Influences
My earliest memories of creating art were in Kindergarten at Milner Memorial on New Bern Avenue in Raleigh,  painting on an easel.  I was so happy with that paintbrush in my hand.  Other influential  experiences were from my family, mainly my grandfather  who always let me help him paint and build projects.   My mother, great-grandmother and paternal grandmother, and aunt  were also important influences as they encouraged crafting, sewing, quilting, and crochet. 

Approach
My approach to art education is mainly Discipline Based Art Education (DBAE). DBAE focuses on teaching and integrating four strands: Art Production, Art History, Aesthetics (the definition of art and beauty), and Art Criticism (Describing, Analyzing, Interpreting, and Judging art).  The objectives that I am required to teach lend themselves to this approach to teaching Art to Elementary Students. 

Goals
My goal is to enhance the educational experience of the whole child.  To assist the classroom teachers in developing  higher level thinking skills of all students. To create an environment for all students that encourages creative thinking, problem solving, and risk-taking. To assist students in gaining  knowledge of art and culture throughout history and the 21st Century.  To facilitate students using  the elements and principles of art and design to create original works of art. To develop conversations with students on how to  evaluate their work and the work of others.  It is my responsibility as an art teacher  to provide a place where everyone feels welcomed, valued and safe to express him or herself.