My commitment to creating an inclusive and diverse classroom comes from strong family ties in the teaching community. I have been integrated into the world of education from a young age and have seen how the terms inclusion and diversity have changed over the last decade. From posters of children from different races on motivational posters to real classroom change, including tackling issues related to race, gender, class, and differently-abled learners in the classroom through open dialog. I’m influenced by my own experiences navigating the public-school system with a speech impediment. It pulled me out of the regular classroom and into individualized therapy, giving me a profound empathy for students who are differently-abled learners. Unfortunately, learning differently often means the students are pulled out of the arts and into smaller learning groups. Being pulled from the arts classroom can be extremely difficult for students who are motivated to go to school because of art programs. For example, my brother could not learn well in the conventional classroom but excelled in visual arts.

​

            Creating a diverse classroom extends beyond my connection with different learners. As an educator, one of my goals is to create a learning environment that is open to discussion and respectful of all students. I believe part of that respect comes from understanding the impact that race, culture, and class can have on the classroom. Unfortunately, the context of art and art history has been historically white. This historical narrative does not reflect the bodies found in the classroom. We cannot deny that race is visible and impacts student's lives. The concept of colorblindness is misguided and “…supports hegemonic curriculum and race privilege in the classroom, as “othered” cultural knowledge is often subverted by the dominant voice and knowledge” (Acuff, 2015) To ignore race is to minimize the effects of systematic racism students face and often results in a whitewashed curriculum. This is especially important in an educational framework where black males are 21% less likely to graduate high school than our white male students (Acuff, 2015). Every student must see themselves as a part of the narratives and images we’re teaching. I’ll be transparent with my students and acknowledge when I cannot put myself in their shoes. I believe that it’s important to teach the old art masters, but it’s equally important to acknowledge the biases in our history which led them there. While teaching the masterworks of art, I will teach corresponding contemporary artists who utilize similar technique and emphasize choosing artists of color. For example, while looking at portraiture I believe you can learn a lot from Da Vinci’s studies of anatomy, but I would place this discussion alongside Nigeran-American painter Kehinde Wiley’s portraits. I want my students to be able to look at historical artwork and know that it’s been framed by a euro-centric view; that not all work follows this historical timeline.

​

           While exploring the work created by artists of color, it’s important to acknowledge the differences between race and culture. To be mindful of the cultural significance of a piece of art and to be transparent in the classroom that we cannot all relate to a particular culture equally. I will work to never teach culture as part of a celebration or other loosely based association and to never make cultural assumptions because “no one represents everyone in a cultural group. There is no one thought or one way all people in a cultural group think, act or respond…” (Taylor et al., 2006). I will work with students to research the cultural significance of artist's work, looking to our community for artists whose work is part of their cultural identity, bringing these artists into the classroom.

​

           Within the arts, we must also consider what we ask of our students when it comes to socioeconomics and class. In the age of technology, we mustn’t forget that, just because many schools provide technology to their students, they may have the means to use it in their homes. The arts mustn't push away students of low socioeconomic status because “teenagers… of low socioeconomic (SES) status who have a history of in-depth arts involvement show better economic outcomes than low-SES youth with less arts involvement” (Gifford, 2012).  I want to value universal materials and always allow doing internet-based work in school, to give out paper research materials to all students, and to always value found art materials as much store-bought ones.

​

           Finally, I want to give all students a classroom where differently-abled learners are not penalized for their cognitive or physical differences. During one of my shadowing experiences, I was met with a first-grade student who recently had a stroke and couldn’t use scissors as well as the other kids. In giving fair assistance, I will place an emphasis on the process that students take in creating art over just results.

​

           My curriculum will be based on the culture of the school and of the community, “In order for students to make meaning from their various encounters, they must be helped to integrate knowledge into their own lifeworlds” (Walker). I believe that art is a form of communication. All stories need to be explored, but my students should have the ability to explore their communities and the topics that impact them directly. I would like my students to make a personal connection to the artwork they create, understanding the effects that art has beyond the classroom, and being able to reflect and analyze the impacts that an art piece can have on a community or culture. As part of this, I want to emphasize sharing student work, develop an artistic voice, and create a classroom culture of open discussion, “Without dialog, reflection, contemplation, sharing, interpreting and revealing what the ‘art’ solicited/s, people do not get the opportunity to learn (Patterson, 2016). Creating a diverse and inclusive classroom will not only teach the concepts of art, but those of empathy, accountability, collaboration and community.

 

 

References:

 

Acuff, J. (2015). Failure to operationalize: Investigating in critical multicultural art education. The Journal of Social Theory in Art Education.

 

Gifford, S. (2012, March 30). New NEA research report shows potential benefits for at-risk youth: Youth have better academic outcomes, higher career goals, and are more civically engaged. Retrieved from www.arts.gov

 

Patterson, J. (2016). Brave art and teens: A primer for the future high school art teacher. Harpers Ferry.

 

Taylor, P., Carpenter, S., Ballengee-Morris, C., & Sessions, B. (2006). A call to "face up" to cultural diversity. In Interdisciplinary approaches to teaching art in high school. Natl art education assn.

 

Walker, S.R. (2005). Rethinking curriculum in context. In Stewart, M. G., & Walker, S.R., Rethinking curriculum in art (7-21). Davis Publications.