Teaching Philosophy

   I believe art has the power to help kids find their voice. It's not just about giving them the opportunity to make art, it's about using that to dig into each kid and figure out who they are, what are their strengths and weaknesses. Like if there's a kid who says something is too hard and gives up, that says a lot about how they handle challenge. So it's a matter of guiding each kid on their own terms, their own habits and struggles, their own IEPs and so on. It's also a matter of being a firm but kind guiding voice. If my background as a cartoonist is anything to by I believe in the power of humor. It brings likability and opens the kids up to trusting you. So I want the art room to be an environment the kids can feel safe and comfortable in, while also being able to learn properly. It's a combination that's easy to take for granted but these are kids that are meeting a role model and as a teacher you need to prove to them they can trust you. So in short I want my teaching to allow discovery and eureka moments within kids themselves, while being able to laugh during the process.