Artist
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
It is my passion to inspire students’ creative and critical thinking through education. I feel empowered when students become excited by their experiences with the learning process. It is my goal to provide instruction and advice to students in a class environment that is supportive of their individual needs, promotes positive self-image and instills self confidence. Challenging students to think creatively and building students’ work ethics are corner stones of my educational philosophy. Listening and observing is crucial for guiding students in their art practice. Motivating students to work, encouraging students to take risk and questioning their beliefs in art are challenging. I believe having an open mind with a dynamic personality are important qualities for an educator. Being an educator is also about being a role model for pro-active problem solving and a life long learner. I am excited about the prospect of sharing my passion for the learning process through dissemination of my skills and knowledge.
Critical Thinking, hard work, focus, commitment and discipline are essential qualities for students to develop. A wide spectrum of knowledge in ceramic art is important objectives for students to learn. This knowledge includes history of ceramics, clay and glaze technology and different firing processes.
At the beginning level, I emphasize introducing the possibilities of ceramics with an introduction to 3-D vocabulary. An open and creative project should introduce along with basic skills. Coiling, slab building and pinching are the fundamental processes in order to develop and execute idea and concept. Basic throwing will be offered to beginning levels. Forms and surface decoration will be discussed. Building up a strong foundation is essential for students to prepare for the next level.
At the intermediate level, an in-depth understanding of hand building and throwing should be emphasized. Plaster mold making and slip casting is appropriate for the intermediate level. An innovation of using wheel thrown parts incorporated with slab building is encouraged. Different firing processes are important for students in order to build up their understanding and the possibility of knowing the visual language created by clay, glaze and firing. Historical ceramics, contemporary ceramics and art theories are a resource for students to grasp the cultural development in different cultures. This level is to prepare students to be independent in exploring material and concepts.
At an advanced level, I demand higher commitment to the material and concept. Experimental and innovative use of material and technology are encouraged. I believe that students should pay attention to the medium and their studio major with the support of space, equipment, professional knowledge and advice in order to build up their experience in the medium. Students should also take electives in other studios to enrich their appreciation of different art forms and assist their major study. Demand on critical thinking of intent is necessary. My goal in this level is to develop students’ articulation and execution in thoughts and in material.
At the graduate level, students are encouraged to set up their research goals that go beyond their existing knowledge. Faculty must always challenge students for a higher academic achievement through guiding and advising of their research. Helping graduate students to identify their ideas conceptually is the essential process.
My goal is to be an educator and artist at the same time. Constantly to reinvent one-self are qualities for both careers. As an educator I need to keep making artwork and learning new ideologies, both professions compliment each other.
Copyright 2010 Sin ying ho. All rights reserved.