A Portrait of an Educator

The more we get together, the wiser we'll be.

The adage "It takes a village" captures the essence of my professional journey and ethos. I often sang to my once young child that encapsulated this: "The more we get together, the happier we'll be." This principle is more than just child's play—supported by extensive research indicating that social cohesion, especially among students, faculty, and various community stakeholders, nurtures a healthier, more vibrant community culture. And we all learn better in it. A solid communal environment's profound ripple effect fortifies social bonds and individual well-being - both socially and academically. Community building becomes particularly pivotal when working with students, offering them a safe and familiar space to learn as well as give a sense of belonging.

So, this is my portrait: a community. Behind my head is a group of people who have who I learned from various stages in my life. They're not just school teachers, but guides, mentors, family members and friends - because it takes more than a book, and a teacher to experience and learn. Though I will be a teacher whose eyes will be on me in the classroom, and no matter how I teach, students need a safe, democratic classroom community that supports learning. Teachers like me, are merely guides, students need a community of friends, mentors, and allies to teach and support another through investigation and play.

In addition, as a visual artist whose primary medium is photography my practice isn’t so much about the medium, but rather the approaches I take. The process is just as important as the outcome to any problem. This is how I teach my students.