Teaching Portfolio

James Howard Monroe Middle School  March - May 2025

CT: Michael Divelbiss

University Supervisor: Nan Stein

Classes taught: 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Art

Description: During my eight-week student teaching experience at James Howard Monroe Middle School, I was fully immersed in a choice-based art classroom under the guidance of my cooperating teacher. This environment empowered students to take ownership of their learning by making decisions about their artwork and creative process. Following my CT’s routines and teaching style, I learned how to manage a classroom where students are treated not only as learners, but as artists with both creative freedom and responsibility.

The structure of the classroom encouraged exploration and independence while maintaining clear expectations. Students kept digital portfolios to document homework, bell ringers, skill-builder projects, and “wow projects” that showcased their best work.

Throughout my time at Monroe, I taught several skill-builder lessons and project-based units focused on developing specific techniques and concepts. These skill builders provided a structured introduction to new materials, which students could then revisit in future projects by choice. I gained valuable experience planning and delivering instruction that supports student agency while aligning with curriculum goals, lesson objectives, and state standards.

The curriculum was thoughtfully scaffolded by grade level: 6th graders focused on 2D media, 7th graders worked exclusively in 3D, and 8th graders were given full choice of medium. This progression helped me understand how to structure learning experiences that are developmentally appropriate and skill-building.

Overall, this experience deepened my understanding of student-centered learning, classroom management, and the importance of giving students voice and choice in the art room.

Lesson Examples: Beautiful Beasts Ceramic Unit    Origami Unit 

Data Assessment Example: Assessment Data Example Link

Wheaton Warrenville South High School January - March 2025

CT: Malinda Holmer 

University Supervisor: Nan Stein

Classes taught: Graphic Design, Painting 1, Drawing 1, Drawing 2, Studio 

Extracurriculars: Art Club co-facilitator

Description: During my 8 weeks of student teaching at Wheaton Warrenville High School, I gained invaluable experience and insight into the classroom environment and teaching practices. Under the mentorship of Mrs. Holmer, I taught a variety of classes, including Drawing 1, Drawing 2, Graphic Design, and Studio Art. Teaching a variety of courses, I learned how to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of my lessons as well as strengthen my differentiated instruction. I also had the opportunity to teach Mr. Biba's Painting 1 class as well, which broadened my understanding of how to engage students in diverse mediums. Overall, this experience helped me develop skills in lesson planning, classroom management, and providing constructive feedback, all while fostering creativity and a love for art in my students. I learned the importance of building strong relationships with students and how to tailor my teaching strategies to ensure that every student could thrive and express themselves artistically.

Alongside my daily teaching responsibilities, I facilitated Art Club once a week, providing students with an open and supportive space to explore their creativity beyond the classroom curriculum. I organized and led a variety of projects based on student interests and collaborated with my cooperating teacher and her colleagues to align activities with broader school initiatives. My goal was to create an inclusive environment where students of all skill levels felt comfortable expressing themselves, experimenting with new techniques, and building a sense of community through collaboration.

Through my student teaching experience, I developed a deeper understanding of the values and skills essential to being an effective educator. I came to appreciate the importance of patience, flexibility, and empathy in fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment. Recognizing that each student brings unique strengths and challenges, I learned to adapt my teaching strategies to meet diverse needs and learning styles. I also refined my communication skills—both in delivering clear instructions and in providing constructive, motivating feedback that supports student growth. Over the course of these eight weeks, I gained a strong appreciation for the role of a growth mindset in the creative process and the value of encouraging students to view mistakes as opportunities for learning. Ultimately, this experience helped me refine my teaching philosophy rooted in inclusivity, encouragement, and the belief that all students can be artists. 

