I am a teacher educator because I would like to positively impact a young person's life. As a teacher I know I can make a difference and my classroom is a healthy, supportive environment in which my own students can grow and learn. I don't just teach the subject of art, my goal is to teach the whole person, i.e the cognitive , affective, and behavioral dimensions of the human being. The film classic The Wizard of Oz is a wonderful allegory for what I want my students to learn. An effective teacher is like the wizard who must help each individual appreciate the potential that resides within all of us - the potential to make the best use of our minds, our hearts , and those behaviors that can make the world a better place. 

My teaching philosophy has both traditional and radical roots, and rests, finally, on making myself not so much an expert in my field, but a partner in learning. In my Art history class, I structure my class time around discussion , which frequently centers on a challenging question about a period, one that demands that both students read the text closely and listen closely to each other's questions and arguments. I work questions into my presentation that are designed to prompt student engagement. I frequently give students art history exam questions , which not only allows me a chance to intervene in their writing, but also prompts them to see critical thinking and writing as a process of engagement and re-engagement with a text, idea or problem. My students edit each others essay's not only to make them better writers and self- evaluators of their writing, but also to remind that they, as well as I ,can recognise and produce good essays and illustrations. 

All students are individuals, and everyone learns in their own unique way. I use multiple methods of teaching ( linguistic , visual, auditory , kinesthetic) to reach students, so that no one is left behind.I believe the classroom is a living community and that everyone, from the principal to the students to the parents, must contribute in order to maintain a positive atmosphere. 

My future professional goals include 

• Continue to develop my studio practice to inform my teaching practice 

• Collaboration with other artists and teachers on projects 

• Developing my artistic and teaching skills in design as a distinct art field