Lynn Young
Teaching Philosophy
As a freelance teaching artist in Hawaii, I teach art to elementary school children within a wide variety of contexts and time frames. Because of this I have had get to the heart of what I feel are the most valuable aspects of an art education for young children to experience. I know that most of the students I teach will not become professional artists; but I also know that all of the students, no matter what they do with their lives will need specific 21st century skills that the arts are uniquely suited to impart. With this in mind I ask myself: How can I engage students in an art experience that will lead them to think widely and critically, that will ignite their natural curiosity and creativity and inspire them to work at a new level of personal best?
Making art within a classroom can and should be an intimate, eye opening experience where students learn more about themselves and each other. In my classroom I first strive to create an atmosphere of safety and respect where students feel confident to express themselves and take risks in their thinking and making. Careful listening to the thoughts of others and close observation of their classmates artwork is practiced. In this way students learn to challenge their own thinking and build discussion through inquiry and with empathy.
Creativity is at the core of my curriculum planning. I believe that creativity thrives on limitation, thus I present projects that have a balance of structure and freedom. In my classroom there is no one “right” way to make art, but rather there is the freedom to create in many different ways within the structure of the art content we are learning about. When I see a student rotating his artwork in order to consider it from many different angles and experimenting with the art materials then I know that the lesson is on track with my learning goals for the students.
Today’s children are growing up in an increasingly global world where working with a diverse group of people in order to solve problems will be the norm in all occupations. Correspondingly, it is important that children learn that art is not created in a vacuum, that context and culture matter, and that art serves many purposes. To facilitate this understanding my projects are artistically and culturally diverse. I often incorporate art objects and visual presentations from around the world borrowed from HMOA’s lending collection. I have found this to be an enjoyable and powerful way for students to become knowledgeable about and appreciative of diverse cultures. They also learn to make connections between their culture and other cultures, which builds understanding, empathy and communication skills.
Teaching art to young children is the most creatively challenging and joyful work I have ever done. I am constantly learning from my students; they keep me asking the big questions, they remind me to slow down and pay attention and they enhance my life in the most “wonder-full” ways. And nothing is better than that!
