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teaching philosophy

Empowerment.Inclusivity.Exploration.

My educational philosophy is deeply rooted in my own diverse learning experiences, from navigating the International Baccalaureate program in Michigan public schools to experiencing cultural immersion while living abroad in South Korea during my middle school years. These experiences taught me that education extends far beyond classroom walls, and it is a lifelong lens for understanding ourselves and our world.

I believe the purpose of education is to nurture students into becoming kind, capable members of society. This includes helping students develop transferable skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, empathy, effective communication, and creative expression, which empower them to engage thoughtfully with the world beyond the classroom.

I believe every student deserves equitable learning opportunities and an environment where they feel safe to express their authentic selves and think critically about the world around them. Because of this, accessibility is a central priority in my teaching, ensuring that all students can meaningfully engage with content in ways that meet their individual needs. At the heart of this work are strong, respectful relationships. I will strive to build trust with students by setting clear expectations, being consistent, and always leading with empathy.

In my future classroom, I will create a space where mistakes are celebrated as an essential part of the learning process and where student voices are valued. I want students to feel comfortable taking creative risks, exploring new ideas, and engaging in productive struggle, recognizing that deep learning often happens when challenges require persistence and problem-solving.

Additionally, I view families and caregivers as essential partners in student success. Building positive, open lines of communication with families helps support student growth and contributes to a more connected and supportive learning environment.

In all aspects of my teaching, my goal is to help students develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed in school and beyond.

student teaching · Fort Collins, Colorado

Fort Collins High School

For my first eight-week placement, I completed my student teaching at Fort Collins High School, where I taught 2-D Design and 3-D Design. The school serves 1,837 students in grades 9–12. Fort Collins High has a diverse student population, with 33.9% of students identifying as students of color, including many Hispanic and Spanish-speaking students. This placement provided valuable experience teaching multiple media and supporting diverse students with a wide range of skill levels and backgrounds. Through teaching both 2-D and 3-D Design, I learned how to create enough structure to keep projects organized and productive while still allowing space for creativity and individual expression. I also gained experience guiding students through longer-term projects and helping them work through the frustration and problem-solving that are often part of the artistic process.

  • A high school art room with open shelving of supplies and long worktables.
  • A rolling cart of unglazed white ceramic pieces drying in the art room.
  • Shelves filled with student ceramic teapots and vessels in pale glazes.
  • A corridor gallery wall hung with framed student photographs and paintings.

featured unit

Modeling Global Challenges

I designed and taught this unit during my student teaching placement for a 3-D Design course. Students explored global issues through architectural model-making, constructing foam core buildings supported by additional mixed materials. The project emphasized interdisciplinary learning by integrating mathematical concepts such as scale, measurement, and structural stability into the design process. Students engaged in sustained problem-solving as they navigated material limitations and construction challenges, encouraging critical thinking. Through planning and revision, students developed both technical skills and used architecture as a means to communicate complex ideas about global concerns.

  • A foam core architectural model of a grey city block with towers, mounted on a road base.
  • A foam core architectural model of a single tower with a cotton plume rising above it.
  • A foam core architectural model of a textured white building marked with a red cross.
  • A foam core architectural model of a city block with green and pink buildings and small signage.
  • A foam core architectural model of an open structure with a dark screen set into one side.

more student work

Linocut Printmaking

  • A black-and-white linocut print of a face held between two hands, a spiral turning above the head.
  • A black-and-white linocut print of an open doorway with birds flying out over water.
  • A black-and-white linocut print of mountains beneath a dark sun, with a patterned foreground.

Paper Quilling

  • Paper quilling: coiled paper flowers in pink, purple and yellow arranged on a grey ground.
  • Paper quilling: two orange koi fish swimming among coiled blue water.
  • Paper quilling: a garden of coiled paper plants and flowers on a deep teal ground.

student teaching · Timnath, Colorado

Bethke Elementary School

For my second eight-week placement, I completed my student teaching at Bethke Elementary. Bethke serves 508 students in grades K–5 and uses the Core Knowledge curriculum. During this placement, I taught elementary art lessons across multiple grade levels and adapted instruction to meet a wide range of developmental needs. This experience strengthened my understanding of classroom routines and age-appropriate pedagogy. I gained experience managing transitions and classroom energy in ways that kept students engaged while creating a structured and supportive learning environment. I also learned how important clear step-by-step instruction and consistent routines are in helping elementary students feel confident and successful in the art room.

  • A hand holds up a child’s paper collage figure, built from strips of bright coloured paper, in an elementary art room.
  • A teacher stands beside a corridor display board covered with children’s layered paper landscape collages.
  • An elementary art room with children working at low tables, finished artwork pinned along the walls.

featured unit · 2nd grade

Arpillera Landscapes

I designed and taught this unit to second grade students during my student teaching placement at Bethke Elementary. Students studied arpilleras, stitched textile artworks created by women in Chile that tell stories of community. Through this project, students explored how art can communicate personal narratives and cultural history. Students then used collage techniques and learned to construct an origami house to create their own arpillera-inspired landscapes. The unit emphasized multicultural learning and storytelling while building creative decision-making. Students engaged in hands-on problem solving and learned how artists use materials and imagery to share meaningful stories.

  • A classroom display board filled with rows of children’s paper landscape collages.
  • A paper collage landscape with cut mountains, a folded origami house and a pale moon above a dark ground.
  • A paper collage landscape with a red-roofed house on green striped fields beneath an orange sun.
  • A paper collage landscape with a small house among evergreen trees and layered mountains.
  • A paper collage landscape of pink and purple mountains dotted with small houses and red flowers.
  • A paper collage landscape with a pink field, slender trees and a small house under a warm sky.

more student work

Oil Pastel Dessert Drawings5th Grade

  • An oil pastel drawing of toast topped with berries on a plate, set on a blue checked cloth.
  • An oil pastel drawing of a slice of layer cake with pink frosting and a cherry, on a patterned plate.
  • An oil pastel drawing of a whole lattice-topped pie on a red and white checked cloth.

Crayon + Tempera Still LifeKindergarten

  • A child’s still life of flowers in a vase, drawn in crayon over a rainbow wash of paint.
  • A child’s still life of a single flower in a patterned vase, drawn in crayon over bands of painted colour.
  • A child’s still life of flowers in a cup, drawn in crayon over a purple and brown painted wash.