Students are provided meaningful choice in how they explore and express through art. I get to know my students on an individual level so I can help tailor projects to their interests. I schedule open studio time to facilitate student to learning from eachother, expand their skills with mediums we learned in class, and pursue their own long term projects.

I regularly provide opporunities for students to give me feedback, and participate in deciding the direction of the class. I ask studentts to fill out surveys that allow them to comment on my instrtuction, such as the survey on the right. I shape the classroom around feedback given - student's expressed an interest in learning about fashion design, so the last unit of this year was dedicated to fashion illustration. 

Classroom materials are produced to manage cognitive load and provide clear visual aids to facilitate understanding for all students. Instructional design is consistent throughout the year, so students can learn how to use the tool once and focus their energy on the content learning. All materials are translated for MLLs. 

I believe all students come to the classroom with a unique set of assets and obstacles - it is my job to appropriately challenge all students to facilitate growth. Unit goals are focused around acquiring thinking strategies that can be applied in other contexts, not just technical art skills. Advanced students are provided pathways for more rigorous exploration.

The process of art making can be a powerful vehicle for critical analysis of the world, and thoughtful exploration of self. In my classroom, students have examined local environmental issues through animation, incorporated sociological methodology in portraiture, and scrutinized urban design in NYC through cardboard sculptures. Art can be paired with identity work to give students a safe space to know themselves better and find affirmation in expressing their findings to others.

In the age of the internet, students need to know how to decode information and intuit authorial intent in visual media. I have made it a point to engage my students in critical visual analysis, and generally help navigate the turbulent waters of life on the internet. I incorporate media literacy training into every day instruction, and run "Internet Scavenger Hunt" days that seek to make learning internet resources and dangers fun.