Teaching is not just a job; it’s a way of life. Students are the center of everything. As I teach I will have a ‘can do’ attitude. My goal is to have every student know and understand that all they have to do is their best. I also will thrive to have every student look forward to coming to my class. As I teach, I want the students to use art as their getaway from the world. They should always feel comfortable and safe in my classroom.

Assessment will be one of my top priorities. At the end of each unit, there will be an assessment to check and see how each student’s art skills are developing, and if they understand the concepts they are learning. The assessments will be objective and flexible. As long as a student fully understands the concept being taught and has shown improvement in the skill(s) taught during that unit, then they will receive the same grade as a student who mastered that skill. I will also make sure that within my classroom no student feels bad about their artwork because of another student.

Alongside the assessments, my students will know that I have certain expectations for how they should behave in our classroom, but they will have a voice in what happens within it as well. By having this type of relationship with my students, they will know that, while I have my set expectations, I want them to be able to make choices and to set themselves up for success. Our classroom will be very choice-based. Having this style of classroom holds the students more accountable for their actions and progress, because they chose how they wanted something to go. My students will know that I want them to succeed, and that is a reason why I want to give them the opportunities to choose what is the best way for them to succeed and challenge themselves.

Students in my classroom will not only be in a choice-based environment, but a hands-joined environment. A major theme within our classroom will be togetherness. Although each student has their different quirks, in our classroom those quirks will be, not only accepted, but embraced and appreciated. In our classroom, we will strive to build each other up and encourage each other to succeed and grow in our learning and behavior. This will be very beneficial when it comes to the inclusion of students with learning disabilities and exceptional learners. Although it is not the student’s responsibility to accommodate these students, they will know that it is encouraged that they open up and help these students if they see they are struggling.

The togetherness quality will extend further outside of our classroom, as well. The community will play a role in our classroom. After the duration of a few units, I would like to conduct an art show in order for the parents and community to see what the art program has to offer and just an opportunity to admire the students work.  In doing so, I hope to not only spread the joy of art throughout the school, but to everyone outside of it too. Including the community gives my teaching opportunities to not only affect my students, but to affect their loved ones or just a community member who comes to the art show. Having involvement with the community can also help better the environment and appreciation for the classroom. My students are just a piece of the community we live in, and I would love to have art be part of what connects them together with that community and vice versa.