Art Ed Philosophy

Failure is best served in the art room.

Failure is a core part of any art practice. When we fail as artists, we have opportunity to critically think, try again, and work through problems - often ending up with a much more interesting result than if we hadn’t failed at all.

Failure is necessary to learn, especially in art, and it is not as barbaric as it sounds. When a student fails in the art room, problem solves and perseveres - continuing to work toward their goal, they have acquired a universally transferable skill. Now, they might be more likely to take their history teacher up on a re-write of a paper, or more likely to join a sports team when they realize they don’t need to be perfect the first time they try something new. Failure, or overcoming failure, more appropriately, is a valuable skill students can transfer to every other avenue they pursue. Giving students the confidence to fail is a value they will carry with them well beyond the walls of a school.

A classroom culture that boasts competition, belittlement, and judgement is not conducive to productive art making. A classroom in which students feel heard, know they can collaborate safely, and where they feel at home is ideal. One of my goals as a teacher is to create an environment in which students aren’t afraid of failure, and where they choose to persevere through it and feel supported in that decision. With classroom management, culturally responsive teaching, and social emotional affirmation, this is possible - and I will use every strategy known to me, pushing through every failure until I achieve that goal in my art room.

- Miss Macaluso