As an Art Educator, I strive to motivate my class and each individual student that I have to express themselves in ways that no other subject may ask of them. I believe that art is social, collaborative, beneficial and important to a child’s academic career. No matter age or the skill level of the student - art dives into their creativity and strengthens the mind by allowing the students to have freedoms of expression and thought in a controlled environment. 

I believe that students learn best when they are comfortable with themselves in a classroom, whether that be their ability to participate in a discussion or a sense of belonging in the art room. Student voices should be heard and valued as a part of their art education journey. They should have opportunities to have creative freedom within each project. Assignments should blend with their core subject curriculums at times and incorporate student interests for a deeper understanding of all course materials. 

In my classroom I plan to have ample time to be able to listen to student opinions. You would see a teacher walking around and having discussions with students. Students are less likely to cause any issues when they know an adult is actively present in the room. While talking to them, I will be able to learn about interests that they might have and incorporate those things into projects or even smaller scale classroom activities. Lastly, I plan to collaborate with other subject area teachers about what students are learning in their classes, and create projects that can talk to those subjects as well. Immersion in the subject area strengthens the memory of the mind and the overall comprehension of the material.

For my students, I plan to have different examples of projects that I consider to be exceptional. Handing a rubric to a child only goes so far, and we are in an art classroom - so visuals should be incorporated in how they learn. A big part of learning for my classroom is also going to be discussions that we have, I believe if a student can discuss what is going on in their project then they are understanding in their own words what I am trying to teach. Formative Assessments like class discussions, small group talks and collaborative "do now" work, as well as my own observations around the room to check up on students are things that will always be done. Summative assessments will not be strict, as not every student is exceptional art; and I believe that grading based on talent is not a fair way to judge a student. Summative assessments can be broken down to areas like, craftsmanship, completing a project, and behavior in the art classroom. The more you support a student's artistic growth the more likely they are to continue  in their art journey throughout their education career.