“The principle goal of education is to create men who are capable of doing new things, not simply of repeating what other generations have done – men who are creative, inventive and discoverers.” – Jean Piaget

“There is never time in the future in which we will work out our salvation. The challenge is in the moment; the time is always now.”  – James Baldwin

My goal as an educator is to prepare students to lead productive and creative lives as global citizens. Tapping into our diverse strengths, encourages students to develop lifelong artistic and problem-solving skills through intellectual inquiry and self-discovery. To achieve these goals, I provide an open-minded, hands-on, student-centered learning environment built on a foundation of strong technical, social, academic, and artistic skills within a safe and respectful environment. 

Diversity is our strength. It is imperative to develop strong bonds between all stakeholders as active collaborators to share human experiences within our community to improve teaching and learning. My teaching philosophy reflects my belief that a teacher leader shall demonstrate patience, be sensitive to different opinions, be self-reflective, exhibit courage and be fully transparent in order to build and maintain trust and unity within a community. These qualities will lead to continued school improvement benefiting all stakeholders and will raise student achievement.

Students are uniquely creative beings. They are the dreamers, designers, and creators of the future. Igniting their passions and helping them see how what they are learning connects to the world in which we live, will help them develop a deeper understanding of their own potential for intellectual growth and maturity. Students have a right to a thoughtful, progressive, and free education that takes the whole individual into account. I encourage students to participate in and outside of the classroom to express their ideas so we can grow together as creative productive citizens. It is in the best interest of our society to raise healthy, curious, resilient children who learn from the past and make good choices in the future. 

Media skills are the cornerstone of our creativity and knowledge-based economy. I believe a STEAM educational approach, Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics, offers choices and challenges for students with a relevant and engaging curriculum that integrates arts and technology. To inspire students to creatively solve academic, social, and artistic problems I will focus on interdisciplinary instruction that values independent critical thinking in a safe and positive environment. 

The present is our canvas. I believe that all students have a talent and I seek to help students realize their power by encouraging them to self-reflect while developing academic and technical skills. STEAM focuses on 21st-century technology skills found within the New York State Arts, CTE, and ISTE standards. STEAM also promotes personal growth, fosters creativity and innovation by incorporating hands-on independent and collaborative learning experiences mixed with self-reflection. 

Differentiation and peer-to-peer learning are important and natural components of STEAM and a well-rounded arts education experience will lead to maximizing student achievement. Students benefit as they learn how to be critical and develop connections within formal and informal activities. Engaging our community to explore and share experiences, using communication tools both in and out of the classroom, helps students to reflect on the past while examining the present social, economic, political, and multicultural landscape of our city.  It is imperative that students make the connections between what they are learning to how the world functions to gain personal insight and produce high-quality work.  By demonstrating positive communication skills and open constructive criticism students develop language skills and build confidence, qualities that will lead to individual and group success.

Exposing students to a variety of innovative research practices and opportunities within a supportive learning community enable students to develop their own inquiry style to maximize their individual potential. The more we understand our students and ourselves, the greater our ability to reach them as authentic adults who wish to share knowledge.