My philosophies in teaching are to motivate the upcoming generation to develop into independent thinkers and creative innovators.  Our future belongs to those that are creators, experimenters, and to those that want to change the world around them.  I want to create an artistic environment where mistakes are encouraged and believed to be the doorway to individual growth.  This can be done with the use of a hands-on approach to education while providing open-ended problems and flexibility in the classroom.  Where the students can observe or physically take from the world around them and think about how they can use something or make it better. I want students to not only use this learning approach in art but apply it to their life beyond the four walls of the art room. I once heard from a student that they wanted to be the first woman on Mars all due to their experiences in the art classroom.  Wouldn’t it be amazing to know that I was an art educator that didn’t just create little Picassos in the world, like many seem to believe, but a world of change and hope? Like this young student, I would like all my students to become philosophers of the world around them, instead of passive viewers.  My thought of a good teacher is a considerate and passionate individual that creates a classroom community dedicated to the developmental growth of students. Every student should be recognized, and that teaching must involve differentiation and flexibility to meet the needs of each unique individual best.