Teaching Philosophy
Preschool/Elementary/Intermediate
I teach art to students in Kindergarten through 6th grade with a 3-fold approach. First, I start their vocabulary of art terms by structuring the lessons around a combination of the Elements of Art and the Principles of Design. I refer to these as "Art Parts" and teach the students how to incorporate the parts in their art as well as identify it in other artwork.
Second, I expose the students to artists and art periods in history to help increase their appreciation for art as well as a basic recognition of famous artists.
Last, and the most important element of teaching art, I introduce the students to as many different art mediums and styles as possible. Art (especially at this age) is about DOING and we DO a lot! I stress creativity and experimentation with art materials more than learning the "proper" way to use a material.
Preschool classes will follow the Session topics somewhat but we mainly concentrate on the basics of Line, Shape, Color, Texture, and Value. Improving hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills are also a priority.
Junior High/High School
Art instruction for this age group is more refined. I move away from the simplified "Art Parts" back to Art Elements and the Principles of Design. I stress not only the use of each but their interaction with each other in artwork.
When discussing Art History, I show not only the elements and principles in their artwork but also explain why the artist or art period is revered in history.
While I like to have the students use as many art mediums at possible, I also give more in depth instruction on the properties and common techniques. We study the art material itself and how to utilize it to create the artwork we are trying to achieve. As a result, we will spend a longer amount of time on each art medium and use more advance mediums than elementary students.