Bethany Marie's Art Educational Philosophy
In today’s society, the importance of art education in schools is often diminished or overlooked. A thorough art education system gives each student the chance to gain a different outlook on the world around them and the people in it, gain creativity and problem solving skills, and explore new medias as well as historic art and criticism. There are many important aspects that should be considered when teaching art education. Exploration of numerous media, art history, art criticism and aesthetics are very important to incorporate into the art classroom. I plan to incorporate not only art projects, but also experiences into my lessons. Instead of merely reading art history, I will have my students step into the artists shoes and really experience what it is that we are learning about. Whether that means painting lying on their backs like Michelangelo, or dripping paint on canvas like Polluck, I hope that through teaching the history of art alongside the creation of art, students will be able to understand the work of artists that came years before them and be inspired to create art in unique ways. Next, numerous subjects and technology will be incorporated into my classroom, as they not only helps students to succeed in the art classroom, but in their other courses as well. By teaching the science of photography chemicals reactions, writing artist statements, and creating art similar to that of other cultures, students will be able to relate to art in new and unique ways and will retain the information further into the future. Critiques, criticism and aesthetics will also be incorporated into my classroom, which will allow students to gain not only a better understanding of their own artwork, but also a better understanding of their peers and the greater community in general. Students will share their personal thoughts and stories, and let others know why they made the artistic decisions they did. Students will also encourage and question each other to help the class as a whole improve with their artistic abilities. Assessment of my students is an important part of my outlook on art education. I feel that students should not be assessed on raw “talent,” but on their on-task behavior, ability to meet assignment objectives, and their overall progress through a project and/or a year. These criteria are ways to authentically assess each students understanding of art as an individual and be sure that they continue to learn through each project. In the general school environment, I strongly believe supportive and encouraging staff lead to success in students. It is important that school administrators support their teachers by allowing them to push boundaries and try new approaches to teaching. The general school environment, including communal spaces, should be welcoming and accessible to all students and should incorporate learning aids for students of any educational level. In my classroom, students will be encouraged to express themselves and their thoughts, and will share their ideas and materials with one another. Additionally, in my classroom, walls lined with both student, and historic art works, will be warm, welcoming and inspiring to my students and will provide them the environment they need to succeed. Overall, I feel that the incorporation of a variety of subjects, media, historical topics, and criticisms presented in a welcoming school environment in which students are assessed on their overall progress will create an environment that allows my students to succeed and be creative. I feel that their creativity will lead to a different way of thinking about not only art topics, but life in general, and hope that by encouraging their creativity at these critical developmental years that I will be able to impact their lives no matter which road they choose when they leave my classroom door.
Bethany Marie's Educational Philosophy
As a student, education has opened many doors through the past, and to the future. Through these experiences, I have gained a perspective on how education should be presented to the youth of tomorrow.
First, I feel that a well-rounded education is key in successes throughout life. This can be achieved through elective classes such as art, music, foreign language and business, as they help students to appreciate all aspects of culture and allow all to communicate more effectively.
Communication is the second key aspect of my philosophy on education. As it is necessary throughout all aspects of life, I feel that communication should be taught through group projects, speech classes, and open debates in class. Also, foreign languages should be taught at all levels of education, as it is predicted that in the near future, Spanish speaking citizens will become less of a minority.
Next, technology use needs to be encouraged throughout all schools. For the reason that technology changes on a daily basis and is becoming more popular throughout our country, I feel that it is very important to educate the young on the basics of technology and the use of computer programs, which will then allow these students to assist the older generations in learning these new technologies.
Additionally, I feel that it is important that all students be taught decision making and moral skills throughout their education. These skills are very important and may not be taught in the home, therefore, it is necessary that educators are good examples, and that they show students how to use these skills.
Finally, the belief that each student learns differently is evident in my perspective. No two humans are the same and each person learns through different strategies. For this reason, I believe that teachers should educate students through reading, presenting, discussing, and through hands-on projects.
Overall, I feel that a well-rounded education that utilizes technology and teaches communication, decision making and moral skills using a variety of different teaching techniques is the key to the success of all future generations.