WHO AM I AS AN ARTIST?AND HOW ARE THE ARTS A PART OF MY LIFE?

Amy Hinton

ITE-329

Spring 2015

MY STRENGTHSMy knowledge that art is a great method for communication not only for a student that is non-verbal but also for a student/ that can’t find the correct words to express themselves and a great tool for creating therapeutic release.

My firm belief that art is limitless. Although I do not think I can draw or paint very well, I know that I can create through crafting, culinary arts and a variety of other ways. I see beauty in so many ways. All individuals have some sort of artistic intelligence and it is important that they are given opportunities to express themselves.

My desire to utilize art as a tool in the classroom. Providing students with several learning experiences/formats; including art, will help instill the knowledge students are receiving.

MY GOALS AS AN ARTS EDUCATOR

I want to advocate for keeping arts in the classroom. I believe that art is a great way to learn and a great outlet for therapeutic expression. The current decline of art in classroom is limiting opportunities for growth/development and eliminating opportunities for creativeness and beauty.

I want to create opportunities for students to create, express, perform, build, sing, dance and learn in my classroom. I believe with rich experiences using a variety of teaching methods (not only through the arts) will benefit all students and strive to create an environment that can satisfy a variety of intelligences.

I want to help students gain pride, confidence and acceptance in themselves and with others using the arts. Too many students/people are so shy that they never give themselves a chance to discover their true talents or skills.

PLAN TO MEET GOALSTo make a difference and get art back in schools I will affiliate myself with organizations, attend meetings and be active in local and national boards/associations for education to promote learning through the arts. Organizations such a Art Education Partnership; http://www.aep-arts.org, and Hawaii Teacher Standards Board; http://www.htsb.org/, are two of many supports to strive towards inclusion of the arts.

It will not be hard to include arts throughout a school day. A baking lesson is a great way to introduce chemistry and mathematics. Drama is the perfect way to teach about historical events or helping a student(s) learn how to problem solve. Anything that can be taught on paper can be taught in a variety of other ways.

Having students participate in drama, drawing, painting, singing, dancing as a group will provide them with opportunities to “let go”, express themselves. After a drama performance I could ask students to share one or two things they liked about their peers snapshot and that would get students focusing on positive aspects of drama versus negative ones. Creating a safe environment in the classroom where freedom, support and encouragement are frequent will promote acceptance, pride and confidence.

ARTIFACT: MIXER

This artifact is my most treasured tool and the kitchen is my most comfortable studio. This was gifted to me from my mother seven years ago and has helped me achieve fluffy whips and dense dough ever since. A Kitchen Aid mixer is a prized gem amongst many artists in the kitchen and made it’s first appearance in American kitchens in 1919. As a child/adolescent my parents insisted that my brother and I both made dinner twice a week, at the time it seemed like torture. As an adult I have grown a deep passion for culinary arts and continue to push the boundaries. Culinary Arts can be used as a learning tool for math, science, cultural/heritage and life skills which makes it such a valuable art form to learn.. Or it can just taste amazing.

ARTIFACT: SEWING MACHINE

The sewing machine is a valuable machine that stitches an endless variety of functional and beautiful creations. The art of sewing has been evolving for hundreds of years. Having a sewing machine has given me opportunities to make personalized and thoughtful gifts as well as “couture” clothing and accessories for myself and others. There is something very satisfying when I make my final stitch on a wallet or walk into my PreK classroom with homemade nap mat covers for my students. I don’t see people do that very often and I am glad that my pride in my work has encouraged others around me to realize they can jam out awesome threads with their sewing machines as well.

ARTIFACT:ART BOX

Although I do not see myself to be artistic in regards to painting, drawing, coloring, etc. I still love doing it. Doodling, sketching, shading, etc. are fun. It may not be the prettiest but I love to draw and get some of the things out of my head. One of my favorite medias is charcoal & pastels. The messy finger tips and amazing color blending sooth my soul. I utilize these forms of art to calm myself and get out my sorrows. Art is such a valuable tool for emotional health that I am grateful to have a variety of medias tucked away in a little box.

Self Assessment

Heather Grossman

Wileen Ortega

Kalina Calantoc

I feel that I surpassed expectations by providing specific examples and existing resources for reaching my goals as an arts educator.