Rachel Dunn, 45, has taught art to the seventh- and eighth-grade students at Drake Middle School in Arvada since 2003. The Colorado Art Education Association recently named Dunn --; a Lakewood resident --; as the Middle School Art Educator of the Year. Here's what she has to say about the award and the importance of art education.
A: I feel very humbled and motivated by the award my colleagues chose to bestow upon me. I hope to live up to the recognition. So many of the teachers I know deserve acknowledgement for their hard work and commitment. I feel as though I share this award with them, the wonderful students I get to work with every day, and the supportive community of Arvada I am fortunate enough to serve.
A: I grew up in Virginia, in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. The proximity of the Smithsonian Museums allowed me to access incredible art and art opportunities. I always enjoyed creating art and seeing art work from around the world and throughout time helped me make connections in my own learning. My parents were very supportive, providing opportunities for me to grow my interests and get experience doing what I loved.
A: I truly feel as though art is an essential class for all students. Beyond developing visual abilities and offering opportunities to work with tools and techniques, art creates the opportunity for students to build skills that will help them in so many aspects of their lives, no matter what their ultimate career path. Creative thinking and problem solving are at the core of all we do in art class. Developing flexible thinking, fueling self-discovery, building perseverance, communicating new ideas and solutions, seeing other ways of thinking, and learning to respect and communicate with those who think differently, are among just a few of the experiences art offers to students daily.
A: Middle school is a great time for students to explore the variety within art. The projects we do in class reflect the Jefferson County Art Standards, connect with grade level content in other subject areas and offer an opportunity to work with different mediums of art. Students at Drake develop ideas within sketchbooks, explore art concepts through clay; hand building and sculpting, painting, fused glass, mixed media, print making, photography, drawing, and more.
A: In high school, the art classroom became my second home. It was a place in the school where I felt I could truly be myself. I want students to feel comfortable and safe in my art room, so I try to make the class as much theirs as mine. I'm asking them to take risks, share their ideas, and push their abilities, so they need to feel safe being themselves. I hope they will walk away with a greater ability to express their ideas, and solve problems. I hope they will learn more about their view of themselves, the world, and each other.
A: Explore every opportunity to work with art you can find. Take classes at community centers and with local artists, join art clubs and volunteer to help with community arts projects. Go to the museum, to galleries and art markets. Make art a regular part of your life. If you want to improve yourself as an artist, make art. Options for careers within the arts are far more varied and wide reaching than most realize. It pays to do some research to discover all you can do. Choosing a career in the arts can be a path to success, and provide a rewarding life at work.
from Lakewood Sentinel - Latest Stories http://lakewoodsentinel.com/stories/Drake-Middle-teacher-awarded-for-art-education,240422
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