Lesson Plans and Links:

Graphic Design: Digital Coloring Page     Album Design Unit      Typography

Painting 1: Acrylic Unit

Drawing 1: Color Theory Unit     Value and Variation Unit    Student Artwork

Drawing 2: Foreshortening and Perspective Unit      Student Artwork

Studio: Collage Unit    Linocut Social Commentary 

Professionalism, Advocacy, and Leadership: Pal 1 

IPTS (2013) STANDARD 9 - Professionalism, Leadership, and Advocacy - The competent teacher is an ethical and reflective practitioner who exhibits professionalism; provides leadership in the learning community; and advocates for students, parents or guardians, and the profession.

Description: My artwork has been featured in the Bloomington, IL Airport as part of the ISU Drawing Our Community art show. I have two watercolor painting in this show that I created in my Topics in Drawing class. This exhibition will be on display in the airport gallery January - May 2025.

Rationale: As an art teacher, I believe it’s important to model how art can serve as a tool for connecting with and reflecting on the community. By sharing my work in this public space, I am not only demonstrating professionalism and reflective practice, but also advocating for the power of art to tell the stories of those around us. This opportunity allows me to contribute to the ongoing conversation about the value of art local communities, while encouraging my students to participate in community engagement.

Evidence: Drawing Our Community Link

Professionalism, Advocacy, and Leadership: Pal 2

​IPTS (2013) STANDARD 9 - Professionalism, Leadership, and Advocacy - The competent teacher is an ethical and reflective practitioner who exhibits professionalism; provides leadership in the learning community; and advocates for students, parents or guardians, and the profession.

Description: During my student teaching, I visited the Art Institute of Chicago and spent time in the Impressionism wing, reflecting on how art history can enhance my teaching. This visit deepened my understanding of artistic techniques and historical context, which I integrated into my lessons to better engage students and broaden their artistic perspectives.

Evidence: I shared insights from the museum with my students, connecting the Impressionist movement to their projects. This allowed me to demonstrate the value of art history and encourage students to explore these techniques, integrating my own professional development into my teaching practice.

Rationale: This visit aligns with IPTS Standard 9, demonstrating my commitment to lifelong learning and professionalism. By incorporating museum experiences into my teaching, I advocate for the value of art education, lead by example, and encourage students to appreciate art both in and outside the classroom.

Saturday Art Class ( 1st Grade)

IPTS Standard 8- Collaborative Relationships - The competent teacher builds and maintains collaborative relationships to foster cognitive, linguistic, physical, and social and emotional development. This teacher works as a team with professional colleagues, students, parents or guardians, and community members.

IPTS Standard 2 - Content Area and Pedagogical Knowledge - The competent teacher has in-depth understanding of content area knowledge that includes central concepts, methods of inquiry, structures of the disciplines, and content area literacy. The teachers creates meaningful learning experiences for each student based upon interactions among content area and pedagogical knowledge, and evidence-based practice.

Description: Over the course of five consecutive Saturdays, we co-taught a first-grade class, culminating in an exhibition of their artwork. The lessons focused on the students’ future personas, encouraging them to imagine what they might be doing in the years to come. Each student created a unique mixed-media artwork that reflected their individual ideas and envisioned future. We started by teaching the students how to make a clay picture frame, followed by creating paper costumes inspired by their future careers. Finally, the students took photos in their costumes and incorporated these images into a collage. 

Rationale: The unit inspired students to reflect on their futures while giving them the opportunity to experiment with a range of materials, including clay, paint, collage, paper costumes, and photography. We gained valuable insights into the 1st graders' skills and their existing knowledge. This lesson will be helpful for designing and teaching future lessons to younger grade levels. Additionally, the experience has been invaluable for improving our classroom management skills. Although classroom management proved to be the most challenging aspect of this unit, it was also the most rewarding part of the experience. This first-grade group exhibited a diverse range of interests and learning styles. In the materials provided below, you'll find a comprehensive overview of our five days teaching these students, including the adaptations we made and the challenges we overcame. Throughout this process, I also gained valuable insights into my own teaching approach.

