Teaching Philosophy

Our story of humanity is a long road of struggle, reflection, and learning; although we continue to make mistakes, difficulties pass and we grow. This is what it means to be human:to be deeply affected by the things around us, but resilient enough to learn from them and grow regardless. We are all students in this world; learning to be resilient and determined to grow in wisdom and knowledge. 

Over the years, this perspective led me to view teaching as a discipline that requires humility, patience, wisdom, and the desire to be a better person each day. 

As a teacher, humility is a trait I always try to practice. Without it, I may never truly understand or empathize with my students' experiences. This is important because the classroom space should mostly be student centered and not teacher oriented. Humility also contributes to the desire to continue learning, even from students. Learning does not always have to happen in an academic way, but it can also be practiced in a psychological manner. Children teach simplicity in creativity; this idea has become so foreign to most adults, therefore, as an art teacher, I must always revive this way of thinking, especially with my students. 

In teaching art to high school students, it is important to understand the needs and interests of the students to engage them meaningfully. At this stage of life, a student usually  seeks themselves, asking “Who am I?” and “What will I do with the rest of my life?”. Most people at this age think that they must figure everything out now, but nothing in life is no haste like that. Because of this students’ way of thinking, teaching them the art of “enjoying the process” is very important, especially as an art student. Being mindful of the present moment and aware of our senses helps create emotionally intelligent humans. Another important thing to teach the students is their awareness of themselves and noticing the patterns of their mood and feelings, being aware can help them feel in control of themselves and trust themselves with the decisions they make. In order to succeed with teaching students these two things, it is important to teach them how to express their emotions and situations through writings and words because this is what guides the students to understand themselves more. Words on paper reveal more than the mind can think. Writing out their thoughts, experiences, and feelings, will help them unriddle their minds, almost like writing and solving a math equation on paper; everything becomes clearer.

Overall, teaching is not just a profession but also a lifelong journey of growth and self discovery, both for the students and the teacher. As I continue to grow in my practice, I hope to create a classroom that is not only a space for artistic exploration, but also a safe environment where students feel seen, heard, and encouraged to express who they are. My goal is to plant seeds of curiosity, resilience, and self-understanding in each student, knowing that these are the roots of both artistic and personal growth. I believe that by nurturing the whole person, not just the artist, I can help students carry what they learn far beyond the walls of the classroom.