Five years ago I was thrilled to accept an Art teaching position at Shenendehowa. I have always wanted to work amongst my own community and within the District that my children attend. My first year I had the pleasure of teaching elementary school at Skano. I taught First through Fifth Grade and then traveled to Sixth Grade for ninth period everyday. Although I loved my elementary students a middle school Art position became available in Gowana and I gladly accepted another new challenge. Before these amazing opportunities, I had been teaching in the Lansingburgh Central School District in Troy, New York. Within the classroom, I gained experience working with students of all ages, ability levels and backgrounds. I believe art is a fundamental tool that assists students with building skills related to problem solving, creative thinking, abstract concepts, and literacy. Outside the classroom, I am a mother of three living in Halfmoon.
One of my student teaching hosts in Buffalo, New York (Martha Hipkins) once told me; once I became an Art teacher, my life would revolve around my art lessons. I remember walking with her that day in Olmsted Park in disbelief. I think of her often because she was right and because my life does revolve around teaching. Everywhere I go and in everything I do I am always brainstorming about that next art lesson or how I can improve the one I just taught, whether its walking in the woods and bringing in sticks for students to tie their weaving to or taking pictures of Architecture for a lesson on symmetry.
I started drawing at an early age. I have always loved to draw. In High School, I took every Art Elective available to me. I learned the skill of painting and for the first time experienced Ceramics. When I graduated from SUNY Potsdam I concentrated in Sculpture. I dabbled in Ceramics, Photography and Painting all the while Drawing. When I returned to College for my teaching certification (Buffalo State College) I was creating sculpture and painting.
I was overjoyed for my first teaching position at the High School in Lansingburgh Central School District. I envisioned students painting on easels, throwing on pottery wheels, and carving plaster into marvelous sculptures. My first year position included teaching a class called Creative Crafts. I didn't have a syllabus for the class and the school didn't provide a Curriculum. I gave a survey to my students, 'What do you expect to learn from this class?' Their answers were extensive, Basket Weaving, Stained Glass, Soap Making, Ceramics, Homemade Paper, Crocheting, Jewelry Making, Quilting, amongst many others. I knew how to teach Ceramics and that was it! I taught myself everything else they wanted me to teach and I made it my job over the next seven years to teach myself every art form on that original list. This job was probably the single best thing that could have ever happened to me as an artist.
I taught at Lansingburgh and attended SUNY New Paltz for my Master of Science in Visual Arts Education. The majority of my classes were held in concentrated summer studies. I wrote my thesis (during the school year) on Teaching Creative Crafts: The Dilemma of Crafts Versus Fine Art Within the Institution of Art Education. I modeled working as an artist in front of my students (clay cups that look like "couples") while giving them a similar assignment using clay and constructing cups. Their results were probably some of the best ceramics any of my classes had made up until that point.
One of my student teaching hosts in Buffalo, New York (Martha Hipkins) once told me; once I became an Art teacher, my life would revolve around my art lessons. I remember walking with her that day in Olmsted Park in disbelief. I think of her often because she was right and because my life does revolve around teaching. Everywhere I go and in everything I do I am always brainstorming about that next art lesson or how I can improve the one I just taught, whether its walking in the woods and bringing in sticks for students to tie their weaving to or taking pictures of Architecture for a lesson on symmetry.
I started drawing at an early age. I have always loved to draw. In High School, I took every Art Elective available to me. I learned the skill of painting and for the first time experienced Ceramics. When I graduated from SUNY Potsdam I concentrated in Sculpture. I dabbled in Ceramics, Photography and Painting all the while Drawing. When I returned to College for my teaching certification (Buffalo State College) I was creating sculpture and painting.
I was overjoyed for my first teaching position at the High School in Lansingburgh Central School District. I envisioned students painting on easels, throwing on pottery wheels, and carving plaster into marvelous sculptures. My first year position included teaching a class called Creative Crafts. I didn't have a syllabus for the class and the school didn't provide a Curriculum. I gave a survey to my students, 'What do you expect to learn from this class?' Their answers were extensive, Basket Weaving, Stained Glass, Soap Making, Ceramics, Homemade Paper, Crocheting, Jewelry Making, Quilting, amongst many others. I knew how to teach Ceramics and that was it! I taught myself everything else they wanted me to teach and I made it my job over the next seven years to teach myself every art form on that original list. This job was probably the single best thing that could have ever happened to me as an artist.
I taught at Lansingburgh and attended SUNY New Paltz for my Master of Science in Visual Arts Education. The majority of my classes were held in concentrated summer studies. I wrote my thesis (during the school year) on Teaching Creative Crafts: The Dilemma of Crafts Versus Fine Art Within the Institution of Art Education. I modeled working as an artist in front of my students (clay cups that look like "couples") while giving them a similar assignment using clay and constructing cups. Their results were probably some of the best ceramics any of my classes had made up until that point.
Below is a slideshow sampling my Drawings, Photographs, Ceramics, Sculpture, Mixed Media, Painting, Fiber Art,
and My Soap!
and My Soap!
This is my fourth year teaching at Gowana Middle School. I co-teach 6th grade Art with Mrs. Shea. We deliver a cohesive art program to Tri-Building middle school students. The middle school is an amazing place to work complete with caring professionals who are committed to student success. I am proud to work amidst my community members. I love running into my students at the store, at sporting events and the park! My students continue to impress me with their problem solving skills and their creative artistic solutions. Please enjoy some examples of student work below.
When I look back through the hundreds of pictures I have of student work these are are some of my proudest teaching moments. Thank you to all of my wonderful students who taught me many lessons.
During my employment at Lansingburgh my teaching position vastly shifted from High School to an Early Elementary Building. I left my comfort zone and I forced myself to learn something entirely new. I taught children ages 4-8. I taught U.P.K. through Second grade, Art. I learned many valuable lessons along the way and met countless amazing hard-working dedicated teachers. Below are pictures of student work at Turnpike Elementary School.