I have had a strong affinity and passion towards art for as long as I can remember. The outstanding teachers and mentors throughout my artistic and educational career have inspired and encouraged me to become the artist, student and educator that I am today. It’s not easy to pick a favorite from all of my memorable teachers throughout the years but my high school ceramics teacher was undeniably the most influential in my educational journey. She was my hardest critic and my biggest supporter, which I believe makes a lasting impression on a pupil. She taught me the power of being genuine with your students and reaching out to them on a personal level. She’s everything I aspire to be as an educator, passionate about her work and passionate about the students she’s teaching.
I received my Bachelors in Fine Arts from the University of Kansas, with an emphasis in painting. Although I do have a strong foundation in painting, I enjoy almost every art making process and material. I understand and am inspired by art in all its forms, it’s all consuming to me. Since receiving my bachelor’s degree, I have had experiences selling and marketing my work, becoming part of a community in an open studio and gallery in Kansas City, as well as being a practicing commission artist. My studio and gallery space located in the Art Incubator in Kansas City’s Crossroads District is where I learned that art can be a business and being able to confidently communicate my art to customers is key. Connecting with other artists created a support system and encouraged me to continue my journey as a professional artist. Finding a supportive art community is something that I have really come to treasure, it’s kept me motivated and informed. The professional income from selling commissioned works has not only been a great help financially but I have come to enjoy the personal aspect of translating someone’s vision into art. I realize the importance of marketing my work effectively and one of my personal goals is to always stay connected with past and potential clients.
After studying fine arts in Lawrence Kansas and working in Kansas City, I decided to move back to St. Louis, Missouri, where I was born and raised. I have had the wonderful opportunity to work with elementary students in the Adventure Club before and after school program in the Webster Groves School District for the last five years. This program is where I fell in love with teaching and became encouraged to return as a student to the University of Missouri - St. Louis, to continue my education. I love the excitement and interest that the students reveal when learning something new or sharing something that is stimulating or important to them. Early in the morning before the school day starts I spent time with the Avery students talking about their lives, laughing and getting to know one another, playing games, drawing and catching up on homework as they eat breakfast and prepare for their day. It was my job to encourage student’s independence and self-confidence. I took attendance and greeted families and teachers as they entered the school each day. This program is great for the students because they are able to have some structure like they would during a typical school day, but also get to experience unique projects and activities with their friends that create an important time for developing social behaviors in a more casual setting. Students learn how to work, play and respect one another. While working at Adventure Club, I was also working on my Masters degree in Secondary Education, along with gaining my Missouri Teacher Certification in Art K-12. During the school year at Avery Elementary, I worked with all age groups in the morning and primarily worked with the kindergarten and first grade in the afternoons, teaching art, tutoring students in our homework club and creating and leading many other activities that incorporate the outdoors, physical education, science, cooking and many more. I have really enjoyed working with these students and getting to know them over the years. I have seen them grow and evolve. Every child has a hobby and interest that inspires them and I like to encourage them to pursue those interests and dreams. I am a support system and a constant in many of my students lives and by getting to know them I know what their needs are and how to cheer them on to prepare for the morning classroom or how to make them laugh after a long day.
I was responsible for planning activities for the kindergarten at the beginning of each month throughout the school year. I have also had great experiences teaching art classes to elementary students as an enrichment teacher, in a summer camp program. The classes that I have taught have varied in medium, such as ceramics, painting, drawing and a combination of arts and crafts. In all of my classes I want to encourage every child’s imagination and creativity. I teach three classes each summer morning ranging in grade levels from kindergarten to sixth grade. In the summer time afternoons my position at work is a homeroom teacher, where I am responsible for all of the third graders in our summer program. For the third grade classroom, I strive to plan fun and exciting summer activities and projects. My goal is to try to incorporate several different activities for the day, that way every student gets a chance to experience something new and something that they love. This position has been a great opportunity to learn about classroom management and the importance of communication with parents and other teachers and staff members of our program. It’s imperative that everyone is on the same page so the program can run smoothly and we can effectively achieve results. Working with students and teaching is not only fun and consistently exciting, but also very rewarding. It is the best feeling when students are excited about what they are doing and learning and wanting to do more or share their stories and experiences with someone else. When a student is learning, creating and laughing I know that they are happy and I am doing a great job as well. I want to inspire and encourage future students to be successful, like my mentors established confidence and strong work ethics in me.
I began my first my first practicum experience in the Belleville School District which allowed me the opportunity to create a thematic art curriculum and implement engaging lessons in classrooms ranging from 3rd to 6th grade. My subsequent experience creating curriculum and teaching students in 6th through 12th grade at Lift for Life Academy was key in my understanding of secondary students and their unique interests and needs, as well as learning the daily responsibilities of practicing educators. During both of these experiences I was able to share my passion for art as well as extensive content knowledge. My second placement during my practicum II was in the Affton school district at Gotsch Intermediate. I had to opportunity to teach 3rd - 5th grade with a variety of exciting and vibrant elementary art projects. This teaching experience allowed me to experience the importance of school culture and community. The supportive and trusting environment provided me with excellent examples of how to communicate and work with the students, staff, faculty and administration. I enjoyed creating an advanced art curriculum for the upper elementary students. It was exciting introducing new projects and mediums to the classrooms. It encouraged me to keep my lessons relevant and exciting to inspire students to become passionate and confident in the arts.
From the Fall of 2015 to the Spring of 2018 I began working with SLPS as an art educator. The opportunity to work with elementary students at Sigel Elementary since the fall of 2015 in the Saint Louis Public Schools has been an exciting and meaningful experience. I have seen my students gain confidence and become eager about the arts in the year that I have spent working with them. Teaching students in the ages ranging from preschool to sixth grade has prepared me to understand and create curriculum for a variety of developmental stages. Differentiation has been essential to provide each of my students with the tools that they individually need to be successful in their own learning journey.
Watching my students gain self-confidence as they explore and progress in the art room has been a rewarding and moving journey. By creating a relatable curriculum that involves students interests and past experiences has been essential for creating meaningful learning. My lessons are inspired by my students interests and lives, historical art periods, cross-curricular connections and a variety of art mediums that will give my students exposure to an assortment of different topics and studies in art. I am constantly adding new materials and activities into art curriculum to excite and engage my students in learning! I have continued to understand and maintain effective and consistent classroom management in the art room. I enjoy working with the students in the SLPS district and encourage them to reach their fullest potential.
My current position with North Side Community School in North St. Louis has been a wonderful experience. Their dedication for education and helping those in need is truly inspirational. I have loved getting to know the faculty and students at this school and have been inspired from these devoted educators. The opportunity to share my knowledge of the arts with the students at North Side, who are eager to learn, has been unforgettable. This is an excellent school with high exceptions and outstanding procedures, which creates an effective and caring teaching and learning environment. I have learned how loving and productive a school atmosphere can be when everyone supports one another and works towards common goals.
I have also had the opportunity to become a mentor for the UrbanArtsVoice program where I encouraged youth to become more imaginative and active in the community. During this fall of 2016 I will be coaching for Girls on the Run at Sigel Elementary. I am excited to encourage a fun and healthy afterschool activity for the girls in our school community. Through these experiences, I have learned how to communicate and collaborate with students, parents and co-workers.
I believe in building strong relationships with students while creating a safe and caring environment. I have learned through my education and teaching experiences how to incorporate students’ interests, cultures and cross-curricular connections into meaningful and rich curriculum.