Teaching Philosophy

As an Artist / Researcher / Teacher overarching philosophy is a holistic approach, which is partly based on my own experiences of developing low self esteem as a result of having a three server learning disability's Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Dyscalculia. The current approach presently in education,  is to attempt to move away from the exam based rote learning structure to a more holistic approach to education. According to Dorman Aldridge and Fraser (2006) “students learn better when they view the learning environment as positive and supportive”. Education should be accessible to all. An accessible classroom must be a welcoming classroom,. My overall goal is a create of a classroom environment where all students feel equal and included. It is this philosophy too that I will endeavour to promote and teach by example in my classroom daily. As a teacher I feel that nurturing an this type of environment  is especially important as students need to be comfortable in order for their opinions to be valued. I believe this approach enhances the learning experiences for all involved by creating the confidence in students to think speak openly and think critically. In this way learning becomes a process in which students gain knowledge, understanding skills and attitudes to enable them to reflect, think critically and problem solve. 

​

I aim to promote philosophies of wellbeing a holistic to education and a sense of equal opportunity to all students to convey the importance of using one’s strengths, talents and individuality in the learning process. I always strive to priorities questioning, engaging activities that are students centered. I create lessons that are designed to encourage self-expression through expressive activities which engage feelings and cognitive learning. This will be stimulated and achieved through group and pair work activities and hands-on creative tasks which will aim to develop teamworking skills and a cooperative respectful and creative learning environment in the classroom. For that reason the art room environment is transformed into a studio space, expand student knowledge and abilities. Through this endeavour it is essential for student to engage in more meaningful, enriching, and collaborative activities.

​

As a teacher first and foremost I am facilitator, assisting young people in broadening their understanding of the world of art, gaining confidence, and articulating and using their own ideas. By development of students' visual thinking skills young people guided on journeys creative, critical, contextual, and problem-solving abilities, young people are guided on their creative journeys to push boundaries and possibilities.