My

philosophy of education stems from a quote I heard a few years back that has
been ringing in my head ever since. Be the person you needed when you were
younger. These words were in my head when I decided to pursue a teaching
credential and chose to work with adolescents. I asked myself what I had to offer
and how I could make a difference for children and my community? All I knew was
that I had a passion for and skill in art and a desire for a meaningful career.

Teaching this year has taught me that this profession is so much more than the
content. As a lifelong artist it has been has been inspiring to once again be immersed
in an arts education atmosphere and utilize my passion for inspiring and fostering
creativity and learning. However, my time teaching this semester has also been a
wonderful learning experience for me. Each day my experience not only gives me
reflection of how I can improve my teaching, but also validates my decision to
pursue a teaching career.

My greatest joy this semester has been in building relationships with the students. I
see myself gaining their trust and respect and want to continue establishing that
relationship so that I can become an advocate and guide for them. Within a few
weeks of starting the semester, I had students appearing in my class during lunch to
hang out and talk about life, school, or nothing at all. That was a sign that for me that
I was on the right path creating a safe, relaxing, and welcoming atmosphere for my
students. The art in itself is therapeutic but beyond that students are learning to be
persistent, solve problems, and be confident and proud of their work in my class.


My relationships with my peers within the school and community have also been
rewarding. I feel fortunate to have had the supportive guidance of Linus Lancaster
as my department chair. I feel that this gave me a model of how to work and
collaborate with other educators. I believe that collaboration among teachers
enriches curriculum, and creates a community bond and a cohesive team.

Teaching has taken my love for creating art, an often-solo activity, and turned it into
something meaningful through personal relationships. My reward at the end of the
day is knowing that I was able to make a difference.