I consider empathy and autonomy to be two core learning outcomes for students. I believe the teacher's role is to support and encourage the innate creative tendencies of each student. The art room (whether in person or digital) should be a place where students can pull from their cultures and individualized experiences, applying it to their artistic endeavors. In my teaching practice, I understand each new project should be an open-ended exploration that challenges students to think critically and creatively about concepts with personal importance.
I am currently teaching elementary art for the Ithaca City School District. I received my B.S. in Art Education with a concentration in Graphic Design from the State University of New York at New Paltz.
In my artistic practice, I enjoy exploring the dichotomy of home and community; through a scope of introspective independence. Specifically, I find great value in the juxtaposed nuances between familial and communal support in youth and the shift towards individualism in adulthood.