Evidence: Lesson Plan      Powerpoint      Overview     Student's work     Photos    Exhibition

SATURDAY CLASS CLASSROOM SET-UP DOCUMENTATION

IPTS Standard 4 - Learning Environment - The competent teacher structures a safe and healthy learning environment that facilitates cultural and linguistic responsiveness, emotional well-being, self-efficacy, positive social interaction, mutual respect, active engagement, academic risk-taking, self-motivation, and personal goal setting. This includes a virtual environment and any learning aids used within a Google Drive.

7D: understands how to organize the instructional environment to maximize students’ learning.

Description: For the 1st grade classroom, we had students work on a large butcher block table in the center of the classroom while the created art. The front of the room had a large carpet facing the projector screen that we utilized to establish our routines. We used stations frequently in our lesson and set up stations around the U-shaped desks that surrounded the butcher block. Each station had different supplies and a teacher to assist the students in their creating. Posters were used to give the students clay technique references and a "meet the artist" poster for one of the projects inspiration artist. 

Rationale: We chose the set up based on the students strength. For first grade, we found it best to have the students sit on the carpet during instruction, presentations, and non-art making activities. The carpet faced the projector so they would not be distracted by other things around the room. This helped establish routines so students knew what to expect when they walked in each Saturday. Rather than sitting at the table with the supplies we set up, we guided them through the lessons as the spread out on the carpet. We recognized that a we had some early finishers or students who needed a "brain break" and used the carpet as a free draw space during work time. This was done with a large piece of butcher paper and a variety of art supplies laid out around the carpet. Having the stations around the classroom helped project go more smoothly as students could take turns with different supplies and had more one-on-one help from one of the five teachers. The stations greatly helped facilitate transitions and gave them a space to walk around. 

Evidence: Classroom photos

Professionalism, Advocacy, and Leadership: Pal 1 (2 submissions)

IPTS (2013) STANDARD 9 - Professionalism, Leadership, and Advocacy - The competent teacher is an ethical and reflective practitioner who exhibits professionalism; provides leadership in the learning community; and advocates for students, parents or guardians, and the profession.

Description: I read the book titled "Art & Design Education in Times of Change" by Lynne D. P. Sullivan and David H. Jones. It examines the evolving landscape of art and design education, particularly in the context of societal, cultural, and technological shifts. The book addresses how modern changes in the world impact the teaching and learning of art and design. It explores how art education can adapt to these changes while preserving its core values. The book includes contributions from various scholars and educators, offering insights into how art and design education can be more inclusive, innovative, and relevant to contemporary society. 

Rationale: The book emphasizes the importance of understanding cultural diversity and how art education can be inclusive of different traditions, perspectives, and global issues. This gave me deeper insight about the necessity to use cultural relevance in my teaching. The book taught me how to adapt their teaching strategies and curricula to accommodate technological advancements, the digital age, and the changing needs of students. 

Evidence: Book Link

Description: I attended an artist talk for Libby Rothfeld hosted at University Galleries in Normal, IL. The talk was 2 hours and Rothfeld discussed the inspiration behind her work and the process she used to create it. Most of her work was 3D sculptures that were inspired by the Dadaist ready-mades of the 1920's. 

Rationale: Hearing this artist talk gave me insight into art within my community. I learned about unique approaches to traditional techniques. 

Evidence: Exhibition Link

Professionalism, Advocacy, and Leadership: Pal 2

​IPTS (2013) STANDARD 9 - Professionalism, Leadership, and Advocacy - The competent teacher is an ethical and reflective practitioner who exhibits professionalism; provides leadership in the learning community; and advocates for students, parents or guardians, and the profession.

Description: I had the opportunity to serve as a board member for ISU's NAEA (National Art Educators Association). I was the social media chair and helped with social postings and communications for the chapter. The board members meet bi-weekly to plan for upcoming events, including conferences, meetings, social gatherings, and volunteer opportunities. Collaboration is essential as we work together to develop an agenda for the year, creating events that will support the growth of future art educators. Some of the events included content test study sessions, art-making social events, food bank volunteering, and informational meetings. 

