Educational Philosophy

Growing up, the people whom I interacted with the most were my teachers. It is them who I looked to for answers not just to academic questions, but to life questions. Without them, I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I have. Teachers, I think, reinforce the role of parents in many children’s lives, especially those children that are of lower socioeconomic status. In my own experience, my English teachers and my high school Art teacher were my biggest supporters. They always put my interests before theirs and would allow me to do my work my way rather than some standardized process. I believe this is one of those small details that makes a huge difference in the experience of a student, the level of care and room that a teacher gives them to create. I want to do the same for students that my own teachers did for me. I also have some personal motivation in that my high school art teacher passed away a year after I started my undergraduate studies. I want to carry on her legacy.

 

Art is one of the few subjects that can be found literally everywhere. I believe that students need to learn about the idea of art and to create their own. We are all creators. We create ourselves within in our minds and within others’ minds every day. As such, learning how to make your own art is crucial. It’s a concept that is a unique human understanding and a universal language.

 

Our current education system is broken. With the advent of technology, politics and bureaucrats have pressured schools into reducing the humanities and focusing on math and science. Art class is the one of the few non-STEM courses left standing and many people don’t seem to understand that it is necessary for school to continue. Students are not often attracted to math and science and it is these subjects that maintain the interest of the student. Additionally, it teaches the student practical skills and can easily combine with any other subject.

​

I am currently finishing up my student teaching at Firebaugh High School, the high school from where I graduated as the second incoming class in that schools history. I student teach Art 1 and IB Art. Prior to student teaching, I lead a photography club at Gage Middle School in Huntington Park in addition to substitute teaching for the Los Angeles Unified School District. My first official experience in the field of education was as an after-school tutor for View Park Elementary School at the border of View Park-Windsor Hills and Inglewood.

 

The following images are a few of my students' works from my after school programs.