Connectivity, Necessity, Relevance and Joy
Connectivity
Art is everything and everything is art. The most important thing that I want my students to take away from my classroom is that art is not some exotic magic performed by a small population of gifted people. Art and design are a part of everyday life and decision making. Everything we do has aesthetic implications. For example, everyday that we get dressed we are making decisions that incorporate the elements and principles of art: line, form, color, texture, pattern, balance, unity and emphasis.
As an educator, I feel that it is my job to reveal this to my students and discuss with them that we live in an extremely rich visual culture, one that they are already actively participating in outside of my classroom. Having this awareness and connecting it to their artwork will enable them to trust their judgement and therefore create boldly.
The study of art and design incorporates and supports other school subjects. When students learn art history, they also learn about social sciences, humanities, and general history. Through the process of experimenting with media, they enhance their scientific methodology. The same is true when studying fixed-point perspective or sculpture, students can physically practice their geometry. While learning to talk about the motives and ideation for their artwork, they enhance their literacy skills by developing how to speak and write analytically.
Necessity
Art is not superfluous nor is it a luxury! People have always needed art. There has never been a moment in history without humanity reinterpreting and representing the world in a visual format. Art is part of our human experience and therefore a necessity for our growth. Connected to the idea of art’s necessity, is my belief that it can affect change and is the medium through which my students can navigate their lives and communities. I strive to facilitate an environment where my students create art that reflects the reality of their experiences, while uncovering how to change or improve them.
Relevance
The future belongs to a very different kind of person with a very different kind of mind
—Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind.
There is a growing mind-set that believes that there are certain abilities on which professional achievement and personal fulfillment will now depend. It is also believed that these abilities are best explored and developed through creative enterprise. Creative thinking is a requirement for success and problem-solving for a complex and unknown future. I believe that the incorporation of design and technology is extremely necessary in the art classroom. The study of design thinking and its applications (essential ability to combine empathy, creativity and rationality to meet the needs of a specific purpose) is one of the most important applications my students can take to other classrooms and their lives beyond school.
Joy
There is a profound sense of satisfaction when witnessing the stages of an art project. I enjoy observing the process from idea to finished product. I revel in the solutions that students come up with, that I hadn’t envisioned myself. I live for the “a-ha moment” and try to design my lessons to facilitate them. My classroom allows for mistakes, multiple revisions, and purposeful departure from a project’s original plan. Every student has different learning styles and approaches, no one should feel doubtful about their ability. I love to hear my students say “I thought I couldn’t do it, but I figured it out!”
