FREDERICK DOUGLASS ELEMENTARY

2020 to present

Teaching Philosophy for the Art Curriculum at Frederick Douglass Elementary School

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The overall goal is to create a warm and supportive environment and learning community in which young artists feel safe enough to take creative risks, explore concepts, and voice their opinions.  I believe that students should understand and discuss community and social issues, especially those that connect to curriculum topics within their other subjects of study.  Students should feel valued. Their opinions, suggestions, and solutions are important. Many of the lessons have discussions built into the motivations. During motivations and lesson prompts, social emotional learning and social justice dispositions will be discussed and studied.  Making these ideas known gives students an understanding of their emotions, other people's emotions, and how they should interact with others in positive ways to create a larger and supportive community. As the teacher, I will guide those discussions toward solutions and expressions that the children create and communicate through their artwork.  Some lesson units afford opportunities for the students to give back to the public and other lessons present enriching opportunities for students to learn about the public and social issues more deeply. Still, other lessons will give the opportunity for collaboration and whole school projects. 

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