As an arts educator my teaching is hip hop, with that I mean it is a pastiche of history, culture, art, respect, representation, expression, and experimentation. My classroom is tranquil yet active, a sculpture classroom open to all mediums. Through my lesson plans and the experiences I give my students opportunities to uncover their personal histories to understand their futures. My students discover new connection with materials and techniques, being innovative and resourceful. My students are expressive, inquisitive, and inspired in the classroom, art is a tool they can be used to share their thoughts, feeling, and opinions.

Stay up to date with local artist through my podcast, Hoodgrown Aesthetic.   

Stay Hip

Be in know with contemporary art, go to shows, museums, lectures, and studios

Connecting students to the art world is part of your job as an educator. Staying hip means to know contemporary working artist, who students can look up to and learn from. Though my own experiences of following the art of contemporary artist it has improved the relevant work I can use in lesson plans. Using museums is a great tool for students to get more involved in the work, seeing the work in person and hearing artist speak about their own work can inspire students and gives them an understanding of the many kinds of artists and art forms there are. Good museums are socially relevant, culturally interesting, entertaining, motivational and educational, these can be great spaces to take artist as a space for aspiration. 

Through Understanding the museum experience we see the importance of Museums as well as galleries and studios, yet often feel exclusive, they are  “public institution for personal learning”. This too can be said about artist networks like Art21, ted talks, and artist social medias. As well as attending artist lectures, open studios and openings. Being an art lover is something we all are as art educators, we must be operating art lovers, for ourselves, our lesson and our students.    

Stay Woke 

Know your students as individuals, all differences valued and empowered in the classroom

Diversity in the classroom should be embraced, from race, ethnicity, language, culture, ability, gender identity, and sexual orientation. The many differences in the classroom requires us as educators to stay woke to the many identities to repeat and the best way to address and teach students as individual learners.  In Linking to Prior Learners Dong explains using a student's prior knowledge is a tool all teachers should use while working with ELL students. Knowing your students from their prior knowledge to what they wish to share with you can shape how you approach their learning. In There’s more to see Pransky describes how ELL much like any demographic of students have intersections of their learning and identity, all students can be taught when they are understood. Staying woke to respect others and our students is important as people and educators.

Stay Active 

Be involved in the art world, organize, produce, create, connect, and be an artist.   

Being an active artist as an art educator gives students a well rounded educator to learn from. Having professors and teachers who were working artist gave me a better understand  of them as individuals to connect and having respect for them as artist made me respect their lessons. Having an educator that is working outside of the classroom shows a drive and passion they have within the art world. Whether that being involved in a non for profit, having studio practice, forming artist collectives, and  adding the the art world in any way can connect your as an arts educator with art students beyond class content.