I have always been a student of the arts. The study of and especially the creation of artistic works is a big part of what makes me who I am. As a small child I spent so much time drawing that my mother had to bring home stacks of scratch computer paper from work so that I would have something to draw on, and as I grew through elementary and middle school I continued to use art as an important tool for expressing myself. It wasn't until high school, however, when I took art classes under Mr. Floyd Tunson that I started to see myself as an artist. I took every art class that I possibly could under his direction and grew by leaps and bounds in the three years that I attended there, graduating with high honors in art. He encouraged me to pursue my own artistic vision while helping me to improve my skill and was the first person (other than a family member) that I can ever remember calling me an artist (a compliment that I dont believe he gave lightly). I have no doubt that his influence on me is a major part of why I am an art teacher today.
On August 8, 2009 I graduated from the University of Florida with highest honors, a Bachelors degree in art education, and a minor in art history. I was the art teacher at Imagine Nau (a local charter school) for 3 and a half years and had a blast watching my students grow. As I change gears as an art teacher, I look forward to continuing to put my knowledge to work and making a difference in the lives of my students just as Mr. Tunson made a difference in mine. It is my belief that education in the arts is an essential element of a balanced general education and that it will help children to better understand the world around them, foster creativity, encourage self expression, build artistic skill, promote appreciation for various cultures and other ways of thinking, and engage children in critical thinking.
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