Teaching Philosophy 
 

Teaching, for me, is about connection. Relationships are everything. The teachers who made the biggest impact on me weren’t just educators, they were the ones who took the time to truly get to know me, not just as a student, but as a person. They built relationships that fostered respect, trust, and growth but most importantly they showed that they cared, and that made all the difference.

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My art teacher in school was and still is, one of the biggest role models in my life. To this day, I still think about her influence daily. She walked into class every day buzzing with energy and passion that was infectious, making you feel like art, and life were things worth being excited about. Her excitement for learning was contagious, and I just wanted to grab onto it, to feel it for myself.

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What I loved most about her was that she was real. She wasn’t perfect. She didn’t pretend to be. She embraced her flaws, and in doing so, she made me realize that imperfection is part of what makes us human and what makes art and creativity so powerful.

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I didn’t learn the most from her because her lesson plans were perfect, I don’t recall even if she had the most polished techniques, but she was someone I could talk to, someone who made me feel like I could be myself. Her warmth, her wisdom, and her authenticity left a lasting mark on me because she taught me that imperfection isn’t something to fear, it’s what makes us unique.

She didn’t just teach me art, she taught me about life, and more importantly, she taught me to embrace who I am. My classroom will be a space where every student feels seen and valued, where lessons are engaging, and where enthusiasm for learning is mirrored every day. I believe that teachers who love teaching create students who love learning. By showing my students that I care about them, not just their academics or projects, but them, I hope to inspire the same kind of curiosity, confidence, and excitement that teachers like mine, when I was sitting in the same seats they are now, sparked in me.