Teaching Philosophy
My teaching focuses on:
integrating student-centered exploration with developing meaningful questions
without the ability to create meaningful questions, dialogue is impossible; without dialogue students cannot develop informed viewpoints, leaving them unable to discuss or explain difficult concepts, without dialogue they cannot learn how to appreciate the viewpoints of others
developing critical thinking & interpretive skills based on a rigorous critique model
visual artists and designers need to develop competency with the non-verbal language of visual art; they must be able to render this non-verbal language into descriptions and explanations; they must be able to speak about their artwork and the work of others
challenging preconceived ideas, questioning the status quo
intellectual and artistic growth requires examining commonly held ideas, evaluating them in the light of new awareness and knowledge, and then trying them on, testing the "fit" for what holds meaning and inspires growth
encouraging students to stretch themselves beyond their preferred media
it seems to me that very few artists pick one medium and pursue it for the rest of their lives; a full and empowering practice involves experimentation
building trust and taking risks
to encourage experimentation in the classroom and in the student's artistic practice requires a belief in the value of experimentation and a certain level of comfort in regard to acceptance of the work created
developing problem-solving skills to apply to one's art practice and one's life
it is a given that students need to acquire the technical skills required for competency in their discipline/media; experimentation necessitates problem-solving skills that help them look at even the most difficult challenges as opportunities rather than roadblocks
finding ways to realize transcendence, to bring the "AH HA" moments into one's life intentionally, as a foundation for learning and creating
often we have moments of great clarity, great inspiration, great depth, epiphanies that are all too often lost in the flow of everyday life; finding ways to hold on to these moments, to articulate and assimilate them into our lives and our practices is a vital part of fulfilling our human potential
raising awareness and establishing a broad and open vision of the world and the artist's place in it
in order to understand the sources of inspiration, it is important for students to learn that their culture, society, status and education affects the art they create just as much as the media and current world events
