Philosophy Statement

As an arts educator, I consider the primary purpose of education to be enabling individuals to determine how to learn on their own (Chomsky). By developing their own ideas, students become independent thinkers and autonomous individuals. One of my primary purposes is to foster an educational model that encourages learners to become critical thinkers, creative individuals, and empathetic human beings. The core values that guide my practice are creativity, freedom, inspiration, openness, collaboration, expression, strength, resilience, focus, rigor, support, guidance, and opportunity. 

I believe my role as a teacher is to guide students in creating environments that invite them to think critically, solve problems, and construct their own knowledge. By creating learning opportunities that promote higher-order thinking, my students progressively build the skills to become independent learners. I want them to question, challenge, and think critically about the world they encounter, cultivate empathy towards one another, and create the world they want for themselves and future generations. 

I implement a student-centered learning model driven by the students’ needs, which focuses on all aspects of the child, their emotional, physical, intellectual, and artistic development. I am passionate about supporting students to develop social-emotional skills. In my dance classroom, I prioritize self-awareness, social awareness, and relationship skills, as I believe these are essential competencies for students to develop into responsible and empathetic human beings.

By building meaningful relationships with my students, I promote a perspective of horizontal education. This approach encourages them to be creative, empowers them to make positive behavioral choices in the classroom, and supports them in constructing their learning. In my view, a positive learning environment makes students feel safe, acknowledged, and celebrated in their cultural values, which is the foundation for a diverse and inclusive classroom.

As a multilingual learner myself, I feel a strong responsibility to support my multilingual students in building strategies to expand their literacy skills. I wish to help them articulate their ideas, understand and navigate the challenges they face, and build a growth mindset. 

Inspired by a genuine desire to reconnect with my cultural heritage, I aim to dismantle oppressive educational practices rooted in neocolonial perspectives. I am interested in drawing from my students’ “cultural ancestral funds of knowledge” (Ojeya Cruz Banks) and capitalizing on this knowledge to build responsive pedagogical practices. 

In my teaching practice, I strive to implement multimodal pedagogical strategies that cater to diverse learning styles and intelligences. I encourage collaboration among students, facilitating learning environments that foster dialogue, reflection, and constructive feedback. 

I integrate critical pedagogy as a means of promoting a democratic classroom, while empowering students to understand their role in society. I strive to create a student-centered classroom, prioritizing student voice and choice, while maintaining a culturally responsive approach. Thinking about my students through that lens means understanding where they come from and how their background and culture dictate the way they learn and experience the world around them. This requires me to continually adapt my teaching practice to meet the diverse needs and realities of my students.

I like to help students expand their creativity, shaping their extensive imagination, while maintaining its limitless nature. I am also interested in the growth and development of physical wellness, as well as broadening students’ arts literacy and cultural knowledge.

Ultimately, I want my students to become independent and self-sufficient individuals, providing them with the tools to achieve their goals and shape their own lives as they envision them. I aim to support and guide my students in revealing their loving, caring, and empathetic selves, fighting against the forces in our culture and modern world that push toward a dehumanized and automated existence. I believe that through the study and practice of dance as a creative endeavor, children will grow as artists and human beings.

Photo Credit

Top & Bottom Pictures: Caylee Shimizu | Dancers from left to right: Carmen Caceres & Thomas Gunderson Bond