Classroom Culture
“To assist a child we must provide him with an
environment which will enable him to develop freely.”-Maria Montessori
As a teacher of the arts, I want my students to feel
comfortable asking questions if they do not understand something, I want my
students to feel comfortable asking each other questions, and I want my
students to feel that they are only as limited as their imagination. This type of
classroom would promote active thought and give them a place to grow as
students and as individuals which is necessary during adolescence.
As a teacher, I will be committed to making sure my students
feel that the art room is a place where they can feel comfortable taking
chances and asking questions. I believe that accountable talk is imperative to
promote the kind of environment where students feel at ease. Accountable talk encourages students to think deeper about their reasoning, sharpen students' thinking, and reinforces their ability to create and use knowledge. helps to create a safe, caring and supportive community, which I believe to be
useful in the art room where there are a multitude of cultures coming together
at once. I believe that arts education is about respecting differences and
learning from others.
The importance of having an environment built upon respect
is necessary to instill a sense of community. I believe that a sense of
community is required throughout an entire school. I feel that teachers should
collaborate with parents, students and other teachers to create an environment
where students can develop freely. When a child to sees everybody working
together, they see a community that cares about each other. This kind of environment can help the student
later in life, and help them become better human beings.
“There is, in fact, no teaching without learning. One
requires the other.” – Paulo Freire
I believe that as humans, there is always something new to
learn. In order to be a successful teacher, I will always be open to learning
from my students and parents. In addition, I believe that when a student sees a
teacher constantly learning, they will be motivated to do the same. When
students see somebody they believe to have learned everything, still in fact
learning, it inspires them to continue learning even after they have finished
with school.
Caring and Communication
“Good teaching cannot be reduced to technique; good
teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher.” – Parker J.
Palmer
I believe that the teacher needs to genuinely care about
their students, and I fully intend to do just that. Students who feel that their
teacher genuinely care about them builds a form of trust, and when the student
feels that they can trust the teacher there will be a mutual respect as well as
a feeling of safety. I remember feeling like I could trust my art teachers the
most while in school, and I wish for my students to feel the same way. Some of the relationships I built with my art
teacher while in school have continued into my adult life, and I feel that
those relationships helped shape me into the adult that I am today; some of those
teachers are actually my inspiration for becoming an art educator.
I believe that teachers also need to be role models for
their students. Students who have
negative influences in their home lives need a positive influence that the
teacher provides. I fully intend to be that positive influence a
child may need. By being that positive influence, I would like to think that
students will be motivated to better themselves, along with continuing their
education.
“Each child has a spark in him/her. It is the
responsibility of the people and institutions around each child to find what
would ignite that spark.” – Howard Gardner
I believe that art is a form of therapy, and can “ignite the
spark” Gardner suggests. When
teachers take note of the activities that students are most active in, the
students have room to flourish and become good at something. I believe that
everybody is good at something, whether it be science, math, art, sports, etc.
and when the people and the institutions around them take note of this fact it
gives the student the confidence they need to continue with the activity.
As a future art teacher, I fully intend to make my students
experience in the art room as enjoyable as possible by paying full attention to
their attitudes and behaviors, their interests, and by creating a community
within my classroom. I believe these things will inspire and motivate my
students to be both better artists and individuals.