Rationale: My experience with NAEA has equipped me with valuable skills in collaboration and deepened my involvement in the art community. I gained hands-on experience in event organization and managing deadlines by ensuring that general members submitted their materials on time. This role also provided insight into the responsibilities associated with marketing and public communications. 

Evidence: Instagram: @isunaea

Description: I have a professional art Instagram in which I post my artwork, process, and anything relating to my personal work! 

Rationale: Documenting my work helps me present my work in a cohesive manner and find like-minded individuals that share their art online. I use it to document my growth and reach a wider audience. 

Evidence: Instagram @surrealindsm

Normal Public Library Lesson 

IPTS (2013) Standard 5 Instructional Delivery – The competent teacher differentiates instruction by using a variety of strategies that support critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, and continuous growth and learning. This teacher understands that the classroom is a dynamic environment requiring ongoing modification of instruction to enhance learning for each student. 

Description: I co-taught a lesson at with the Normal Public Library. For our lesson, we taught paper mache animals. This lesson focused on endangered animals and brought attention to animal advocacy. Using aluminum foil, masking tape, newsprint and glue, students molded the shape of the animal, cover the aluminum shape in paper mache, and painted it to look like the animal of their choosing. 

Rationale: The use of paper mâché in this lesson served as an effective medium for introducing students to both artistic techniques and the critical issue of animal conservation. By using materials such as aluminum foil, masking tape, newsprint, and glue, students were able to mold the shape of an animal of their choosing, giving them an opportunity to express their creativity and connect with the subject matter in a tangible way. The physical process of shaping the animal models encouraged students to think critically about the characteristics of different species, deepening their awareness of the diversity of animal life.

In addition to the hands-on craft component, this lesson allowed for rich discussions about endangered species and the role of advocacy in protecting them. As students worked on their projects, we incorporated facts about endangered animals, emphasizing their importance in maintaining ecological balance and the urgent need for conservation efforts. This dialogue aimed to inspire students to not only appreciate wildlife but also take action in advocating for animal protection.

Evidence / Links:  Lesson Plan     Flyer     Powerpoint     Artist Handout     Artist Example

U-High Workshop 

IPTS (2013) Standard 3 Instructional Delivery – Planning for Differentiated Instruction – The competent teacher plans and designs instruction based on content area knowledge, diverse student characteristics, student performance data, curriculum goals, and the community context. The teacher plans for ongoing student growth and achievement.

Description: I co-taught a lesson for a AP art class that was silk screen printing festival inspired posters onto tote bags. For this lesson, students used pre-made silk screen templates to squeegee ink, translate their design onto their tote bag, and add their own text or designs to resemble a festival poster. This lesson utilized a medium that was unfamiliar to the students and taught them how to render unique designs using an artists like Keith Haring, Banksy, and Van Gogh as inspiration. 

Rationale: The lesson was centered around the process of silk screen printing, a technique that was new to the students. Students were introduced to a unique medium and learned about the historical and contemporary relevance of the medium. By drawing inspiration from renowned artists, the lesson ensured that students were exposed to a range of artistic influences, reinforcing the connection between technique and artistic expression. The use of pre-made silk screen templates helped to level the playing field, allowing students to engage with the printing process even if they were unfamiliar with the medium. At the same time, the opportunity for students to add their own text or designs ensured that there was room for creativity and personal expression, thus accommodating the diverse needs and interests of the students. 

Evidence:  Lesson Plan     Flyer     Powerpoint     Artwork

Theory in Art: Collaborative Booklet 

The link below leads to the class booklet created in Art 309 02, which explores various learning theories and their application to art education. As part of the project, each member of the senior art education cohort researched a specific theory, developed a presentation, and shared it with the class. Designed as a collaborative learning experience, the project aimed to disseminate key educational concepts while encouraging us to reflect on and evaluate our emerging teaching philosophies.

