Philosophy about Teaching

I believe that all children can learn. How quickly they learn depends upon the ability of the child and the effectiveness of the teacher. It is the teacher's responsibility to be well versed in the subject they are teaching. An effective teacher is aware of the different learning styles. And, the teacher respects the diversity of their students. It is the students' responsiblity to take an active part in their education, too. The teacher guides the student through experiences that enable the student to think, to reach their own conclusions, and to apply what they have learned. The goal of the teacher is to help students develop skills to become fully functional citizens.


I also believe that all children can draw. Every person is at a different level in their drawing skills. For some reason, when children reach around 10 years of age, they begin to say that they can not draw. They lose all confidence in their ability to draw. I believe that as an art educator, I should build their confidence so that they can draw. As soon as they learn that everyone is at a different level of drawing, and after I teach them the drawing skills, then, it is up to them to practice. As I tell my students. "Practice improves your skill." I encourage my students to be creative and positive in their thinking.


Art education is more than "cut and paste". It provides opportunites for students to develop thinking skills and problem solving skills. It has a positive effect on achievement in other subject areas. In addition, art education teaches cultural and global awareness, imagery learning, verbal and non-verbal communication, and other skills that students can use daily to reach their potential.

Brenda K. Fariss