Reflective Practice

I am becoming a teacher who protects the innate creativity every child already has while helping them develop the confidence, skills, and habits of mind to keep creating. Shaped by my own path—exhibiting from age fourteen, returning to watercolor through children’s illustration, and integrating yoga and mindfulness—I want the art room to be a studio of wonder: inclusive, process-oriented, culturally responsive, and grounded in the belief that making art fosters self-discovery, empathy, and belonging.

Challenges have refined this vision. Leaving traditional academic drawing early to pursue a more expressive style taught me the value of risk and authenticity. Balancing life as an artist, mother, and now graduate student pursuing PreK–8 licensure required humility and prioritization. Moments of doubt about translating my intuitive approach into school settings pushed me to study inclusive pedagogies and scaffolding more deeply, strengthening my conviction that technical skill and emotional safety must coexist.

Feedback has steadily shaped my practice. Gallery talks, early critiques, and conversations with artists and parents reinforced the power of process over product and the importance of inviting students’ own stories into the studio. Constructive comments on structure helped me balance open-ended exploration with clear supports so freedom does not become overwhelm. Each cycle of feedback deepens my listening and responsiveness.

Questions that continue to drive my learning keep the work alive: How do I honor cultural diversity while building shared visual literacy? How can mindfulness and movement support both creative stamina and emotional regulation? What forms of assessment best capture growth in curiosity and self-expression? How might children’s creative tools extend the art classroom into homes and communities? These questions fuel my studies at Lesley and remind me that becoming a teacher is an ongoing inquiry—one I pursue with the same curiosity I hope to inspire in my students.