Philosophy Of Teaching Statement
I believe that as humans, we owe ourselves the privilege to teach one another, sharing our strengths, and learning from our weaknesses.
When I was little, my parents took me to a theater to see a storyteller. It was a one man show, and I was probably nine or ten years old. I remember vividly being captivated by each of the few tales he acted and narrated standing in the middle of a circle, with the audience surrounding him. There was something marvelous about it. After this experience, I told these stories to my little cousins, feeling the same passion and emotion telling them, as when I heard them for the first time. This is the same feeling I have when I’m teaching. I’m taking something marvelous that someone taught me, and I feel it’s my responsibility to make sure it gets to others, in better shape than when it was given to me.
I believe that to create an environment for learning, it’s paramount to understand that every student is different, and that progression in art is determined by each individual’s starting point. I have learned that determination, and passion come from very personal and different spaces for everyone, and I’m convinced that teaching as a practice should always aim to unlock these qualities, to empower and get the best out of our students.
Making art and teaching it requires understanding ourselves and why we think the way we do. Helping students to “know” themselves better gives them the power to challenge their own ideas and their work.
For students to relate to and appreciate the teachings of a professor, we must earn their respect and acceptance. This starts by respecting their beliefs and integrity. Even if some haven't reached adult maturity, it's our job as educators to understand the transition process of growing up, and how important it is to identify and validate their efforts, while still being encouraging, and critical.
To reach my students and help them understand how to make work relevant to themselves and the world, I start with giving them the tools they need. Teaching them to draw, paint, shape clay into objects and vessels, and learn to handle other different types of media, gives them the confidence to imagine, and then create a finalized project expressing their ideas.
Just like learning to form clay into objects, learning to use words to form thoughts and sentences becomes as important as the physical work itself. “Technique means nothing if you have nothing to say” said ceramic artist Peter Voulkos, and he was right. I strongly believe that students need the technique, and process, to be able to start articulating their internal vocabulary. The more confident they become in their abilities the better they will be able to articulate their inner self into the work.
In my practice as an artist, teaching has become a part of the process itself. The energy a motivated studio/class can create acts as a power up to my making and development. The fulfilment I feel when I see students succeed in their own endeavors, feels like when I finish a meaningful project.
Learning from students has made me remember so much more from my teachers. Sometimes I find myself saying something I remember Hadi or John telling me, that may have not registered at the time, but somehow gets brought back to me as I realize I’m saying it. I owe all my learning to my teachers, and I hope my students find a moment in their lives where they feel I was able to help.
Thanks to Jay Spalding, Bert Bogdany, Hadi Abbas, Robert Reedy, Andrew Gilliat, and John Balistreri.
