Art, Design, and Biology

Teaching Philosophy

As a Black woman who grew up in the same community as my students with a single parent mom of eight children, I believe that all of my students have the potential to learn beyond the low expectations placed on them by mainstream society. Systemically, I observe the difference in student expectations depending on the zip code of the school. I firmly believe that my students deserve high quality instruction and this unit is designed to stimulate and motivate my students beyond the classroom environment.

In order for my students to take ownership of their learning authentic student-to-teacher engagement must occur. I remind my students of their cultural and ancestral lineage and that they come from innovative creators. As a performing arts educator, it is my greatest jubilation to provide my students the space to learn and process new knowledge and concepts. According to the Theater Trust Foundation “In theater, space refers to the physical area where a performance takes place, including the stage and surrounding areas, and also encompasses the way space is used to convey meaning, define setting, and shape relationships between performers and the audience.”³ My students understand space as their environment and a place where living things grow.

Located within our school community is Washington Park where many students do not visit for safety reasons. My students should feel comfortable walking around Washington Park viewing the green spaces as an assert rather than a liability. We will visit this park as a class so that my students can witness first hand the beneficial environmental outcomes.

Many adults feel that students are apathetic to the environment. In my opinion exposure and awareness are critical to students' level of interest and involvement. Black art and creativity are important to me and my students because it allows us to share our struggles, triumphs and gifts with the world. Parker notes that “The spark of black art and creativity came about during the Harlem Renaissance from the 1920s through the 1930s. This was where African Americans shaped their own identities through music, art, literature, and film, allowing them to control their own narrative.”⁴ According to an article in Hyperallergic Magazine, “The erasure of blacks and minority cultures from art history has been demonstrated through a lack of presence in major auctions, museums, galleries, and art history curricula.”⁵ 

Providing students with variety and introducing them to visual, literary and performing arts broadens their perspective. Usually, I begin class discussions based on students' personal observations and emotional reactions to a selected art piece. According to an article “Girl with a Pearl Earring: Supporting ‘Close Reading’ of Art in a Digital Library,” educators should push students to go beyond the most common emotional reactions of “wow!” or “cool!” to works of art, encouraging them to develop language skills in responding to visual and other cultural stimuli.⁶  This unit will serve as a great sounding board for developing my student’s language skills.

I believe that my participation in the Yale National Initiative Seminar: Art, Design and Biology led by Paul Mellon Professor in the History of Art, Tim Barringer has significantly enhanced my ability to implement this unit successfully.