All teachers aim for students to be engaged in learning and while many different resources to promote engagement, I will encourage student engagement by introducing projects that strive to be relevant to the lives of students while also being open to interpretation. With differentiated instruction, curriculum can be designed in a way that promotes multiple entry points so each student can connect with content in personalized ways (Fountain, 2014). I believe that entry points, or multiple ways to join into the investigation of a big idea, is a methodology that welcomes students with varied knowledge and abilities. In a secondary art classroom, students bring a multitude of experience and knowledge from other classes and life experiences. By offering different routes for art making I will welcome these diverse intelligences and show students that we all have something valuable and unique to bring to the discussion.Students haveoften been marginalized by society, told that they have “no experience worth having, no voice worth speaking, and no significant role to play” (Palmer, 1998, p.46), and because of this marginalization, students become silent in their learning and hesitant to participate. I want to break down this misconception in my classroom by promoting students and fostering a community and environment of explorers. 

            I will encourage the investigation of myself, my students, and our subject matter. By doing this, students will not simply summarize, symbolize, and restate, but rather we will aim to create, critique, and synthesize artwork and everyday parts of their lives (Beattie, 1997). Our art projects will use these higher depth of knowledge traits, to redefine school art. By examining contemporary artists of diverse backgrounds and a variety of media, the students will create artwork that is relevant to their life and interests inspired by artists who are similar to them (Gude, 2013). This open community of learners will provide a safe and inclusive place for students to investigate injustices they face in their life, rather that be motivated by racial, gender, or economic disparities.  By taking up the mindset of explorers, my future students will reach beyond learned helplessness and realize they can turn within themselves to answer questions. This can be achieved when the characteristics of teacher and student are not so directly defined, for example, instead of the traditional roles of lecturer and listener, as the teacher, I will ask questions and foster a student-focused environment (Fountain, 2014). This environment will implement critical and independent explorations and reflections that students can apply beyond the walls of the art room. 

            Reflection and discussion will make up a big part of my secondary classroom because these are skills and traits that will be relevant thought-out students lives. Along with that benefit, reflection and discussions are ways to create a close community that can address social issues that are important to students. My art classroom will be a safe space for students to explore new ideas and identities. As Patterson (2016) suggests, “art class is not only about making things but rather it is about making new meaning” (p. 14). I believe making meaning is one of the most important aspects of making art because without meaning art does not hold value to its viewers. Students can most definitely make meaning within their artwork but it is also necessary to discuss and reflect on our artworks so that we can share that meaning with others. 

            My ultimate goal as an art teacher pursuing diversity is to prepare and enable “students to understand, participate in, and contribute to contemporary cultural conversations” (Huard, 2017, p.18). By implementing methods that encourage engagement in learning, create a community environment, and foster critical discussions the art room will be a place that serves students fairly and gives them the opportunity to express their ideas, reach their goals, and honor themselves.