Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy is inspired by the teachers that put in the extra time to get to know my style of learning and make me feel seen when I was a student. Having teachers who reached out to me and showed an interest in what I was working on or the opinions I had on the course material showed me that my voice is important. Having that support is why I am an artist and is what made me want to teach in the first place.

A lot of students are not able to open the line of communication with their teachers, so it is my responsibility as the teacher to bridge that gap and meet students where they are at. The most important element of my teaching philosophy is communication and providing an environment where my students feel supported. I understand that each student is at a different starting point and will require a different approach that helps them learn the best. I make it a point to listen to their questions and concerns and provide one on one feedback so that even the students who may not have the confidence to speak up in class feel that their work is being seen. I engage my students in open and casual dialogue to create a learning environment where students feel comfortable sharing their perspectives and participating fully in discussions.

I believe that my role as an educator is to guide and support students as they learn, rather than to provide all the answers. By providing them with the skills and techniques to reach their own resolutions, I help students build confidence in their abilities so they can develop insight into the goals they have for their work. I encourage my students to approach their art practice with curiosity. I believe that questioning the “why” behind their work allows for a deeper understanding of the interests that inspire them and allows for more guided research into the topics that support their work. By teaching students to approach their art with curiosity and enthusiasm, I help them to get excited about what comes next.