As an artist and educator, I care genuinely about the value of an education in the arts. I believe that students are capable of creating meaningful and inspirational artwork at any age. I also believe it is my job to make sure that I am consistently helping to encourage all of my students to succeed by providing them with an environment to freely and safely express themselves. My teaching philosophy emphasizes student-centered projects and learning that enables each of my students to reach his or her own personal goals by utilizing a self-directed and art focused instructional design like the TAB (Teaching Artistic Behaviors) method or "choice art". The TAB method allows me to help students reach their fullest abilities as well as allowing them to have a say with how they want to express themselves. Art can be a way for students to share how they feel and can be an easier means to express emotions rather than speaking and being vulnerable in front of others. Within the TAB method, I can teach the studio habits of mind. The studio habits of mind focus on 8 main categories such as express, develop craft, envision, understand arts community, observe, engage and persist, reflect, and stretch and explore. These 8 studio habits help students learn what processes they should be going through to make their artwork. Along with utilizing the TAB method, helping students understand what art focused means also allows me to share my knowledge and love of art with each of them and helps them learn how to problem solve when a problem may arise when learning new techniques and skills. Instruction that is student-centered allows me to be able to find different ways that each student can be successful. All students learn in different ways and it is my job to learn my students’ abilities and aptitudes and set appropriate and reachable expectations. For example, teaching using the TAB method could look like explaining or demonstrating the same process or skill in a variety of different ways.

     Helping students reach their personal goals allows me to be their biggest fan when they are in my classroom and even outside of my classroom. Making sure students have consistency, encouragement, and a safe environment will allow them to have individual freedom and choice but also lets them know that I will always be here to guide and mentor them. Through openness, laughter, trials and tribulations, conversations, and understanding, my intention as an art educator is to promote an environment where students know that they are able to express their true and best selves through their artwork.