Statement of Teaching Philosophy

Art education could be seen as an umbrella field because it encompasses so many important facets of human development, creativity, and lifelong learning.  In my teaching, I endeavor to emphasize interdisciplinary exploration, craft and sensory experience, and creativity in healing. I’ve always admired Maxine Greene, who once wrote that the arts should be “wild, accessible, and yet not too easy.”  This balance may be applied to teaching as well.

While teaching kindergarten through twelfth grades, I endeavored to study art history as well as a range of studio disciplines in order to best serve the inquiries and interests of child artists in urban areas. An additional major in English Literature as well as my certification in the teaching of English Literature and general classroom teaching have also given me an array of approaches to interdisciplinary instruction.  As a professor, I continue to work and volunteer as a teaching artist to remain connected with communities.

As a registered expressive arts educator informed by expressive psychoanalysis, psychosynthesis, and depth psychology, I believe very strongly in the relationships we build, not only between disciplines and sub-disciplines of art, and also between community members and auratic art objects.    I hope to help people find their voices and useful symbols through the mentorship of teaching and learning.   I feel extraordinarily fortunate that I am able to explore all of my passions in a day’s work within the field of art education.

Teaching Experience

University:

  • Elements of Art, Spirit, Healing, and Play (Adelphi University: Garden City, NY)

  • Craft & Healing (Adelphi University)

  • Waldorf and Reggio Emilia Education (Adelphi University)

  • Women, Literature and the Arts. (Adelphi University)

  • Writing Lives in a Networked Age (Adelphi University)

  • Creative Arts and Special Needs. (Adelphi University)

  • Teaching and Learning Aesthetics. (Adelphi University)

  • Artistic Development and Creative Growth - (Adelphi University)

  • Exploring the Role of Arts in Education (Adelphi University)

  • Arts Education Masters Capstone Seminar (Adelphi University)

  • MFA Seminar in Art Teaching (Radford University: Radford, VA)

  • Introduction to Ceramics, Ceramics Independent Study, and Advanced Ceramics: demonstrations and lectures given (as part of studio manager position at Columbia University, Teachers College: New York, NY)

  • Youth Cultures and Cultural Studies: teaching staff for weekend intensive course and conference (Columbia University, TC)

  • Conversations Across Cultures: teaching assistant for intensive course on Christo and Jeanne-Claude (Columbia University, TC)

  • First Year Seminar: Creative Arts and Digital Humanities (Adelphi University)

  • Art, Museums & Classroom Teachers (Adelphi University)

  • Bookmaking With Unique Materials (Adelphi University)

  • Ceramics I (Adelphi University)

  • Methods & Materials - Education, Art Appreciation (Radford University)

  • Art Appreciation, Multicultural Art History, Images of Women and Western Civilization, Independent Studies in Museum Education, Independent Studies in Museum Education (State University of New York)

 

K-12 Teaching Experience

  • Family Craft and Education programming - New York Public Library

  • Poetry & Visual Arts: NY Public Schools - Teachers & Writers Program

  • Ceramics: created, taught pilot program - ages 5-13 (Harlem, New York)

  • Visual Arts Programs: taught visual arts (drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, ceramics) elementary and middle school (Boston, MA)

  • Summer/After-school Studio Arts and Crafts Programs and Residencies: taught arts and crafts (ceramics, basketry, sculpture, ceramics, drawing, painting) to pre-K through high school aged children(MA, NH, NY)

 

Supervision/Administration

  • Art Student Teacher Supervision (Adelphi, Radford, Columbia)

  • Assessed art teacher portfolios for teacher certification (NY)

  • Supervised art instructors, teaching assistants (MA, NY)

  • NCATE materials preparation (Adelphi, Columbia)

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