As an artist, teacher, and researcher, I care deeply about Visual Art in education and understand how this can be of value to my students, especially in regard to their creativity. I am a strong believer that Visual Art can be hugely beneficial to students throughout their personal, educational, and creative development. As a Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) I believe that my primary role within the classroom is to be a facilitator of student-centred learning. I have the responsibility to provide an opportunity for all different learning styles and needs to flourish within a supported and welcoming classroom environment.
I believe it is important to allow for the inclusion of diversity and all educational needs within the classroom. As an educator I aim to empower students with as much choice and voice within the classroom experience as possible. For example, I place a huge emphasis on students self-reflection as formative feedback and peer work. This is further elaborated on in my Action-Research Report (available in the Researcher section of this website). I also put a strong focus on differentiation in my lesson planning to ensure all students have the space to creatively flourish within any given Unit of Learning. As a teacher, I value the importance of teaching empathy, compassion, and commitment. I believe that there are many different ways in which a student can learn. I work to create a sense of community in my classroom. Where possible, I try to implement a constructivist model as I feel students benefit more when urged to be actively involved in their own process of learning. I believe that students should be taught to be the decision makers within their work, to understand the ‘how’ or ‘why’, and how these decisions can come from studying others artwork as well as their own. Developing these key skills prepares students to be life-long learners. 'Give the pupils something to do, not something to learn, and the doing is such a nature as to demand thinking, learning naturally results' (John Dewey, 1916 ). Visual Art is a subject that gives great room for the 'doing'.
Throughout my studies and personal research, I have developed an understanding and a passion for contemporary issues within both educational and visual art setting. Therefore, I encourage students to research important topics. For example, bullying, being kind to others, climate change, stereotyping, or endangered wildlife. I have found that inquirybased learning can really facilitate deeper and more engaging learning experiences for students when exploring real life issues through their art practice. It is my belief that students can develop a greater understanding of the world around us, be up to date with important issues, and develop their own opinions and interests throughout the subject of Visual Art. This subject does not have to, and should not, be seen in isolation. As a teacher, especially an art teacher where there is often only one subject teacher in a school, it is important for me to engage in professional development and discourse with other teachers, artists, and researchers as this helps me to generate ideas, knowledge, and skills within my field. Throughout my degree, Professional Master of Education in Art and Design, and over the course of two school placements I have formed a community of practice which I intend to preserve throughout my career.
