Education should honor students as individuals and support them in understanding themselves and their place in the world.

I teach art because I believe creativity is something every person has, and we need creativity in all parts of our lives, even when we don’t always realize it. By encouraging and nurturing students through art, I hope the connections they make through creativity can extend to other areas of their lives. Art provides opportunities for students to explore ideas, express emotions, and build meaningful connections to themselves and the world around them, while also developing problem-solving skills, compassion, and joy through making.

Students learn best when they have a teacher who meets them where they are and understands their individual needs. No two students learn alike, and it is the responsibility of the teacher to find ways to access all learners. In order to truly thrive, students need an environment grounded in love and mutual respect, where they feel safe to take risks, try new things, and learn through exploration. Effective teaching requires differentiation, multimodal learning, scaffolding, and growth-oriented assessment to honor each student’s uniqueness and support their growth and development.

Creating a classroom that is safe, supportive, equitable, and culturally responsive is integral to my teaching practice. Students can feel "seen" in many ways and my classroom is a place where that takes place. Whether it is having your emotions validated through attentive listening and compassionate responses, seeing your culture thoughtfully represented through art projects that honor your identity, or having a classroom space where you are encouraged to express yourself authentically without fear of judgment, these are all intentional ways I support students. These practices help make my classroom a place of joy, safety, and belonging where every student feels recognized, respected, and valued. I am continually reflecting on my teaching practice and seeking feedback to improve. Building meaningful relationships with students, collaborating with colleagues, families, and community members, and learning from those around my students helps me better understand and support them.

The world is a frightening place, and students carry with them what they hear, see, and experience in their communities and through media. In addition to providing space for emotional processing through creative expression, I also hope to help students develop a sense of agency. While art alone cannot change material circumstances, creativity is an inherently self-determined act. If students can develop agency through creativity, perhaps it can also inspire them to be leaders and make changes in the ways they can. Not every student needs to change the world, but I ask myself, how can I inspire students to change their own worlds?

Alongside these broader goals, I am committed to helping students build the concrete skills and knowledge they need to express themselves with confidence and clarity. This includes developing art vocabulary and visual literacy so students can thoughtfully analyze, discuss, and reflect on their own work and the work of others. I guide students in understanding how different art worlds function, introducing them to diverse artists, cultural contexts, and contemporary practices, so they can see themselves as participants in a larger creative community. Through structured practice and exploration, students learn techniques across a range of media, from foundational skills like drawing, color theory, and composition to more advanced or experimental processes. By building both technical proficiency and conceptual understanding, students gain the tools to communicate their ideas effectively and make intentional, meaningful artistic choices.