I am an art educator because creative acts lead us to awareness, achievement and change. I believe that all people deserve an education that is joyful, meaningful, and empowering. As a public school art teacher in rural Western Massachusetts, I am proud to work for this cause. Lately, I have been creating curriculum for my students that aims to draw them into the transformative processes of artistic and intellectual investigation. I am a learner too! I am always refining what I do and seeking new ways to make myself more engaging and impactful. Currently, I am teaching at the middle and high school level, piloting new curriculum that integrates English Language Arts with Visual Art, Nature-based curriculum, and social justice education.
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"Through art, we open ourselves to pleasure, beauty, and harmony, to suffering and tragedy, and also to the odd and the edgy. Through art, we recognize that which we know to be important and true; through art, we encounter that which is not yet known, yet hovers on the edges of consciousness" -Olivia Gude
Why I teach...
Visual art is a discipline that offers so much to the individual, the community, and collective culture-at-large. Curriculum should go beyond the teaching of the formal principles and elements of art and design. Through art education, I strive to add to the existing discourse and practice of teaching for social justice, global awareness, environmental activism and equity of all kinds. Art teachers have a unique role to play in addressing these critical areas that are not always measured by standardized tests but are, nonetheless, indispensable for a well-rounded education.
Through the lens of art, I look to contextualize my curriculum within greater societal issues, history, or world events. We constantly seek connections between our observations, our struggles, our creative goals and our aesthetic choices. My teaching goal is to interrogate the boundaries of my students’ assumptions-- to expand our collective understanding and sense of responsibility for the future of our world-- and to invite that to be an inspiration in our art making. It is a privilege to work with young people as, together, we create opportunities to explore the arts, find creative voice, and grow into expressive, conscientious citizens.
To learn more about my current art education research and click here.
