Chelsea DeLeon

January 17, 2016

My Art Educational History
My first memory of artistic success was in kindergarten. I won a first place ribbon
for a painting of grapes that I completed in art class. I remember being very pleased with
the painting simply because it was purple. However, my parents lack of enthusiasm
quickly made me aware that art was something that would neither impress nor be
understood by my family in years to come.
Art, however, continued to be my favorite activity that would sometimes spill
over to other classes. One day in first grade when we were having a handwriting lesson
on the letter A, we were allowed to color a picture of ants at the top of the page. I
wanted to finish my coloring and didnt want to put away the worksheet when told to do
so. My teacher was upset with me for not following instructions and changed my
disciplinary color from green to yellow. Looking back, I wish she had been more patient
and understanding of my visual learning style.
When I moved to Texas in fifth grade I was considered to be in intermediate
school along with the sixth graders. We were allowed to pick an elective, and mine was
art. The classrooms were new and our teacher was lovely. She was very encouraging and
supportive and would hang my artwork in the hallway. Even at this time when my
drawings were impressive to my friends and teachers, my parents still were not
encouraging and wanted me to do better in math and science.
Graduating from intermediate school and progressing to middle school was hard
for me. My parents divorced and we moved very, very frequently. I attended thirteen
different middle schools and I always took art wherever we were. At this time, I rarely
spoke to peers or teachers and I would spend hours drawing pictures in my sketchbook at
lunch. My art teachers were always particularly kind. I would sometimes show my
teachers my drawings and they would help me improve. Their interest at this tumultuous
time made art therapy that helped me cope with my parents divorce and multiple moves
until high school.

I didnt take art again until my senior year in high school. My senior year I filled
my schedule with art classes. My drawing teacher Ms. Remppel was a talented
photographer, but taught introductory art. Looking back, I remember how unhappy she
was to teach her classes. While she liked motivated and talented students she didnt have
patience with the general student population and lost patience with them frequently. Her
students were not engaged or happy to be in her class. Contrary to Ms. Remppel, my
sculpture teacher Ms. Reyna was always happy to see us and was excited about her
subject. I was always excited to go to her class where I could talk with friends and enjoy
the art process and the positive energy she infused in the classroom.
After high school graduation I attended the University of Georgia and believed
that I was going to be a history teacher. I took an art appreciation class where I realized
how much I missed the creative process of art, and changed my major to art education.
Since then Ive graduated college, established myself as an educator, and began my
masters degree in art education. Last summer at the University of Florida where, with the
support of my teachers, I felt I had developed my own artistic voice for the first time.
This moment of discovery has been extremely motivating both as a teacher and as an
artist and demonstrates that artistic growth is continuous even after becoming an art
educator.
I didnt grow up surrounded by art or in an environment supportive of the arts, but
for some reason art has always been my main method of communication and expression.
My art teachers growing up are the primary reason for my occupation as an art educator
today. My elementary teachers encouraged my artistic enthusiasm despite my parents
lack of approval. Today, during Open House and Meet the Teacher events I always
give parents a list of possible artistic occupations to promote positive support for the arts
at home and in the classroom. My secondary teachers remain my most influential role
models. They taught me that to be an educator you have to be compassionate and kind as
well as encouraging and enthusiastic. In my classroom today my classroom environment
is paramount. I strive to create a caring, enthusiastic, positive, and fun environment first,
before worrying about curriculum. My teaching success is due to my teachers instilling

the importance of a positive environment in an educational setting where students learn

and appreciate art despite their own artistic background.