My classroom is built on trust, fairness, and individual accountability. Like Maria Montessori, I “follow the student” when educating. I don’t believe in using value judgments as motivators; they take the responsibility off the student. Rather, asking frequent and numerous questions drives the student to articulate and discover their ideas and intentions. Following through with independent research is a valuable tool I teach my students. I regularly implement brainstorming exercises, mind mapping, and maquette building as part of a growing and conscientious art practice. As students clarify and resolve their objectives, they begin to ask the questions of the work as it is developing. Limiting my opinion throughout the process keeps me unbiased and places the responsibility of the work on the maker, and not on my approval. 

An important facet of art education is experimentation and inquiry. Learning to work with materials, tools, and ideas is a long process full of repetition, trial, and error. It is crucial to develop a broad set of skills in order to maneuver materials freely and create without unnecessary limitations. Students develop technical finesse through in-class exercises of increasingly challenging techniques. I also encourage taking risks both with material and content. Failure is humbling and is at times a natural consequence of experimentation, but so is discovery; both these can facilitate learning for everyone in the classroom.

Every student plays a valuable and unique role in the group, often with shifting dynamics. Art is not for the elite. It is not reserved for the “gifted” or “talented”. Art education promotes creative problem solving, which is applicable to every person in any endeavor. I acknowledge each unique and personal contribution by creating opportunities for discussion and presentation. A tolerant trusting community is vital for critical thinking, vulnerability, and discourse, all of which are necessary for a fruitful and engaged class.