As an artist/ educator, I have witnessed and learned that we are not all created equal. With that said, we as humans are not respected or considered as a whole. By this I mean; a person who is outside the academia world should never have to be invisible.
As a teacher, I believe everyone is entitled to an education and we as humans should have that right. It should never be denied. My teaching practice has always been and still is that everyone can be taught, especially those individuals with physical and emotional needs, no matter what circumstances arise.
We as educators have chosen these challenges. As an art teacher I feel art can open doors for many people, more so, for those deemed as outcast. Art is an area where we can explore diversity and introduce new ideas. It is a visual language and interpreter that communicates to all, by listening, and accessing who they are as students.
A good example that stands out for me is one of my male students who has a second-grade education, and has blossomed to a degree that self-doubts have faded away. He was an individual who has been traumatized on many levels. But now, he has grown as an artist; he has decided to go back to school (regardless of his age, he is over fifty years old), and is very involved in giving to others.
It has been my practice to teach on their level and to listen to my students, always, it is real important for me to make that connection. As educators, if you make that commitment, and you will see, the success in your classroom.
When I am teaching, the classroom environment is just as important. Creating a safe space where soul searching begins, and what is shared there, remains there. Art is created to express who we are at any given moment without realizing we have revealed our sense of self. In my continuous practice, one of the learning outcomes strived for is to help students to find their ‘true self’ in this journey we call life.
My teaching practices are very simplistic with huge outtakes. The students leave my classroom understanding everything that was taught. I like to break it down to the level they feel comfortable with a very nurturing approach.
Teaching has always been a calling for me; I don’t know why. But I do know I connect well with my students, and I am not your traditional teacher. I speak straight from the heart and state my opinions when need be. In my classroom, this context and aesthetic will help the students to grow as a people.