You be the beam of light
I’ll be the window you travel through
You be the emergency parachute
I’ll be the shaking hand that deploys you
You be the city’s oasis
I’ll keep the weeds at bay
You be the glow-in-the-dark star
I’ll be the toddler who understands
that you are definitive evidence of magic
You be the two-way mirror
I’ll be surprised to see myself reflected back
You be the sponge
I’ll be totally absorbed
You be the divine apparition
I’ll be the true believer
You be the comic book illustrator
I’ll be the super hero of your purest invention,
the stuff of your dreams and just as flawed as you are
You be the activist
I’ll be your mic check
You be the permanent marker
I’ll be the surface of the table that receives your impression
You be all and yet, none of the above
I’ll become comfortable with ambiguity
You be you
I’ll be me.
My approach to teaching is a pedagogy of the amateur, as outlined here by Corita Kent:
“To the extent we can approach our job as an amateur (from the Latin amare, meaning to love) will we be successful in our work. When we pursue a thing for love, we are free to fumble and make mistakes. The course of our work may not run smoothly, but we are open to possibilities, embracing everything we have contact with. Our vision is not narrowed by convention.”
With an amateur’s mindset, facilitator and learner can approach learning and meaning-making from an inquisitive and intrinsically motivated place that creates space for play, failure, reflection, innovation, openness, and the growth that results from mindful engagement in these practices
There is incredible power in creating something from nothing; in understanding one’s unique identity; in letting one’s voice be heard; in being vulnerable in front of others; in asking questions, experimenting, and generating new possible solutions. I strive every day to create a classroom culture that empowers and supports learners to engage in these critical human endeavors.
I teach in order to partner with learners as we strive to better understand ourselves, our world(s), and the world of art. Engaging in purposeful play, collaboration, dialogue, meaning-making, and self-reflection are privileged methods of investigation in my teaching and art-making practices, across all contexts.
Just as I invite learners to find the strength in vulnerability, I walk alongside my learners and make myself vulnerable. It is my belief that an equitable partnership with learners stems from this shared striving. Whenever possible, I make art or complete course activities alongside learners. Whenever possible, I step aside and allow the learners to lead. I communicate to learners that they are seen and valued; that their needs drive the course. I seek this partnership with learners because I am a learner in equal measure, as well as a reflective practitioner. I privilege the mindset of the beginner and a “how might we?” attitude. I celebrate the individual perspectives laden with cultural assets that each participant brings to classroom dialogue and to creative solution finding.
I am an educated white woman in a field where I see myself reflected everywhere I look. I serve a diverse student population and I recognize that when my students look at me and at my colleagues, they do not necessarily see themselves reflected back. I am committed to working towards a future where that is no longer a reality, and in the interim I examine my interactions with my learners and my curricula through a culturally and community-responsive, trauma-informed lens and interrogate the blindspots and biases that prevent learners from thriving in the learning environment.