Real Creative Learning No Worksheets No Screens

Outreach learning activities and art kits for at home learning during COVID-19,taught art classes for all ages at arts council 2yrs, after school program art educator 2yrs, student teaching experience teaching middle school art and high school ceramics, elementary art teacher for K-5 3 years, arts based preschool teacher 6 years, arts based kindergarten teacher 4 years, studio manager for arts center early childhood program, arts center early childhood art and cooking and virtual summer camps 7 years

In my opinion, teaching through art is the best way for a child to learn how to learn. So much of education has been mass produced for a one size fits all approach resulting in a large percentage of students that don't have the intrinsic value to become a lifelong learners. I truly learned how to learn at university studying art and it changed my life. So many people grow up to say they aren't creative, which is so sad because humans are naturally meant to be curious. We should not teach children in a way that crushes this natural human need. Children are born curious, creative and motivated to gain knowledge and skills through experience and interactions with others. This is play and all baby animals do it to learn. My lessons are open-ended, cross-curricular and differentiated for all young learners. Screens, "cute" printouts, and worksheets have become the normal in so many classrooms, but this is the "processed food" of educational experiences. There are other ways to show that learning is taking place, it is just hard to judge or collect "data" on these alternatives to fit a grading scale the government has made for the "average" child. If you have ever met a child, you know that there is no such thing as average. Every child grows up with a unique body, unique social interactions, and in a unique environment and this results in every child being a beautiful being with very diverse needs and gifts. Learning the value of creativity, play, curiosity, problem solving, cooperation, intrinsic motivation, and self-reflection are more valuable than single skill learning experience. Most educators would love to be able to teach these kinds of lessons to their students, but with their strict and demanding work environment, it disrupts work life balance and is nearly impossible to keep up long term. We should all be supporting educators and advocating for change, not by complaining about teachers, but by educating school boards and officials that control educational policy.

Horizon Award Teacher of Promise

BFA in Painting, Post-Baccalaureate Art Education Licence for pre-K-12

I am an artist, teacher and entrepreneur. I produce work in fine arts and I play mandolin in a professional all women music group. I spent the last decade teaching in private and public schools. I now own a business that helps seniors and people with chronic health conditions and disabilities adapt their homes to suit their needs or transition to a place that will provide them with the best quality of life. My hobbies are cooking, loving and caring for my animal friends, gardening, and riding bikes with my husband. I am currently studying universal design, geriatrics, ancient human history, physical health, nutrition, and how humans can create an optimal life experience through mindfulness, education and self-reflection. I am so grateful for my wonderful family and friends. Life is precious and fragile and children become who they are because of their experiences. Please make those experiences real, meaningful, and valuable; don't cheapen the big learning experiences by only teaching with single skill cute printouts, worksheets, or screen time. There is more to offer children and they are worth the work that goes into providing them with creative learning experiences. Their lives depend on it.