Art is an ‘invention process’ stimulated through our internal and external experiences. This is why I believe it’s important to develop the idea of this process through critical problem solving, to mentor students towards a fundamental knowledge of how the elements of studio and art theory relate to the world around us. I look to foster this ‘invention process’ in students as well as nurture their aesthetic awareness through the different forms of visual communication.
Teaching, at its very core, is a ‘mentoring process’ which requires a collaborative effort between a mentor who takes the time to listen to students’ goals and dreams and builds that bridge through to existence. No matter the size of the class, that mentor is engaging students in active discussion and critical thinking based on an individual’s artistic and intellectual curiosity and questions. One of the transformative elements of collegiate instruction today is the importance of shifting to andragogy, where we as instructors recognize the need to create a ‘community of knowers,’ if you’re familiar with Susan Imel’s “Transformative Learning in Adulthood theory.” Critical problem-solving is a crucial piece of the design process, but you must have a safe space in which to work. From an artist’s perspective, we’re really just problem solvers coming up with new ways to view the world and its challenges. It’s through the shared community experience that we all have valued experience. This way, we can bring our unique problem-solving approaches, and that’s what I have found as a valuable discussion and practice in the classroom. This emphasizes the point that the teacher needs to create a space for authentic messaging.
Mentoring walks students through the ‘invention process’ requiring meaningful discussion as well as leading by example. The goal of the ‘invention process’ is to help students discover a path by way to produce ideas efficiently in a professional setting. One must establish a set of rules as a place to start the creation process and then go through certain steps to create a new invention. The more one does it, the faster the process and the more one can push their creative boundaries. Studio art requires foundational steps through which one creates a truly new invention, something that’s never been seen before and unique to that particular artist and their influences from cultural background to contemporary experiences. A great mentor also leads by excellent work ethic. They must practice what they preach as well as show how their work ethic was developed, and how they use diverse resources in their own professional life and practice.
My belief is that students who are engaged in asking questions are continually on a path of discovery. This is why ‘Lead Learning Out,’ a teaching method I picked up from teaching at Apple, is such an innovative and effective teaching tool. You are teaching students by asking questions that lead the student down the path to discover their own avenue towards a resolution, depending on the answers that they give. Every student, regardless of background, has the potential to learn how to teach themselves as long as they discover what their passion is about. I’m looking forward to growing with my students and investing in their overall development and invention process. In using this teaching method, I employ lecture, hands-on, and mentorship as vehicles to get the students where they need to be, whether it is an individual lesson or a classroom. If I would have a teaching theme, it would be ‘humility’ because learning is a continued process. The more you learn, the more you realize how much more is out there to discover.
