Mrs. Miranda Clark-Binder

Teaching Philosophy – Art is an Adventure!

“Art is a place for children to learn to trust their ideas, themselves, and to explore what is possible.” -Maryann F. Kohl, art educator

Art has always been my favorite subject. As a child I couldn’t wait to get into the art room to experiment with the materials and let my imagination run wild. The smell of a new box of crayons is still one of my favorite smells in the world. In college I immersed myself in the world of art history and learned all about the great artists that have paved the way for our creativity today. In graduate school I learned how to make these passions into a career by studying art museum education with focuses on learning styles and stages of artistic development. As a professional I have always been a passionate advocate for the arts for all individuals. I have worked with learners of all ages and I relish the opportunity to share my enthusiasm for art with young people. It is so exciting to see my students experience their worlds through creative practice and learn the language that is art. As Elliot Eisner, former professor of Art and Education at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and one of the leading professionals in the field of art education said, “the arts teach children that problems can have more than one solution and that questions can have more than one answer.”

Countless scholars have proven that the study and making of art has many benefits to young students including (but not limited to) boosting confidence, developing motor skills, achieving better test scores, and encouraging creative thinking and problem solving. I agree! I also firmly believe in interdisciplinary exploration and arts integration across the curriculum whenever possible. My most recent professional development study is focused on connecting art and social-emotional learning. Art is an adventure! As an educator I feel that it is my role to introduce our students to the beautiful world of art and encourage them to make creative choices whenever possible – even if that means getting messy sometimes!

Overview of Curriculum

The art program is informed by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s guidelines in concert with the National Standards for the Arts. These include encouraging our students to

-Create

-Perform/Present/Produce

-Respond

-Connect

The goal of our art program is to introduce our students to a wide variety of art materials and visual arts experiences in the classroom and in our city. Art classes are an age-appropriate combination of art making and art history with interdisciplinary and co-curricular connections whenever possible. Students are encouraged to think about art in their community, contemporary art, and art as a social practice.

Education & Professional Experience

Master’s Degree in Museum Education, The University of the Arts

Bachelor’s Degree in Art History, Chestnut Hill College

General Diploma with a focus on art, Philadelphia High School for Girls

Over 15 years of experience teaching and tutoring art and art history at

-La Salle University Art Museum

-City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program

-Philadelphia Museum of Art

-University of the Arts

Awards Received:

-Outstanding Art Museum Educator, Pennsylvania Art Education Association

-Environmental Wellness Award, City of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral and Intellectual Disability Services