Multicultural Mindset: My Personal Philosophy of Education
Today’s America, has developed into a society with a multicultural mindset, therefore the purposes of education in a growing and changing America have evolved. It is my belief that the purpose of education, in today’s society is to inform our students of the changing world that surrounds them. Students while getting their education in grades k-12 should be able to graduate with a sense of their strengths and weaknesses, which will help them to determine a career path or help them to choose a major in while in college. The school’s role in society is to be the link through which students of differing cultural backgrounds can be exposed to one another, in an educational environment. The school is to be a vital component in the community, but must be willing to appeal to the needs of all cultures and social groups that surround its premises.
I believe that my primary responsibility as an art teacher, within a society that values diversity, is to know the community in which I teach. Bearing a multicultural mindset in my approach to teaching, I think, lends itself very well to the teaching of art and its history. If I am to understand the needs of my students, then I must fully be aware of the needs of the community that surrounds the school. When an understanding of the community is gained, I need to then involve the families of the students I will be teaching and allow them to blend their diverse backgrounds into the education of their children. I must work to find pointed opportunities for the parents of my students to be part of their child’s education, by making my classroom available to them at all times. In making my classroom an open environment, I could invite a child’s parent to come speak about their unique cultural background. Then I could blend this into my lesson plans by choosing a specific artist from that cultural background and have my students create a piece of artwork that reflects the artist’s culture or style. For example, if a student and their family have a Spanish heritage, then I would choose the artist Pablo Picasso and have my students create a portrait of themselves or a friend in the style of cubism.
While the county and state have established standards that I must teach, I want to be able to use the curriculum in such a way that all of my students are exposed the evolution of art throughout history. Art history, I think is often brushed off to the side when a teacher begins a new project. To understand where the idea for the project came from, it is important to convey to my students the history behind the project. Or in trying to convey the style or history of a particular country, through a new project, it might be useful to bring in a current event that involves that country. This idea keeps to the multicultural mindset which I believe in, by making the curriculum have links to today’s happenings. For example, in referencing the upcoming summer Olympics, I could educate my students on their origins and develop an art project that relates to Ancient Greek sculpture and the games themselves.
After gaining an awareness of the community that surrounds the school, in which I will teach, and the students in my classroom, I must come to know the resources that my school offers. I need to come to know the reading specialists, the guidance counselors, the administration and all others who will be the resources I will need to assist students with special needs or learning disabilities. It is my belief as well, that I must also be willing to help these students in any way that I can, instead of always passing them off to another school teacher or staff member. I want to make sure that the school I work at is able to meet all of the needs of my students and if the school cannot meet the needs of the child, then the school or I need to be able to recognize that we can no longer help the student with the resources we possess. The school must refer the child somewhere that they may get the help that they need and be able to continue with their education.
When discipline or behavior problems arise, I will have a system of classroom management that my students will already be familiar with. I must set this system or plan before the first day of school so that when my students walk through my classroom door, they will know what I expect of them. A tiered set of consequences and punishments will be in place, so that all of my students know what to expect when they disrupt the class. I must also realize that I too could become a discipline problem and upset the flow of my classroom, if I do not adhere to the system of classroom management that I have established.
I want for all of my students to feel safe in the classroom environment that I will create for them. To achieve this, I must develop personal working relationships with my students and understand their unique learning styles. I understand that all students are visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners. In knowing this, I as the teacher, should be able to conform my teaching techniques to all of different styles of learning in order to better serve my students. I want to be able to give my students every opportunity to succeed through knowing their different learning styles. My students should want to soak in the information and art techniques that I give to them because I have inspired them to do so. I see students as sponges, who will either soak up the positive or negative energy that a teacher gives off. I know that I must be careful not to let any negative energy into my classroom by controlling my personal feelings in front of my students.
