My teaching is motivated by a desire to see course content met by the plurality of perspectives and interpretations brought to any class by my students. In this respect, my courses aim to form self-sustaining communities – what I refer to as “the culture of the studio.” In this atmosphere, both teacher and students identify as dynamic subjects as well as a collaborative group. It has been my experience that when an empowered sense of self is combined with a sense of collective belonging, dynamic situations and experiences result.
Beneath the content of every course I teach is a hidden curriculum that transmits and exemplifies creativity, resilience, problem solving, empathy, and collaboration. My travels, studies, and interpersonal relationships have indelibly shaped who I am and how I perceive and engage with the world, and I assume the same of every student in my class. As an artist and teacher, part of my responsibility is to expose the metacognitive process to my students. By encouraging explorations of difference – difference of opinion, values, and experience – I create a context of awareness and interpretation in which students feel comfortable with the responsibility of a democratic practice of art. Through experiential learning outside the classroom, critical readings, written and performative assignments, in-class discussions, and studio critiques, I encourage students to take responsibility for their artworks, words, and actions. It is essential for students to understand how perceptions and values affect meaning, and how meaning is embedded in form, be that an artwork, a paper, a word, or a gesture.
My mission is to assist anyone from any background in their pursuit of any academic interest, wherever it may lead. One way I sustain this mission is through a curriculum that is dedicated to educating and empowering a diverse student body through liberal inquiry, artistic development, and personal well-being. I am constantly refining my approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion. I participate in current professional development courses and workshops on these topics. I regularly elicit student feedback on class assignments, discussions, and critiques. I also administer self-assessments during the course of the semester in order to better understand the students’ feelings of inclusivity and engagement.
On campus, I work with the McNair Scholars Program, collaborate with colleagues in the Office of Restorative Justice, and work with student organizations committed to antiracist and antisexist agendas. Throughout my teaching career, I have developed the following strategies to meet the needs of diverse learners: Be proactive about reaching out to all students, especially those from underserved and marginalized populations; Recognize students who may have difficulty asking for help, and provide assistance without ever calling it such; Develop early warning systems to advise students who are falling behind; Create a “studio culture” of camaraderie that builds trust and allows relationships to develop; Share appropriate personal experiences as an artist and a learner; Honor students’ life experience by creating culturally relevant assignments and introducing artists that acknowledge and challenge their personal histories; Demonstrate effective leadership skills by knowing when to let others take the lead.
As an instructor of interdisciplinary art practice, I acknowledge the learning curves inherent in event-based, research-based, and project-based practice. I also acknowledge the learning curves in working collaboratively and among diverse communities. As both an instructor and a facilitator, I must therefore successfully blend these modalities in the studio. I draw on years of experience in art making and student-centered teaching and thus function, among other things, as a problem solving resource for students. Since media and technologies are changing so rapidly, both student and instructor have the unique opportunity to be on the cutting edge of innovation while maintaining a firm foundational knowledge of the processes of their disciplines. A climate of inquisitive collaboration and leadership shared between instructor and student with a visionary mindset privileges different knowledges and promotes communal responsibility.