My contribution focused on Cognitive Theory in education. Cognitivism emphasizes the mental processes involved in learning—such as memory, problem-solving, and critical thinking. It views learners as active participants who organize and process information, rather than simply absorbing it. In the art classroom, this theory can be applied by encouraging students to think critically about their creative choices, make connections between artistic concepts, and reflect on their work. Teachers can support this approach by guiding students to analyze techniques, explore the reasoning behind artistic decisions, and engage in problem-solving activities that challenge their thinking.

Applying cognitivism in art education fosters deeper understanding and promotes skills that transfer beyond the classroom. It also supports meaningful, long-term retention of artistic knowledge and techniques.

Booklet Link 

Professionalism, Advocacy, and Leadership: Pal 1 

IPTS (2013) STANDARD 9 - Professionalism, Leadership, and Advocacy - The competent teacher is an ethical and reflective practitioner who exhibits professionalism; provides leadership in the learning community; and advocates for students, parents or guardians, and the profession.

Description: I attended the Sugar Creek Arts Festival in Uptown, Normal. 

Rationale: Attending this art fair not only helps support local artists, but also exposes me to a wide range of art forms. It provides an opportunity to connect with artists working in different mediums, allowing me to generate diverse ideas for my future classroom. 

Evidence: Mclean Count Arts Center 

Description: I visited the BFA collaborative show titled " No Adults Allowed!!!" hosted in Julien Hall. I walked around as the artists were setting up, and came back once it was all complete to see the final display. This show featured a variety of mediums from several different artists. The message behind this show was about looking back on all the experiences you have had growing up with a point of view that is more grounded and empathetic. 

Rationale: As an art educator, experiencing art in the real world is essential to understanding the broader art landscape. Exploring a wide range of artwork not only inspires my own creative practice but also expands my knowledge of artists, enriching the lessons I can share with students in the classroom. 

Evidence: Exhibition link

Professionalism, Advocacy, and Leadership: Pal 2 

​IPTS (2013) STANDARD 9 - Professionalism, Leadership, and Advocacy - The competent teacher is an ethical and reflective practitioner who exhibits professionalism; provides leadership in the learning community; and advocates for students, parents or guardians, and the profession.

Description: I helped work the poster sale on the quad of Illinois State University. I volunteered for 2 hours and helped layout, organize and cash out students who purchased posters. 

Rationale: The poster sale is an annual sale held at ISU in August. Some of the proceeds earned from the sale benefit the student chapter of NAEA (National Art Education Association). Volunteering at the sale is a great way to give back to the community and company that is partnered with the student chapter of NAEA.​​

Evidence: Photos

Description: I attended the Illinois Art Educations Association conference hosted in Normal, IL this past October. I attended the conference 2 days. I watched a lecture about how to combat imposter syndrome in your first couple years of teaching. I learned a lot about what it means to be an educator and skills to incorporate in the classroom by networking. This conference helped me gain knowledge that will help me in my classroom, and connect with different brands and companies that I can contact for materials for my future classroom.  

Rationale: Experiencing networking and connections with other art educators and companies at such an early stage in my career helps me start to build my reputation as an educator. Also learning in these sessions gave me lesson ideas, classroom management tips, and student connection knowledge that I will carry into the classroom and will make me a better well rounded educator.  

Evidence: Photos

211 Studio Assignment

IPTS (2013) STANDARD 2 - Content Area and Pedagogical Knowledge - The competent teacher has in-depth understanding of content area knowledge that includes central concepts, methods of inquiry, structures of the disciplines, and content area literacy. The teacher creates meaningful learning experiences for each student based upon interactions among content area and pedagogical knowledge, and evidence-based practice.

Description: This is my teacher example for continuous line wire sculpture unit my group and I created for a Ceramic and Sculpture 2 class at Normal Community High School. My portrait was created using a picture of myself as reference, 14 gage wire, and pilers to manipulate the wire. 

