Teaching Philosophy

Last year I was enrolled in an Electronics Projects for Artists class. In the class my teacher described an electronic circuit and how it worked. He told us that in order for the circuit to work, you need electronic components that are constructed together with conductors, which allow electricity to flow between the components. For my final project in that class, I painstakingly strung together 100 lights and soldered them to copper wire. When I attached the battery, none of the lights lit up. I did not have enough power. When I added more power, some of the lights lit up and others did not. If one light burnt out, all the lights went out and I needed to take out the individual light and carefully reattach it. It took making sure that all of the lights were carefully and securely attached to the copper wire, all going the right direction and all receiving the same amount of electricity to eventually keep them all lit. I thought about this metaphor in terms of my teaching experience, of course at times there will be obstacles, there will be times when students are having a hard time, are not inspired, and are fading. I believe that with the right amount of energy, persistence, patience and care, that all of my student’s will leave with a passion for art. I hope to keep them going in the right direction, to allow for the flow of creative ideas and energy and to foster a safe environment for everyone to feel independent but connected to a community that works together. I want my classroom to be a circuit of artistic electricity, and I want my students to shine as artists and leaders of our society.