Teaching

In 2002 I achieved National Board Certification in Early Adolescence Through Young Adulthood Art, a credential granted to "one who is accomplished, makes sound professional judgments about student learning, and acts effectively with those judgments." Understanding and internalizing the 5 Core Propositions and creating my NBPTS application portfolio was the most informative and impactful professional growth experience of my teaching career and informs my views of teaching and leadership still today.

Selected Teaching Highlights | Project-Based Learning | Service Learning

Community Elder Portrait Project - Designed and inspired a high school photography final performance assessment, where students conducted interviews and created an 8" x 10" black-and-white portrait of an elder (age 60+) member of the school community in the subject's personal context. Grant funds were secured for framing, and the project culminated annually with a spring exhibition and volunteer celebration. Portraits were also displayed at DHMC and published locally. The multi-year collection continues to be exhibited in the wider school community even a decade later.
Art With a Message - Designed and facilitated a high school conceptual art course that addressed the essential question: "How do creative people influence people's behavior?", integrating media literacy and visual design. Students produced targeted multimedia ad campaigns designed to influence fellow students to purchase unlikely items, and to support social activism projects (e.g., Dimes for Darfur, Green Up Day).
Community Resource Directory - Prepared high school graphic design and desktop publishing students for presenting to and securing (in-kind donation) support from Dartmouth Printing Company to print a annual student-designed community resource guide that included a business directory, hiking trail map, municipal information, and more.
SADD - Empowered students to lead prevention education activities including artists residencies, mock crashes, mock funerals, and numerous all-school assemblies and evening performances.
Hood Museum Service Learning - Art history students studied and prepared to serve as docents for a group of community elders who, with grant support, were transported with students to Dartmouth's Hood Museum of Art for a guided tour of the galleries.
Honors Challenge Courses - Designed elective challenge opportunities incorporated within block-scheduled courses through which high school students could qualify for a distinguished diploma. These challenge courses involved additional independent inquiry and alternate assessments of competency.

Extended family dogs (Max, Hopscotch, Chena, and Barley) awaiting instructions.

Annual Trips - Organized and led trips to New York City for urban orienteering and to visit art museums with groups of high school students, plus two trips to Europe (Paris, Venice, Florence, Rome) for same.
Frozen in Motion - Secured support for and installed middle school figurative sculptures in a local grocery store during frozen foods month. This project was achieved with largely donated and recycled materials.
Egypt Week - Coordination of a middle school interdisciplinary unit experience across all subjects, culminating with an school-wide afternoon of skits and games. Artifacts of the week were shared with the community via display in the local library.