Hello
My name is Amy De Leon. I am Salvadoran, born and raised in Maryland. I am a Towson University graduate with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Art & Design with a concentration in painting, and a Bachelors of Science in Art Education. I use my paintings as a way to connect multiple aspects of my identity through the depiction of woman figures in differing realities and environments.
Art has been a foundation to help form who I am as a person and I hope to bring the joy it has brought me to my students. I see art as a pathway to create connections and drive communication. Everyone deserves a voice and a source of expressing themselves. I strive to bring out the artist in each of my students.
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Below I have my teaching philosophy and equity, diversity, and inclusion statement. Feel free to contact me, let's create a world full of art.
Teaching Philosophy
For the 2017 - 2018 school year, 9% of teachers were Hispanic in the United States (Spiegelman). Although it has been five years since that census came out, the population for Hispanic teachers has not risen all that much. As a Hispanic Latinx woman, this is something I find empowering as an educator. During my public school career, I never had a teacher that could relate to my experiences being a first generation student. I can be that resource for my future first generation students and be someone they can relate their experiences to. In my classroom I will not only bring in a new perspective with my culture, but I will cultivate a diverse and welcoming classroom. My classroom will be a place where we can discuss artists of different backgrounds and artworks that share a vast area of topics from immigration to black lives matter to LGBTQ+ rights.
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My art classroom is the perfect place to learn and teach about diverse perspectives through an artistic lens. This can be done by talking about and referencing contemporary artists rather than traditional ones from art history. Contemporary artists allow students to find someone they can relate their experiences to and engage with their current lives, as well as challenge their thinking and showcase other ways of living.They can also see the value of art in the present time by understanding you can be a successful artist and make a living off of it. Using artists from art history is important for context, but emphasizing other perspectives that are not of white cis-gendered male artists allows me to connect to my students better and allows them to see something outside of themselves.
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Along with using contemporary artists, in my curriculum I will use art to teach about being anti-bias and anti racist. I want my students to establish a sense of their identity without needing to put someone else’s identity down or feel superior to others. They should see color and celebrate differences, discuss difficult topics and advocate for themselves, and gain new perspectives to create a sense of community and understand their own biases (Derman-Sparks). All of these things can be accomplished when they use art as a tool to reflect and grow. I strive to be more conscientious about my own biases and prejudices as I facilitate some of these discussions. There is always going to be room to use anti-bias teaching within my curriculum. These conversations and lessons should be normalized in the classroom, and even taken outside to other aspects of their lives.
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Before I was an art teacher, I was an artist. As I embark on my teaching journey, I will continue to be an artist and learn alongside my students. I want them to learn as much from me as I will from them. My students shouldn’t see this as just any ordinary class, but one where they can see each other as artists in the real world. Being from Maryland, I will take advantage of the amazing art scene that we have right here in Baltimore. This can be done by going to museums, having local artists come talk about their work and processes, and encouraging students to attend art festivals. By immersing them in as much art as possible, they can get inspired and be involved in the art community outside our class. There is so much to be learned within the classroom, but this can be expanded when we take it outside of our walls. The more knowledge and resources I can provide my students, the more they can experiment, be creative, and begin their journey as professional artists
Work Cited
Derman-Sparks, Louise, and Julie Olsen Edwards. “Understanding Anti-Bias Education: Bringing the Four Core Goals to Every Facet of Your Curriculum.” YC Young Children, vol. 74, no. 5, 2019, pp. 6–13. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26842300. Accessed 11 Oct. 2022.
Spiegelman, Maura. “Race and Ethnicity of Public School Teachers and Their Students.” Data Point, U.S Department of Education NCES, Sept.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Statement
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, “In 2018–19, the Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for American Indian/Alaska Native (74 percent), Black (80 percent), and Hispanic (82 percent) public high school students were below the U.S. average of 86 percent (U.S Department of Education)”. There are societal barriers placed on minorities that defer them from succeeding in their academics, providing them with less resources and assistance to help them graduate. Although it should be more of a reality that schools are more openly accessible and structured so all students are set up to be successful, this is not always the case. It has also only worsened as the Covid 19 pandemic hit in 2020-2021 school year, leaving students with a whole year of being further pushed behind. That is why I make it a purpose to make sure I do whatever I can to be able to close that achievement gap and bring equity, diversity, and inclusion to the forefront of my classroom, to ensure my students make it to graduation.
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Growing up with parents who only spoke Spanish to me at home, they often found it difficult being able to communicate with my teachers or get involved with my academics. As a first generation student, I understand the difficulties that come with navigating the education system on my own. Now as an educator, I will be able to bridge that connection between my native Spanish speaking students and parents/ guardians to make sure they have that access to their learning without any obstacles. I will do this through providing spanish translations on my assignments as well as an option to be able to do assignments written or spoken in spanish. I can also verbally communicate with my students in Spanish to give them a sense of comfort to be able to succeed in my classroom.
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I never want my students to feel as though they have to figure out their schooling all on their own. Art should be about expressing oneself without the concern of if they will understand what the expectation is or how they can communicate their needs. Students should feel confident coming into my classroom and knowing what the objectives are for the day and feel they can be themselves. Although I only know Spanish, I will try my best to help other students who speak other languages as well. Taking the step of translating assignments or using keywords will allow my students a better opportunity to succeed in my class. Keeping that door open for potential communication for all parents/ guardians will only create a stronger support system for the students in my class.
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The arts are a connector between all people. It’s a room full of people from vastly different backgrounds and experiences coexisting to talk about their stories through the creation of art. There is no better place than to truly prioritize and value everyone's differences and because of this, it is my duty and public service to make sure I am anti-racist, anti-bias, an LGBTQ+ ally, an advocate for students with disabilities, and welcoming to all. In my classroom, there is no room for tolerating prejudices or hate towards another person.
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As an educator, I value learning and feedback. I am constantly trying to find new ways to innovate my teaching and learn new ways on how I can include and represent my students into their learning. Equity, diversity, and inclusion is integral for the learning experience promising that all students should feel seen, heard, and represented. The art room has always been a comforting place for me, almost like a second home, and my students should feel they are an important part of that dynamic. With my teaching, I hope to keep students in the classroom, increase their graduation rates, and set them up for success.
Work Cited:
U.S Department of Education. (n.d.). High School Graduation Rates. National Center for Education Statistics . Retrieved February 2, 2023, from https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=805