Hello!

I stumbled across this quote from the American poet, Mark Van Doren, and it immediately resonated with me; it reflects my keen interest in and goals of pursuing a career in teaching.

​

Growing up I struggled with fitting into classroom settings as I was a quiet and shy kid who kept to myself. I never wanted to be noticed, so I refrained from any form of self-expression or openly and freely engaging with many, despite having thoughts and ideas to contribute. In eighth grade, I took my first art elective class and fell in love with what it offered and opened me up to – a new and creative way to express myself, contribute ideas, and grow through art. It was not until I started actively pursuing art that I found a meaningful outlet to feel like my own individual self. My art teachers played a vital role in helping me flourish and confidently express myself.

​

After this first positive experience in choosing art as my elective, I began actively pursuing art classes in high school. I was lucky to go to a public school in Montgomery County, Maryland, where I had various art focuses to choose from, and extremely supportive and helpful teachers to assist me in making good selections that matched my interests. These teachers taught me the basics of understanding art, the concepts of art, and the use of digital programs; though, they encouraged me to find and gave me creative space to express what and how I was feeling in any meaningful way I deemed appropriate. I think that is an important part of teaching: providing a foundation and framework for thinking creatively but allowing every student to explore and flourish on their own, and to identify ways to best express themselves.

​

While being able to bloom and thrive in my art environment, I struggled with other aspects of school and many subjects, as I found much of the learning was very one-plus-one equals two and linear. As in, there was only one correct answer, usually with a structured or sequential process, and no leeway to answer in a different, more subjective way. Similarly, at times, I struggled with test taking and answering prompts in ways the teachers expected students to proceed or respond.

After high school I pursued a Bachelors of Fine Arts, at notable art college, where I was taught that from point A, I could move to point C, or B, but that was up to me and I would not be penalized for thinking differently than some of my peers. This translated for me into understanding that not everyone learns the same way, and that is perfectly okay and should be supported and acknowledged . While I struggled in extremely structured classes, I thrived in more open-ended classes, which aimed at empowering student direction and achievement. Art education is one of the few courses in primary school that can, and I believe should, support creativity, allowing young minds to explore and find their freedom to express themselves and communicate ideas through art in a school environment. This belief is what started and reinforces my drive to become an art teacher.

​

What does a good teacher know? I think the top three traits of a good teacher include being passionate and knowledgeable about their chosen subject and an eagerness to share that with their students, understanding the power of positivity and empowerment, and having compassion for individual circumstances. Children and teenagers are young, growing, and striving to learn to understand themselves and fit into society, peer groups, and blending and advancing in ever changing environments.

​

Another quote that resonates with me is by Sydney Gurewitz Clemens, who stated, “Art has the role in education of helping children become like themselves instead of more like everyone else.” Art is unique from other subjects, whereby all students can succeed, and every success will look different. You can adopt your own style and convey what you want, and still be within the confines of the class objectives. And with every success, comes a boost of confidence, an interest in pursuing a deeper level of creativity, and growth. Understanding that every individual will learn and create differently is what I believe a good teacher should know.

​

Appreciating the wide spectrum of learning styles and creativity also supports better understanding and teaching in a diverse population. Growing up in Montgomery County Public Schools, I was able to experience a diverse population right at home. As highlighted above, I believe art is unique, in that there is no rule saying you need to fulfill certain steps or complete specific boxes on a checklist in order to create. I think teaching a more diverse population presents considerably more opportunities to explore art and the impact on a student’s growth. Everyone has different thinking patterns, and different individual life experiences. Following the psychology of how different viewpoints influences creativity is fascinating, as are the inherent diversity of outputs and that there is never just one answer or response. I think supporting creativity and people’s differences is important to everyone’s individual growth. Every class will be different, and I believe as a teacher, I should be able to facilitate meaningful and inclusive learning opportunities for all students, despite any real or perceived individual differences, and adapt to each class, and student, to help create the best learning environment possible.

​

Understanding and engaging different learning styles I believe is key to having a supportive class environment. I want to harness my skills and experience to encourage students to develop lifelong skills for building their confidence and abilities. Lastly, I want to leave a lasting impact on all of my students and motivate them for personal growth and advancement.

​