I want to encourage all of my students to do or be their best because they possess the passion and desire to do so. As a passionate teacher of the arts, I know that it is my role to appear to be the master of my field’s knowledge for my students. My belief in a multicultural education for my students can only help to further my knowledge in the field of art. I believe that a teacher must never stop learning about their field. When I stop learning, I can no longer give to my students the instruction that they need. It is my hope to make my passion for art shine through the work of my students. I want my students to be able to see my passion and then have them make that passion their own.
I believe that my primary responsibility as an art teacher, within a society that values diversity, is to know the community in which I teach. Bearing a multicultural mindset in my approach to teaching, I think, lends itself very well to the teaching of art and its history. If I am to understand the needs of my students, then I must fully be aware of the needs of the community that surrounds the school. When an understanding of the community is gained, I need to then involve the families of the students I will be teaching and allow them to blend their diverse backgrounds into the education of their children. I must work to find pointed opportunities for the parents of my students to be part of their child’s education, by making my classroom available to them at all times. In making my classroom an open environment, I could invite a child’s parent to come speak about their unique cultural background. Then I could blend this into my lesson plans by choosing a specific artist from that cultural background and have my students create a piece of artwork that reflects the artist’s culture or style. For example, if a student and their family have a Spanish heritage, then I would choose the artist Pablo Picasso and have my students create a portrait of themselves or a friend in the style of cubism.
While the county and state have established standards that I must teach, I want to be able to use the curriculum in such a way that all of my students are exposed the evolution of art throughout history. Art history, I think is often brushed off to the side when a teacher begins a new project. To understand where the idea for the project came from, it is important to convey to my students the history behind the project. Or in trying to convey the style or history of a particular country, through a new project, it might be useful to bring in a current event that involves that country. This idea keeps to the multicultural mindset which I believe in, by making the curriculum have links to today’s happenings. For example, in referencing the upcoming summer Olympics, I could educate my students on their origins and develop an art project that relates to Ancient Greek sculpture and the games themselves.
After gaining an awareness of the community that surrounds the school, in which I will teach, and the students in my classroom, I must come to know the resources that my school offers. I need to come to know the reading specialists, the guidance counselors, the administration and all others who will be the resources I will need to assist students with special needs or learning disabilities. It is my belief as well, that I must also be willing to help these students in any way that I can, instead of always passing them off to another school teacher or staff member. I want to make sure that the school I work at is able to meet all of the needs of my students and if the school cannot meet the needs of the child, then the school or I need to be able to recognize that we can no longer help the student with the resources we possess. The school must refer the child somewhere that they may get the help that they need and be able to continue with their education.
When discipline or behavior problems arise, I will have a system of classroom management that my students will already be familiar with. I must set this system or plan before the first day of school so that when my students walk through my classroom door, they will know what I expect of them. A tiered set of consequences and punishments will be in place, so that all of my students know what to expect when they disrupt the class. I must also realize that I too could become a discipline problem and upset the flow of my classroom, if I do not adhere to the system of classroom management that I have established.
I want for all of my students to feel safe in the classroom environment that I will create for them. To achieve this, I must develop personal working relationships with my students and understand their unique learning styles. I understand that all students are visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners. In knowing this, I as the teacher, should be able to conform my teaching techniques to all of different styles of learning in order to better serve my students. I want to be able to give my students every opportunity to succeed through knowing their different learning styles. My students should want to soak in the information and art techniques that I give to them because I have inspired them to do so. I see students as sponges, who will either soak up the positive or negative energy that a teacher gives off. I know that I must be careful not to let any negative energy into my classroom by controlling my personal feelings in front of my students.
I want to encourage all of my students to do or be their best because they possess the passion and desire to do so. As a passionate teacher of the arts, I know that it is my role to appear to be the master of my field’s knowledge for my students. My belief in a multicultural education for my students can only help to further my knowledge in the field of art. I believe that a teacher must never stop learning about their field. When I stop learning, I can no longer give to my students the instruction that they need. It is my hope to make my passion for art shine through the work of my students. I want my students to be able to see my passion and then have them make that passion their own.