STATEMENT OF TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
Why I Teach:
I believe in art and its social power to initiate change in the world and the strength of unique individual artistic voices. As a passionate activist-artist-educator I support creative visionaries by encouraging lateral thinking and decolonizing strategies through the active use of Wholistic Indigenous Learning Outcomes in the classroom. OCAD University’s Indigenous Learning Outcomes of Respect, Relationships, Reciprocity, Responsibility has helped empower and define my teaching practice:
RESPECT “Acknowledging and respecting self as well as a diversity of peoples, communities, experiences and ways of knowing and communicating”
In my own art research and practice, I look at the intersections that create our identities. In the second-year painting course, “Issues of Representation”, students examine notions of authorship, appropriation, narrative and representation. I stress that it is the concept behind a work of art that gives it resonance. I also emphasize the importance of visual literacy, intention and responsibility for the images that they create. Ideas of how socio-political and cultural dynamics affect their artwork is developed
through class discussions and critiques. A major concept within this course is empathy and presenting
issues from new points of view. Art by underrepresented and non-Western artists are shown as models of alternative modes of representation, encouraging cross-cultural approaches and dialogue. The student demographic has changed remarkably since I started teaching twenty years ago. Recent studies have shown that “students of colour feel uncomfortable engaging in critical identity courses because it positions them as ‘other.’” As a racialized faculty who is actively engaged in ideas surrounding identity, students have said how inspiring it is to talk to have an instructor whose own work addresses these ideas.
RELATIONSHIP “Recognizing our local and global relationships to each other and the land, both historically and n the present”
In my teaching, relationships and communication are the backbone of my practice. In both my art and teaching practices I consciously dismantle hierarchical relationships by building a respective, safe and inclusive community. Through group assignments and a supportive environment, I emphasize the importance of working beside your peers and creating dialogue for future community and support. I aim to provide opportunities for student voices.
As I view teaching as an integral part of my art practice, I believe that art making (my own or my students’) affects how we engage with the world around us. I see myself as both educator and artist,
teacher and student. My vision is to create inclusive, diverse environments that champion the positive impact of art and art education, both in the classroom and with colleagues and peers.
Even the seemingly simple act of observational drawing can transform the way one sees the world. I connect to each student on an individual basis to gauge their needs and support their academic and creative growth. I strive to understand each student’s learning style, whether it is visual, auditory or kinesthetic. Getting to know each student necessarily encompasses embracing socio-economic status, race, gender identity, histories and mental health. In University, we ask students to be innovative and critical thinkers for every assignment and these demands can be overwhelming. My role is to guide students to shift normative n the present”
In my teaching, relationships and communication are the backbone of my practice. In both my art and teaching practices I consciously dismantle hierarchical relationships by building a respective, safe and inclusive community. Through group assignments and a supportive environment, I emphasize the importance of working beside your peers and creating dialogue for future community and support. I aim to provide opportunities for student voices.
As I view teaching as an integral part of my art practice, I believe that art making (my own or my students’) affects how we engage with the world around us. I see myself as both educator and artist,
teacher and student. My vision is to create inclusive, diverse environments that champion the positive impact of art and art education, both in the classroom and with colleagues and peers.
Even the seemingly simple act of observational drawing can transform the way one sees the world. I connect to each student on an individual basis to gauge their needs and support their academic and creative growth. I strive to understand each student’s learning style, whether it is visual, auditory or kinesthetic. Getting to know each student necessarily encompasses embracing socio-economic status, race, gender identity, histories and mental health. In University, we ask students to be innovative and critical thinkers for every assignment and these demands can be overwhelming. My role is to guide students to shift normative n the present”
In my teaching, relationships and communication are the backbone of my practice. In both my art and teaching practices I consciously dismantle hierarchical relationships by building a respective, safe and inclusive community. Through group assignments and a supportive environment, I emphasize the importance of working beside your peers and creating dialogue for future community and support. I aim to provide opportunities for student voices.