BACKGROUND
When I consider my past in relation to how and why I became an art educator, a few specific people and experiences come to mind: Roger Jebe, summer camp, my professors, and my graduate cohort. This is a brief summary and, by no means, a complete list.
Despite going through ten years of K-12 public school without any art education classes, my childhood revolved around creating. My grandpa, Roger Jebe, made sure I had every possible opportunity to play, experiment, discover, and create. He never turned down any of my ideas, and he always found a way to make them possible. He demonstrated how mistakes are opportunities for creative thinking and problem solving. Thanks to my grandfather, my goal is to be the kind of art teacher that provides an environment in which students’ interests and ideas lead the learning. He showed me how important it is to value students' thoughts and ideas - to assist them in researching and pursuing those curiosities.
I spent a majority of my summers attending and working at various summer camps. These camps provided me with educational experiences outside of public schools and further developed my love of learning. While working as a summer camp art director after my first year of college, I discovered a passion for art education. After that, all I wanted to do was teach art. I changed my major to art education the following year.
At the School of Art + Design I met, learned from, and worked with incredible art educators such as Dr. Jorge Lucero, Dr. Laura Hetrick, and Dr. Jennifer Bergmark. From working with Dr. Lucero I learned to see teaching as a form of artmaking, to critically consider how I positioned myself as a teacher, to experiment with the pliability of school and curricula, and to value emergence within the classroom. From working with Dr. Hetrick, I learned to embrace my love of the little details and that I am my own timeline (AKA we all learn and do things at different times and there is no set life path). From working with Dr. Bergmark, I learned the importance of creating classroom environments that support and encourage meaningful educational experiences and how to provide educational opportunities that are rooted in students' lived experiences.
Even after four years in art education, there was still so much more I wanted to learn before teaching in public schools, and I was fortunate enough to continue to work with the aforementioned professors and pursue a graduate degree. There, I got the opportunity to work with Dr. Sarah Travis. I found myself amidst a an impressive cohort of rigorous and open-minded creative practitioners. This academic community became a family that taught me the value of leaning into transformative moments of discomfort, critical consciousness, serious play, and above all, community care.
Despite going through ten years of K-12 public school without any art education classes, my childhood revolved around creating. My grandpa, Roger Jebe, made sure I had every possible opportunity to play, experiment, discover, and create. He never turned down any of my ideas, and he always found a way to make them possible. He demonstrated how mistakes are opportunities for creative thinking and problem solving. Thanks to my grandfather, my goal is to be the kind of art teacher that provides an environment in which students’ interests and ideas lead the learning. He showed me how important it is to value students' thoughts and ideas - to assist them in researching and pursuing those curiosities.
I spent a majority of my summers attending and working at various summer camps. These camps provided me with educational experiences outside of public schools and further developed my love of learning. While working as a summer camp art director after my first year of college, I discovered a passion for art education. After that, all I wanted to do was teach art. I changed my major to art education the following year.
At the School of Art + Design I met, learned from, and worked with incredible art educators such as Dr. Jorge Lucero, Dr. Laura Hetrick, and Dr. Jennifer Bergmark. From working with Dr. Lucero I learned to see teaching as a form of artmaking, to critically consider how I positioned myself as a teacher, to experiment with the pliability of school and curricula, and to value emergence within the classroom. From working with Dr. Hetrick, I learned to embrace my love of the little details and that I am my own timeline (AKA we all learn and do things at different times and there is no set life path). From working with Dr. Bergmark, I learned the importance of creating classroom environments that support and encourage meaningful educational experiences and how to provide educational opportunities that are rooted in students' lived experiences.
Even after four years in art education, there was still so much more I wanted to learn before teaching in public schools, and I was fortunate enough to continue to work with the aforementioned professors and pursue a graduate degree. There, I got the opportunity to work with Dr. Sarah Travis. I found myself amidst a an impressive cohort of rigorous and open-minded creative practitioners. This academic community became a family that taught me the value of leaning into transformative moments of discomfort, critical consciousness, serious play, and above all, community care.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would not be the person/teacher/artist I am today without those mentioned above and the following:
Margaret & Tod Jebe, Isabella Jebe, Alexandra & Patrick von Schaumburg, Carol & Roger Jebe, Sue & Mike Campbell, Angela Baldus, Dr. Allison Rowe, Paulina Camacho Valencia, Dr. Jody Stokes-Casey, Catalina Hernández-Cabal, Alicia De León, Dr. Ahu Yolaç, Shane Rodems, Emmy Lingscheit, Tyler Denmead, Gabi Wallace, Loree Hunter, Cheyenne Drew, Aaron Foster, Heidi Huddleston, Lucy Christianson, Grace Ecker-Howes, Tracy Satterthwaite, Sharon Haworth, Austin Handler, Andrew Tash, Alex Tash, Sheetal Sethupathi, John Odum, Ryan Stripens, Elizabeth Piatt, Darnell Robinson, Ari Feldman, Devin Bunce, and Camille (@eternalsonkbirk), Mel Compo, Chaparro (@chaparroach), Sarah M. (@still___gay), Willow Sedam, and many many more.
Influential Authors:
Octavia Butler, Bell Hooks, . . .
Margaret & Tod Jebe, Isabella Jebe, Alexandra & Patrick von Schaumburg, Carol & Roger Jebe, Sue & Mike Campbell, Angela Baldus, Dr. Allison Rowe, Paulina Camacho Valencia, Dr. Jody Stokes-Casey, Catalina Hernández-Cabal, Alicia De León, Dr. Ahu Yolaç, Shane Rodems, Emmy Lingscheit, Tyler Denmead, Gabi Wallace, Loree Hunter, Cheyenne Drew, Aaron Foster, Heidi Huddleston, Lucy Christianson, Grace Ecker-Howes, Tracy Satterthwaite, Sharon Haworth, Austin Handler, Andrew Tash, Alex Tash, Sheetal Sethupathi, John Odum, Ryan Stripens, Elizabeth Piatt, Darnell Robinson, Ari Feldman, Devin Bunce, and Camille (@eternalsonkbirk), Mel Compo, Chaparro (@chaparroach), Sarah M. (@still___gay), Willow Sedam, and many many more.
Influential Authors:
Octavia Butler, Bell Hooks, . . .
