what anybody says. I believe that teaching isnt only about the
content students are taught in school, its also about helping students overcome their challenges
so they can become socially responsible members of society.