|
||||||||
| I see teaching and learning as two sides of the same coin. It is a partnership between the teacher and the student. I have been both all of my life, sometimes teaching, in formal situations or informally, and sometimes as a learner. I love both roles. For me, art offers a way of seeing the world in an infinite variety of ways in a very personal way. I enjoy helping others discover their own sense of themselves and of the world. I believe that education should be centered toward the students' needs and methods of learning. Basic skills should be taught through projects that stress student exploration of problems and discovery of personal solutions. To meet the demands of an ever-changing world, students should leave school with a real understanding of analytical thinking and creative problem solving. Art, with its free flowing expressiveness and the open ended nature of possible solutions, is an excellent subject for learning creative problem solving. Through seeing and discussing art of many different styles and from diverse cultures students explore their personal selves and the relationship of cultures and individuals. Through stressing the importance of the process over the finished product, each student is encouraged to explore his or her own solutions and experience success of their effort. My art classes are designed to present three interconnected ideas. One is to introduce or explore the techniques and methods of the different mediums. Another is to demonstrate potential solutions to the use of the medium by showing the work of past and current artists. Thirdly, through class critiques of the students' work and discussion of other artists' works, help the students develop an understanding of aesthetic values and how art relates to the culture of its time and place. Curriculum covers: • Techniques of various materials and mediums • Formal compositional and design elements • Techniques in seeing what is really there rather than the mind's symbol of the object • Vocabulary necessary to discuss these • Exploration of traditional and non-traditional use of materials • Exploration of personal expression of student work and of others and how it relates to personal experiences as well as to the political, social, and aesthetic values of the contemporary culture Skills learned: • Specific techniques of different materials and mediums • Observation skills • Critical thinking and verbal communication skills • Visual expression and how it relates to contemporary political, social, and aesthetic values • Cooperation (on a artwork, maintaining classroom, presenting artwork) |
||||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||