Enjoy this excerpt from Katrina’s philosophy statement:

“As an artist and art educator, I want to create a diverse and accepting environment where students are able to create freely, helping them connect with their inner creatives and find confidence in their abilities. In the stages of development students go through, it’s important that they are feeling supported and valued. Especially when on a journey to finding themselves, it’s crucial that they feel they matter and are respected. Having a strong sense of community within the classroom is a great way to practice respecting others and appreciating what people are brave enough to share. As a teacher, I will guide my students through their art journey, allowing them to explore  who they are, and be proud of their individuality. We are all unique in our own ways, and a great way to explore that is through art. Art can help you realize so many different things about yourself and can be a great tool for learners. Art is a great way to show self-expression and should not just be limited to only being in the art room. Art can help people process information and make deeper connections with content, helping them understand concepts better.”  

Enjoy this excerpt from Nicholas’ philosophy statement:
 
“First, I believe that every child can learn. I also believe that every child has unique motivations for learning. Since art is a reflection of individual expression, each child will have unique motivations to create and explore art as well. I believe that art education should encourage each student to develop their own artistic voice. I also think that art education should provide opportunities for students to learn from one another and to practice their communication skills through artistic expression and guided interpretation. Students’ work should not necessarily look alike and should reflect their individuality of expression. I believe that every student responds to art differently, and every student is at a different level of ability.

​My mission is to make every student familiar with the techniques, tools, and styles they need to accomplish their own artistic goals. In addition to art projects, they should be continually assessed on their ability to explain their creative process, think critically about art, and explore novel concepts. My goal is for students to be literate in art vocabulary, be knowledgeable and take inspiration from both art history and contemporary art, be familiar with a variety of media, and most importantly to expand their minds through artistic expression.”