RTM

As an artist and an educator...


OBJECTIVES: 


To foster student development through the understanding, appreciation and incorporation of the arts. To individualize instruction, based on student interest and needs. To develop the technical skills of the student and to broaden his/her conceptual understanding of works of art. 

Art is an opportunity for growth. I encourage my students to develop their own interests and explore their inner creativity.  In order to promote the intellectual independence necessary for creative exploration, I strive to foster a positive and safe environment where students feel free to take risks and produce original artwork. One of the overriding elements that attracts me so much to the DP Visual Arts Program is its inherent nature of differentiation. An effective artistic process should be rooted in the student’s interest and motivation. A few years back, upon arriving to a new school a Year I DP student expressed her concern regarding the HL curriculum due to her, as she put it, “not being a strong artist”. We identified where she did excel, I encouraged her to explore mediums, subjects and series of interest to her, and she finished the program with one of the most dynamic senior exhibits I’ve seen in my 16 years with the program.


As young artists, it is important for my students to obtain a strong foundation in the fundamentals of art and design. It is imperative that students possess the necessary skills in order to be successful with the creative process. Like any content subject, students must develop proper technical skills along with a keen understanding of conceptual application and creative justification. Having an eclectic artistic background, I am able to introduce a number of mediums and techniques; including printmaking, ceramics and mixed media.

Art is also a window into numerous subject matters. My classes place a high precedence on international and multicultural education. Artwork is a testimony to the similarities among world cultures. The subject lends itself well to further investigation of both the humanities and the sciences. Over the years I have continuously worked with colleagues to integrate art and art history across the curriculum. In terms of collaboration, teaching art can be a lonely venture as frequently art teachers are a department of one. For me it has been imperative to seek out common planning and collaboration for the betterment of both my instruction and my students’ learning.

The notion of having strong fundamentals does not only apply to technical aptitudes as I also place great emphasis on art history and prevalent artistic movements. For students to fully understand current trends and where their art might fit into this scenario, they need to have a firm grasp of the development of art through the ages. I have had great success over the years incorporating my background and knowledge of museology to student exhibits and informal learning. Trips to the Peggy Guggenhiem in Venice and the Reina Sofia in Madrid have been the culminating components of my Art History Extracurricular course.

I encourage my students to be critical of their work and understand that process is an essential element of a work’s outcome. I motivate my students to take ownership of their work and ideas. They need to explain their rationale and transform this into a rich and successful creative process. My ambition is that my students will not only obtain a higher appreciation of the arts and fundamental skills as artists, but they will also become strong, critical thinking, independent learners in the process.            

Sincerely, 


Rocio Toral 

Curriculum Vitae