GREG MEEHAN

Teaching Philosophy Statement

Teaching Visual Art is not just the most purposeful and fulfilling career choice I have ever made, but an endlessly exciting way of life, full of challenges and opportunities. Art can help to make young people more aware about what is going on in the world and how they can affect and engage with it through their work. I bring a wealth of valuable experience as an accomplished graphic designer, artist and filmmaker, all of which can be channels through which students can direct their creativity. I believe I can offer an alternative perspective to traditional methods and practices while building on tried and true fundamental knowledge and skills in the classroom.

 

From my own experience, I believe that students learn best from themselves and from eachother, in a collaborative student-led environment where formative assessment strategies and constructive feedback allow students to build their own understanding, beliefs and autonomy as learners.

 

My goals in teaching Visual Art are to allow students the freedom to express their artistic ability, explore creatively and to find solutions that are personally meaningful to themselves. Students will interpret and value art in their own unique ways, so it is my role to facilitate an environment that promotes ownership of work, responsibility to maximise potential, and critical reflection with an aim to identify strengths to be amplified and areas of weakness for improvement. I believe student art should be displayed throughout the school and celebrated to show them the power that their work can have.

 

The most important aspect of my teaching is that I will never lose sight of the fact that I am only an expert in specific areas, and that I will have my whole career to build on my knowledge and expertise in the numerous disciplines involved in Visual Art. My continuous professional development will rely on collaboration with a community of practice - my colleagues at school, my peers from my PME course, my involvement with local artists, and a growth mindset. By critically reflecting on my experiences as I progress through my career, I will stay motivated to continue learning and my desire to maximise my potential as an educator will continue to evolve.