Rationale: My artwork reflects how the students will utilize the wire to create their own self portraits. This project is a vehicle to explore identity and how we present ourselves. The wire sculptures are simplified and I only choose to feature a couple characteristics that I feel are important to my physical identity. 

Evidence: Link to my teacher example

211 Unit Plan

IPTS (2013) - STANDARD 1 - Teaching Diverse Students - The competent teacher understands the diverse characteristics and abilities of each student and how individuals develop and learn within the context of their social, economic, cultural, linguistic, and academic experiences. The teacher uses these experiences to create instructional opportunities that maximize student learning.

Description: This unit plan was designed with my Art 211 group for Normal Community High School's Sculpture 2 class. The students had already had experience with wire, so we incorporated their prior 2D wire knowledge into the unit in a way that would have them develop their work from 2D to 3D. We focused on implementing the concepts of implied volume and continuous line as students created abstract self-portrait sculpture. Student then focused on an object that was significant to them and replicated it using wire. The purpose for this project was to introduce students to working with wire in a 3-dimentional context while exploring how to express their identity through their art making process.

Rationale: After teaching this lesson, the students now have a better understanding of design elements such as continuous line, implied volume, and negative space. Expressing each of these elements within their final pieces, students utilized what we discussed during the lecture portion of our lesson to develop wire compositions that expressed their individual identities. 

Evidence: Unit plan 

211 Studio Assignment Assessment

IPTS (2013) -STANDARD 7 - Assessment - The competent teacher understands and uses appropriate formative and summative assessment for determining student needs, monitoring student progress, measuring student growth, and evaluating student outcomes. The teacher makes decisions driven by data about curricular and instructional effectiveness and adjusts practices to meet the needs of each student.

Description: We were assessing the progress of student work, their understanding of the material presented to them, and their capability to apply elements of design within their work. For our formative assessments, we used had students engage in a warm-up activity that introduced them to ways to manipulate, join, and wrap wire. These techniques would be used in their final designs and help their projects develop more visual interest. This formative assessment was given in the form of a work sheet that they would independently work on. The students mimicked the shapes from the worksheet using 6ft of wire and pliers. We walked around and checked in on the progress of each student and offered them feedback on their warm-up work. For our summative assessment, we had students fill out a self-reflection once their sculptures were complete. This allowed students to assess what they did well, what they could improve on, and how they utilized the elements of design to create an interesting composition. 

Rationale: The formative assessments showed us how well the students were understanding our material, and how prepared they were to get started on the project. The in-progress check-ins with the students not only showed us student progress, but which points we needed to reiterate or go over. The self-assessment worksheet allowed students to look at their work more subjectively and better understand how the elements of design help develop a work of art. The summative assessment, proved to us that the students could create a work of art, then reflect on it and provide information and insight about it. 

​Evidence: Warm-up worksheet      Rubric 

Artist Handout and PowerPoint

IPTS (2013) STANDARD 6 -Reading, Writing, and Oral Communication - The competent teacher has foundational knowledge of reading, writing, and oral communication within the content area and recognizes and addresses student reading, writing, and oral communication needs to facilitate the acquisition of content knowledge.

Description: My artist handout for this lesson includes information and artwork from wire and sculpture artist David Oliviera. The handout details where he's from, what inspires his work, and some questions for students to answer that will help them think critically about the artwork and the meaning behind it. I've also linked my project partner's artist handout below, which focuses on wire artists Mick Burton and Kristine Mays. The slideshow includes everything we showed in class from our unit, such as our artists, elements of design vocabulary, wire techniques, how to choose subject matter for their relic sculpture, assignment details, daily instructions/objectives, and examples. 

Rationale: We covered each frame-structural, conceptual, cultural, and postmodern-and it helped the students to better understand the reasoning behind the artwork we showed and how it connected to their project assignment. 

