Students are able to find their voice through artistic exploration. Art Education is an essential subject in schools that contributes to students' growth, and provides them with the tools needed to carve their own paths. Not only do students become well-rounded artists through participating in art class, they also evolve as members of society, changemakers, and innovators.

My teaching curriculum aims to guide the emergence of an artist within each student. I use a constructivist approach which allows learners to build and develop their own knowledge through being explorative creating and reflecting on what they have learned. My role as a teacher is to guide the students towards success and support them in their artistic endeavors. I am responsible for sharing the artworld with them and steering them towards success. I recognize that my role as a teacher is also to inspire. While I am a teacher, I am also an artist. By continuing to practice my own art I can continue to learn and develop my craft alongside the students. I value bringing enthusiasm to the art room and sharing my passion for art with others.

Students play a critical role in the classroom by influencing the curriculum. A strong student teacher relationship includes authenticity and mutual respect. I take a Reggio Emilia approach, as I am eager not only to teach the students, but for them to teach me. Each student has something new to offer and I embrace constantly growing and evolving as an artist and educator. Additionally, the students' role in the art room is to explore the Studio Habits of Mind. They learn to Develop Craft, Engage & Persist, Envision, Express, Observe, Reflect, Stretch and Explore, and Understand Art Worlds. In our art room, students are taught how to tap into their imaginations to create what is unique to them while also developing essential art skills.   

Together, the students and I will grow a classroom community centered around inclusion, individuality, and artistic self-expression. I advocate for special education inclusion by ensuring that all of my lessons can be easily modified so that special needs students have equal opportunity to create. I value incorporating historical and contemporary artists of all different backgrounds, ethnicities, and identities into my lesson plans. By focusing on diversity and inclusion, the classroom becomes a safe space for all.