My Teaching Philosophy
One of the most effective ways of teaching involves an approach which allows the learner control of their own actions and decisions, permitting them to become aware of their own eminent value. The best way to gain knowledge is through personal experience. For this reason, a teacher should give initial guidance and carefully plan out sequential happenings for each lesson so that the concepts are easily understood. However, important decisions should be made by the learners themselves. This form of experiential learning is especially vital when a child is in the Art classroom. There they have the potential to use modes of expression, combined with important objectives to learn and experiment with engaging media and materials, helping the student understand the world around them. A Constructivist approach considers what children have learned previously, building connections on prior knowledge ("Learning-theories," 2012). This approach can be easily adapted to the art classroom when the teacher takes the time to consider possible ways of integrating important teachable moments in a lesson which can be related to past, present, and future lessons in visual art as well as other subject areas. English Language Arts, Science, Math, and Music can be effortlessly incorporated into artful activities that allow the students to explore a particular medium while reviewing important concepts for growth and development, and of course have fun in the process!
In addition to the connections that can be built between classrooms it is essential for teachers to consider what goes on in the lives of their students when they are not in school. Their thoughts, opinions, interests, and family are all an extremely momentous in the developmental process. The things that they experience visually, colors, symbols, images, and other visual elements hold a powerful resonance which should to be exposed and analyzed. Teaching through Visual Culture attends to influential imagery in order for children to address their own personal perceptions and expressions of the world around them (Muirheid, 2011). Stories, video games, movies, and TV shows all have powerful visual context so it is important that children understand the freedom and responsibility that comes with this power.
Learning Theories Knowledgebase (2012, April). Constructivism at Learning-Theories.com. Retrieved April 13th, 2012 from http://www.learning-theories.com/constructivism.html
Muirheid, Amanda J. (2011). Visual culture within comprehensive art education and elementary art curriculum. Retrieved April 13th, 2012 from http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1072&context=art_design_theses&sei-redir=1&referer
