Teaching Philosophy
Facilitation: Teaching is a partnership between student and instructor.
I believe it is important for students to have the ability to enhance the learning process by including their knowledge and understanding in a safe environment. Teaching is an investigation that requires asking questions and exploring
answers that together build a body of knowledge, experience, and understanding.
An environment that requires active participation and critical thinking allows students to objectively critique one another’s work, allowing positive dialogue
to occur. It is important for students to be grounded in historical influences as
well as contemporary
aspects of art and design as a foundation for learning.
I offer students my passion for the history of textiles and design through
research and visual imagery.
Accountability: Ultimately, students are responsible for their learning process.
It is my job
to direct that discovery, while still allowing students to struggle to
clarify their own artistic problems. I make sure that every student has the skills
needed to accomplish their goals.
I also encourage them to become goal-setters
as well as problem solvers. Instead of expecting that they directly ask me for the
answers to questions, I challenge them to answer their own questions by utilizing
the tools and resources that they already have. In an environment of interactive learning, it is essential that every student create partnerships
and share their knowledge with others. I believe in the adage that if you give a man a fish
you feed him once, but if you teach him to fish you feed him for a lifetime. Teaching students
to become problem solvers and allowing them to teach others, creates self-confidence.
Sensitivity: It is important to foster an environment that respects our common humanity, insisting that students are open and receptive to diverse methods of thinking. I strive to
create an environment in which ideas can be appreciated
and expressed, and examined equally. Students are the future ambassadors
for environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and creative thinking.
We live in a world of complex methods of thought, philosophy, and interaction. While many people disagree with one another, it is important
to know that
every opinion should be valued.