teaching philosophy

As a student, the skills in instructors I found invaluable were their ability to challenge both my technical know-how and critical thought. I have taken these lessons and apply them to my own teaching. As an instructor, I believe facilitating the growth of students’ creative and technical skill, critical thinking, and career professionalism are the most crucial objectives. In teaching toward these objectives I have developed course strategies consisting of assignments and rubrics designed to develop and assess student progression.

In order to develop these essential skills I develop structured assignments (for advanced students more self-motivated assignments) to challenge problems solving for creativity, skill, and conceptual and critical development. In addition to the assigned work starting at beginning level courses, I introduce professional development as a crucial part of an art students’ education.

Assessing highly subjective skill is an extremely daunting task. I manage this through rubrics created to address course work. Built into these rubrics, I evaluate the students’ ability to articulate ideas and concepts, technical skill, and dedication to professionalism in both their critique and classroom participation and finished projects.

I believe the most important aspect of teaching is to foster the passion for exploration and critical thought. My desire to assist in learning has stretched as far back as my personal history reaches. I have always wanted to help people get to where I am and push them farther on to where I have yet to see.