WELCOME

Hello everyone,

My name is Meera Ramanathan and I am the Project Resource teacher for visual art at Zamorano Fine Arts Academy. 

   I am the chair for the CAEA San Diego area K-8 art show and also the chair for the VAPA Advisory council for San Diego Unified School District.

 I have a Master's degree in History of Fine Arts, drawing and painting from India and a Single Subject Teaching Credential in Visual Art from San Diego State University. I also have 9 years experience working in an early childhood setting.

In my art class, I like to introduce my students to artists from different parts of the world while giving them the opportunity to create, present, respond and connect with different media and techniques while finding inspiration from their own life experiences. My goal is always to see how I can make my lessons accessible to all my students while keeping them challenged, motivated, and engaged. 

By incorporating Social Emotional Learning, I teach my students how to develop positive identities, manage emotions and show empathy for others. I incorporate these practices by having students create artwork at the beginning of the year where they include multiple aspects about themselves and have a positive self-image.

My teaching includes equity, diversity, and inclusion. I view  students as unique individuals and make sure that they receive the instruction and resources to be successful. I differentiate and scaffold lessons to help students understand the lesson and I get information about any special needs from their classroom teachers to make accommodations and modifications to the lesson. I incorporate diversity in my lessons by highlighting artists of different nationalities, cultures, and gender identities. I use a multicultural approach that incorporates art from different parts of the world, so students develop curious minds, empathy, and acceptance. By incorporating inclusion, I strive to make my classroom a safe, welcoming space for all my students. I work to establish a positive rapport with my students and create a sense of belonging which in turn helps me learn about them, build trust, and foster self-confidence in them.

In 2022, I was awarded the Outstanding Elementary Visual Art Educator award by the California Art Education Association and my art program was awarded the Exemplary Program status. 

In 2023, I was awarded the Artistic Innovation award at the VAPA Spotlight awards and also received the CAEA San Diego area Ruth Jansen award.