Pedagogy and Practice

My teaching philosophy is a tapestry woven from personal history, artistic practice, and a deep commitment to relational, democratically centered education. I see arts-based learning spaces as transformative arenas for inquiry, collaboration, and reflection. Whether I’m leading a photography or mindfulness class, mentoring new educators, or shaping school culture as a leader, I strive to co-create environments that are imaginative, inclusive, and grounded in authentic human connection

I integrate historical foundations, such as Henri Cartier-Bresson’s concept of the “decisive moment,” to guide learners in cultivating presence and attentiveness. By noticing subtle gestures, light, and movement, students connect their inner awareness with the world around them, making each image a mindful act of observation and expression.

Photography as a tool for inquiry and insight
In my photography courses, my approach takes shape through collaborative critiques, project-based assignments grounded in students’ lived experiences, and an openness to experimentation. I encourage students to see their cameras as instruments for questioning their environments, cultures, and identities.  Mindfulness is woven into the practice of seeing, bridging the inner and outer gaze. It invites us to look with intention, pause for the decisive moment (as Cartier-Bresson describes), and cultivate the agency to choose where to focus both our attention and our lens.

Relational & Collaborative Teaching
My teaching is inspired by the democratic philosophies of John Dewey and Paulo Freire. I see education as a collaborative process where teachers and students create meaning together through experience and dialogue. This approach empowers students with agency, helping them recognize their right to make choices in their learning, art, and self-expression. I also work to cultivate a culture of curiosity and creative risk-taking, where the knowledge students bring is not only acknowledged but becomes central to the learning process.

Project: We Are Inspired Therefore…

Blending history and contemporary art, this project began with René Descartes’ enduring contemplation, “I think, therefore I am,” and Barbara Kruger’s provocation, “I shop, therefore I am.” Students investigated how meaning is constructed through visual messaging, composition, and collage.

Students created personal slogans and transformed them into bold black-and-white collages with Kruger’s signature red lettering. The final piece was a collaborative statement, blending individual voices into a single, striking exploration of identity and visual storytelling.

Museum portrait

Interdisciplinary Exploration

Assignments bridge technical skill with conceptual exploration, encouraging students to expand both their artistic voice and understanding of photography as a storytelling tool. By studying historical and contemporary practices, students learn from past master photographers and explore how images reveal, preserve, and shape the narratives of our world.

Artistic Influence in Teaching

My artistic work explores themes of memory, matriarchy, labor, and resilience. Projects such as Remembering the Matriarch and Below the Line inform my teaching, offering concrete examples of how art can connect with community, history, and identity. These projects demonstrate to students the power of art as both personal expression and social engagement.

HOME