Teacher

As an educator I believe it is my duty to help students through their learning journey and prepare them for the wider world. This is an important life stage for them with many highs and lows and I feel strongly about my role in providing the best possible experience for students.
From an art education perspective, I value helping students with visual literacy so they can understand and engage thoroughly with the world around them, I'm passionate about helping young people to express themselves and creating an environment conducive to learning (Willcox, 2017).
More generally students experience, and wellbeing is of utmost importance to me and an area of focus in my research, this aligns with my personal interest in mental health. This is especially relevant today as students are reporting high levels of stress in the senior cycle (Smyth, McCoy and Banks, 2019).
Going forwards in my career I strive to continue learning and bettering myself so that I can provide the most beneficial learning experience for students and be effective and impactful as an educator.

Smyth, E., S. McCoy and J. Banks (2019). Student, teacher and parent perspectives on senior cycle education, ESRI Research Series 94, Dublin: ESRI, available at: https://doi.org/10.26504/rs94.pdf [Accessed: 10th March 2024]
Willcox, L. (2017). Vulnerability in the Art Room: Explorations of Visual Journals and Risks in the Creation of a Psychologically Safe Environment. Art Education, 70(5), 11–19. doi:10.1080/00043125.2017.1335528