I am a graduate student of Auburn University in Montgomery with a completed thesis and reflection paper under the direction of Dr. Eric Sterling, the head of the Liberal Arts Department. I completed my master’s degree in counseling and publishing in May of 2023. My lecturing and tutoring experience, combined with my current course and background in education, curriculum building, and instruction theory makes me a strong advocate for art education.

I had excellent opportunities to teach various learners during my studies, including developing secondary art curriculum for Huntsville High School, being a Panoply chair for Huntsville City Schools, and completing advanced digital portfolio development during COVID remote studies. My history as an educator also includes mentoring new art education teachers; this position involved instruction in common core methods of art and general education, the development of course materials, ordering supplies and materials, classroom management, creation of assessments ad rubrics, along with case studies and project-based evaluation. One of my most enjoyable experiences as a teacher has been guiding students individually as a tutor in my studio at Lowe Mills Art & Entertainment. I look forward to individual conferences with my students throughout the semester. One-on-one interactions are essential to personal development as artists.

My work in the classroom has provided me with inspiration and a laboratory for my future endeavors as an education/counselor major. My past publication project, Contemporary Art: Value and Analysis, examines the shift since the 1940s from expressive art techniques toward now-dominant postmodern conceptions of decentered subjectivity and self-construction. I argued that these more recent impactful styles, while promising and visually appealing, only have the effects that are claimed for them with a preconception of artistic pedagogy and the dynamics of artistic practice. I compared critical readings of theoretical texts to my own educational experiences as an artist and curriculum developer, using examples of successes and failures throughout art history as the core of my composition. I plan to continue my work in art education through online platforms implementing the artistic process of technological advancement in the computer-mediated classroom.

My interest in the 21st-century classroom has grown from my recent experience teaching remotely. In courses I have led, my learners used computers for engaging, communicating, conducting research and web research, digital manipulations of art, and creating website layouts. I encourage students to become critical readers, thinkers, and artists. I always find ways to promote intellectual and cultural engagement with the work I assign to my students. The English language is also a form of art and communication. Writing effectively is a crucial tool to have as an individual in society. I plan to utilize all the tools and resources in my classroom to have a productive year in the arts.