As an artist and educator, I care deeply about the value of education in the arts. My philosophical approach to Art Education is both art-focused and student-centered. I want my students to be able to use the information and problem-solving skills learned from my class, to help them in other classes and everyday life. Art should be meaningful and be able to apply to things in the outside world. Creating a learning environment where students experience a broad range of general knowledge that reflects an understanding of the communities and world in which we live is important to me. The lessons I developed focus on the importance of being involved with the community and understanding what is happening in the world around us. A teaching goal is to expose students to as much art as possible in a variety of different ways. I believe that teaching art is a way to broaden the scope of student thinking and it can increase the knowledge to broaden their horizon. Also, Seeing students explore and develop their own ideas is a pleasure. I often demonstrate techniques and skills, provide multiple artists to inspire the students, and then let students start their own creations, which usually encourages them to bring their personal experiences into the creation. We respect each other, we trust each other and we learn from each other too. 

 

I was always passionate about art as an artist and art educator. I went to a professional art high school, The Attached Secondary Art School of Luxun Academy of Arts and went to Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts in China. Then, I received my Master of Fine Art and Interdisciplinary Master of Art from the University of South Carolina. Part of my role as an art educator is to give students support on what they enjoy and confidence to pursue in their future. While working on my creation, I taught art to a wide range of people from preschool kids to retired people after school and during weekends. I have been offering the after-school art program since 2014 and meet 5 groups each week from kindergarten to 8th grade. The reason I am willing to offer a lot of extra time to my students is because I believe the consistency of art creation will help these art lovers to better discover their value and find their path. I provide unique skills that can be explored and developed for life. In my classes, the students are developing skills that bring a whole new understanding and enlightenment to their thoughts, emotions and place in the world. 

 

As a lifelong learner, I continue taking different classes and attending workshops and professional conferences that will help me grow as an artist and art educator. I actively seek advice to help me grow as a better educator and regularly reflect on my teaching. As an artist, travel is a big part of my life. I like to go to different places, visit different museums, landmarks, and to meet new people and learn about cultures. I share all my experiences with my peers and my students. I encourage my students to challenge themselves and experience being comfortable outside of their comfort zones. 

 

For 12 years of teaching in the same school, I have collected information related to kids' choices and development. I saw the change of students from a cute kid to pre-teenager; I taught some students from 4 or 5 years old until they were 13 to 14 years old; I saw the growth of their art capability to become a skillful young artist. All students are different and I believe there is always a talent behind each individual, it may or may not be art, however, hard work always pays back. If you try and put effort into it, you will be good at art. So it is important to know your students and their abilities and set consistent expectations for them all. I always apply differentiated instruction to reach all of my students. Modifying teaching strategies and assessments are based on the individual student's needs and abilities. Students are going to receive feedback not only from me, the teacher, but also from their peers. We are a learning circle, I provide my knowledge to help them grow, and they provide me with important feedback and experience to help me improve myself, lead to success, and inspire my future journey.    

 

Overall, I encourage my students to think critically and provide many opportunities for research, discussion, problem-solving, experimentation and application in their daily lives. Students are connecting art to their other subject matters. Students develop socially, intellectually and emotionally. Art is a very powerful and useful tool for communication and self-awareness. I am very glad I can share my passion with these young artists.