Evidence:  Presentation     Handout     Artist handout

Professionalism, Advocacy, and Leadership: Pal 1

IPTS (2013) STANDARD 9 - Professionalism, Leadership, and Advocacy - The competent teacher is an ethical and reflective practitioner who exhibits professionalism; provides leadership in the learning community; and advocates for students, parents or guardians, and the profession.

Description: I attended an opening for an exhibition titled "Telling Her Story" at Water Street Studios in Batavia, IL. Water Street Studios' hosts a new show once a month. This show was celebrating women's history month and featured over 90 artists.

Rationale: I spent the exhibition opening admiring the artwork and chatting with some of the artists. It was very insightful to hear the meaning behind some of the artwork and better understand how women impact the local art scene. 

Evidence: Video from Water Street's Instagram

Description: I took a tour of the Illinois State University glass studio. The professor gave me a tour of the studio and did a demonstration on how to blow glass. I spent a couple hours in the studio watching students work and seeing their projects come together.

Rationale: This tour and demo was very insightful and I have no experience in glass blowing. I now better understand how much technique is required for this medium and better appreciate the handwork it takes to make glass artwork. This tour inspired me to register for a glass class in the fall of 2024. 

​Evidence: I do not have no photos from my visit but I linked the glass professor's Instagram below! 

Draper Matthew Instagram

Professionalism, Advocacy, and Leadership: Pal 2 

​IPTS (2013) STANDARD 9 - Professionalism, Leadership, and Advocacy - The competent teacher is an ethical and reflective practitioner who exhibits professionalism; provides leadership in the learning community; and advocates for students, parents or guardians, and the profession.

Description: I was Bobzbay Books' (Bloomington bookstore) April bookmark artist of the month. I designed their bookmark that they passed out for the entirety of April and used to promote their Indie Bookstore Day event. 

Rationale: I got commissioned by Bobzbay Books to design a bookmark that featured their mascot (a robot). I had creative control and decided to follow a theme of april showers. Once I finished hand drawing the design I submitted it to Bobzbay who then printed 4,000 copies to pass out at their store. This was such a great opportunity to support small businesses and get promotion for my art/website!  

Evidence: Bookmark Image

Description: I have an Instagram page and website dedicated to sharing my artwork! I use my Instagram to post my new works and frequently update my website with new work, new merchandise, and exhibition features.

Rationale: Having this Instagram page and website dedicated to posting my artwork gives me a means to share my work with others and reflect on how my creative journey progresses. This has been helpful for documenting all my work. 

​Evidence: Instagram and Website

201 Studio Assignment

Sugar Creek Elementary Art - K-2 Level

IPTS (2013) STANDARD 2 - Content Area and Pedagogical Knowledge - The competent teacher has in-depth understanding of content area knowledge that includes central concepts, methods of inquiry, structures of the disciplines, and content area literacy. The teacher creates meaningful learning experiences for each student based upon interactions among content area and pedagogical knowledge, and evidence-based practice.

Description: I the incredible opportunity to co-teach a Kindergarten to 2nd grade art class, where we explored the theme of identity through a hands-on and creative unit. The students learned about self-expression and the ways in which art can reflect who we are. They began by creating vibrant paper dolls using collage techniques, where they had the chance to experiment with various materials like paper, markers, yarn, cloth, and glue to reflect their unique personalities, interests, and cultural backgrounds. 

Rationale: Through this project, they learned about the importance of individuality, how we are all different, yet connected by our shared humanity. In addition, the students worked collaboratively on a puzzle piece installation displayed in the hallway, with each student designing a piece that represented their own identity. As they pieced together their individual contributions, they also learned about the power of community, teamwork, and how our diverse identities can come together to form something greater than the sum of its parts. It was truly inspiring to see the students gain a deeper understanding of themselves and others while engaging in meaningful artistic expression. 

Evidence: Student Work 

Toolbox Link