What do you see the role of professional development being in your career?

I view professional development from a very multifaceted approach. There are many different aspects of development to consider as a pre-service art educator. Advances in technology, addressing diverse learners, and a continuation of exploring my own artist expression and content knowledge are several ways that I foresee myself developing as my career advances.

Advances in technology is a never ending area of development. Implementing new technology in the classroom is not only motivating for students, it can also be tremendously useful in running a well maintained classroom. Technology often saves time and opens up instructional opportunities that would not be present without the current advances we enjoy. Keeping yourself up to date on technology is also beneficial for students. Graphic design and other forms of art associated with digital media are constantly evolving and art teachers may need to keep up in order to teach lessons that are relevant in a quickly changing society.

Addressing diverse learners is an area of development that I can see continuing for the entirety of my career. No two students are exactly alike and the diverse learners that we will face will present their own unique challenges. Preparing, adapting, and reflecting upon these challenges will be a never ending process. New research based approaches, RTI and PBIS, will continue to present themselves. In order to develop into better teachers, it is our job to constantly analyze these new approaches in order to elevate our instruction to the next level.

I view my growth as an artist as a very important aspect of professional development. Continuing to stay relevant in the world of art will benefit art educators by exposing them to new types of media, techniques, and styles. The increase in content knowledge will enable us to better differentiate our lessons for each individual while also enabling us to teach a deeper understanding of technical processes.