1. Creativity: Encourage children to express themselves creatively through art-making inspired by storybook themes and characters.

2. Fine Motor Skills: Develop fine motor skills through activities such as drawing, and painting.

3. Imagination: Foster imagination and storytelling skills by exploring the fantastical worlds and characters found in children's literature.

4. Literacy Skills: Enhance literacy skills by engaging with stories through visual art, promoting comprehension, vocabulary development, and story sequencing.

5. Critical Thinking: Encourage critical thinking skills by asking questions and making connections between the stories we read and the artwork we create.

6. Social-Emotional Development: Support social-emotional development by exploring themes of empathy, kindness, and resilience found in storybooks and reflected in our art.

7. Pride and Confidence: Build children's confidence and sense of achievement as they see their ideas come to life in their artwork.

8. Appreciation for Art: Cultivate an appreciation for art and creativity from a young age, laying the foundation for a lifelong love of artistic expression.

Education:
*Master's Degree in Education from Saginaw Valley State University, specializing in curriculum development and brain research in the classroom.
*K-12 Art Endorsement from Saginaw Valley State University, emphasizing art pedagogy and creative expression.
*Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education from Oakland University, with certification in K-6 self-contained all subjects and Jr. High Language Arts/Math, fostering a well-rounded approach to teaching.
*Certified Yoga/Meditation Instructor and Therapeutic Art Life Coach with over 200 teacher training hours accredited by Yoga Alliance, Place of Bliss Academy, Primo Learn, and Transformation Academy, integrating holistic wellness practices into the educational experience.

Experience:
*26 Years of Teaching Experience in public school settings, providing rich and diverse learning opportunities for students across various grade levels.
*Expertise in Differentiated Instruction: Proficient in catering to the needs of both accelerated learners and students with unique learning requirements, fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment.
*Commitment to Professional Growth: Continuously pursuing professional development opportunities to stay updated on innovative teaching methodologies and enriching experiences that enhance students' artistic and social development.

Homework
Frequency: included
Feedback: included
Details: Students will be able to finish the assignment and show their completed work to the class in weeks to follow. 
Assessment
Frequency: included
Details: 🌸 I am always pleased to provide letters of recommendation or detailed portfolio summaries upon request, including a comprehensive overview of class content and a progress report reflecting the student's achievements and development throughout their time in the course.  This class caters to live learners who enjoy real-time interaction and busy learners who prefer to watch recordings at their convenience.
Grading
Frequency: included
Details: If requested by a parent, I will be happy to give a reading comprehension grade at the end of a semester. Assessments will play a confidence building role in this class. I will be honest but positive. 

* Individualized Support, Clear Expectations, Encouragement of Creativity

❤️ Below, you'll find a variety of clips that show the types of videos I may incorporate into our lessons to enhance instruction and facilitate learning:
https://youtu.be/Bik-O7qYdIs
https://youtu.be/w2MdkEhY24Y
https://youtu.be/lRclB2T5YJs
Fidgety Fish by Ruth Galloway
https://youtu.be/yAcqTrknZpo I Love You Snoopy
https://youtu.be/xdI0jb-hg38 Elephant Me