Hello! My name is Anita Nixon, and welcome to my online teaching portfolio.
Teaching Philosophy
I currently serve as Albemarle County's Co-Lead Elementary Art Teacher for sixteen elementary schools within the county and as Artist-Teacher to over five hundred Pre-K - 5th grade students at Mary Carr Greer Elementary School in Charlottesville, VA. Greer serves the most ethnically and culturally diverse populations within Albemarle County, representing over thirty different cultures and languages within its walls. I was drawn to Greer because of that population and the innate challenge of exploring diversity as a means of promoting cross-cultural and individual growth through the exploration of art.
This cross cultural and individual growth is exemplified in Studio Habits of Mind . In this approach, students are empowered to observe real world problems, envision solutions, develop craft with the necessary tools for a job well done, and then be able to reflect on the work performed internally and with respect to the community at large. The community at large is an important tool for students. With it, students learn that this diverse world is as much a reflective partner in their growth as is the information they gather from traditional sources.
Some examples of work I've done towards this end can be seen in the following link about creating large scale mural works, and collaborating with community partners to help students understand the importance of service. My philosophy of teaching, which embodies Friere in spirit, explores how to empower the student as learner. Doing so can prepare students for the next stages of their lives. I would like an opportunity to explore these areas as well as other best practiced instructional strategies with my fellow peer teachers. Together we can learn how to use the art studio effectively across the curriculum and see how these principles can be applied to "Lifelong Learning Standards" that we also strive to maintain within this county.
In short, my passion embraces applying Studio Habits of Mind, in a culturally diverse respectful environment, with partner collaborations with classroom teachers. This will ensure high level Bloom's synthesis and transformative growth with students.
Teaching Philosophy
I currently serve as Albemarle County's Co-Lead Elementary Art Teacher for sixteen elementary schools within the county and as Artist-Teacher to over five hundred Pre-K - 5th grade students at Mary Carr Greer Elementary School in Charlottesville, VA. Greer serves the most ethnically and culturally diverse populations within Albemarle County, representing over thirty different cultures and languages within its walls. I was drawn to Greer because of that population and the innate challenge of exploring diversity as a means of promoting cross-cultural and individual growth through the exploration of art.
This cross cultural and individual growth is exemplified in Studio Habits of Mind . In this approach, students are empowered to observe real world problems, envision solutions, develop craft with the necessary tools for a job well done, and then be able to reflect on the work performed internally and with respect to the community at large. The community at large is an important tool for students. With it, students learn that this diverse world is as much a reflective partner in their growth as is the information they gather from traditional sources.
Some examples of work I've done towards this end can be seen in the following link about creating large scale mural works, and collaborating with community partners to help students understand the importance of service. My philosophy of teaching, which embodies Friere in spirit, explores how to empower the student as learner. Doing so can prepare students for the next stages of their lives. I would like an opportunity to explore these areas as well as other best practiced instructional strategies with my fellow peer teachers. Together we can learn how to use the art studio effectively across the curriculum and see how these principles can be applied to "Lifelong Learning Standards" that we also strive to maintain within this county.
In short, my passion embraces applying Studio Habits of Mind, in a culturally diverse respectful environment, with partner collaborations with classroom teachers. This will ensure high level Bloom's synthesis and transformative growth with students.