My teaching is grounded in my professional experience as an artist, craftsman, and interdisciplinary researcher. Drawing from my work integrating traditional craft processes with digital fabrication, microscopic imaging, and biological research, I understand that contemporary art transcends conventional boundaries. My students learn to navigate between traditional techniques and emerging technologies, exploring both form and content through multiple lenses. Consequently, I see the teaching studio as an incubator of ideas, a laboratory where visual expression meets scientific inquiry and technological innovation. Within this dynamic learning environment, I am more than just a professor; I am a mentor, facilitator, role model, and collaborator.

 

Art cannot exist in a vacuum. It needs input, and input implies a diversity of ideas, perspectives, and experiences. Through visiting artist interactions, slide lectures, field trips, readings, and in-class discussions, I expose my students to the variety of art being produced today. Understanding that creativity thrives best in a supportive environment, I foster an atmosphere of intellectual and artistic curiosity where students feel empowered to take risks and explore new ideas. This connection is crucial in the studio setting, where constructive criticism is essential for personal and professional growth.

 

Believing that conceptual development is as important as technical skill acquisition, I strive to help my students develop and refine critical-thinking, problem-solving, and self-assessment skills, in addition to learning tools and techniques. I establish and maintain high standards to challenge students to push themselves beyond their limits, unlocking hidden talents and creative potential. These high expectations also serve to convey my commitment to their success, the implication being that I take it seriously and they should be prepared to do the same. I am responsive to my students' needs, tailoring my pedagogical approach to fit their level of experience, while remaining flexible and understanding regarding achievement levels. I try to keep in mind that many of them face extraordinary challenges on a day-to-day basis, challenges that can inevitably impact all aspects of their lives including their learning goals. Accordingly, I maintain an open-door policy for conversations on any topic and am regularly available for studio assistance. When students realize that I am just as invested in their success as they are, they are more receptive to criticism and less likely to adopt a defensive posture.

 

Drawing from Dewey's understanding that art is fundamentally experiential, and that learning happens through active engagement rather than passive reception, I structure my courses to emphasize process and discovery. To foster an equitable and inclusive learning environment that supports this experiential approach, I employ an ungraded model of assessment based on Blum's research showing how traditional grading can inhibit creative risk-taking. Instead of numerical grades, evaluation happens through a combination of narrative feedback, self-reflection, and peer-evaluation. This approach encourages students to focus on their artistic development rather than final products, allowing them to take greater creative risks without fear of grade penalties.

 

This emphasis on process over product is particularly crucial given the heightened anxiety many students face today. As Cavanagh notes, contemporary students struggle with unprecedented levels of stress exacerbated by pandemic impacts, sociopolitical tensions, and environmental concerns. I address these challenges through concrete strategies while maintaining high standards. For example, I structure major projects with multiple low-stakes checkpoints where students receive formative feedback before proceeding. Based on Lang's research on attention and engagement, I also implement a flipped classroom model where students engage with lecture content outside of class through video instruction and readings. This maximizes our in-person time for active learning and one-on-one mentoring, allowing me to provide individualized support while still pushing students to excel.

 

Following Salomon's philosophy that learning to make something well has implications beyond the immediate task, I instill in my students an appreciation for craftsmanship. This attention to detail and process serves as both a technical foundation and a metaphor for approaching other aspects of their lives with care and dedication. When students realize that excellence comes through iterative improvement rather than immediate perfection, they develop both resilience and confidence.

 

My syllabi clearly outline all my expectations. I believe these well-organized documents demonstrate a commitment on my part to enhance student learning by stating clear educational goals, the methods used to achieve those objectives, and the means to evaluate their success. I revise my courses regularly and am not afraid to try out new ideas or innovative approaches, swapping out less effective assignments for ones more closely aligned to my curricular goals or that may reflect advancements in the field. Of course, the most effective way to demonstrate these expectations is by continuing to be active professionally. As a professor who is also a practicing professional artist, I can speak intimately to issues that affect my students with an insight that can only come from firsthand experience.

 

 

Bibliography:

 

• Adamson, Glenn, Thinking Through Craft (New York: Berg Publishing, 2007).

• Blum, Susan, ed., Ungrading: Why Rating Students Undermines Learning (and What to Do Instead) (Morgantown: West Virginia University Press, 2020).

• Cavanagh, Sarah Rose, Mind Over Monsters: Supporting Mental Health With Compassionate Challenge (Boston: Beacon Press, 2023).

• Darby, Flower and Land, James, Small Teaching Online: Applying Learning Science in Online Classes (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2019).

• Dewey, John, Art as Experience (New York: Minton, Balch & Co., 1934).

• Helguera, Pablo, Education for Socially Engaged Art: A Materials and Techniques Handbook (New York: Jorge Pinto Books, 2011).

• Lang, James, Distracted: Why Students Can't Focus and What You Can Do About It (New York: Basic Books, 2020).

• Tatum, Beverly Daniel, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? (New York: Basic Books, 2017).

• Salomon, Otto, 'Introductory Remarks', from The Teacher's Handbook of Slojd (Boston: Silver, Burdett & Co., 1891).