I believe as an Artist/Teacher/Researcher, my primary role in the classroom is to be a facilitator of student centred learning. I strive for enabling reciprocal learning within a supported and welcoming classroom environment and challenge the former 'Master/Apprentice' relationship between teacher and students. Presenting ones self as an artist and researcher, as well as a teacher to students demonstrates the potential any one individual has to be a practicing artist, an active learner and an inquirer both inside and outside of the classroom. 

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My approach to teaching focus's on students embracing the cyclical process involved with potential art projects and developing their critical, contextual and creative skills to support and enrich their own artwork. Students should be taught to be the decision makers in their work, to understand the how or why you make such decisions can come from studying others art work as well as their own. Developing these key skills prepares students to be life long learners. The skills learned from studying art can become applicable in daily life rather than just being a school subject with only practical outcomes. When Davis (2008, p.78) speaks about ‘process orientation’ (inquiry and reflection) he says:

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Students see the impact of their thinking (process) on the art object (product), and experience as no other subject will allow, the range of importance of their own inquiry and their own ability to assess and direct the process.

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These skill sets are also reflected in the Senior Cycle Key Skills Framework, which is focused with providing students with a skill set that will prepare them for life after mandatory education in response to and consideration of challenges they may face in the ever progressing 21st century. In particular relation to Senior Cycle, I think it is important to embrace and nurture the subjective nature of the course and the opportunities that brings to expressing ones own ideas and opinions.). For students to become critically competent in their own work means they will understand the process of the curriculum better. Where possible, I like to encourage crossovers and collaborations with other curricular subjects whether this be supporting curriculum through projects, or extra curricular activities. During my Teaching Placement at St Anne's Secondary School in Tipperary, I was apart of team for the Annual National Sophia physics competition 2020. The Art and Science Department collaborated with two groups of students in aiding to submit display boards that visually depicted the core ideas of their projects. I thoroughly enjoyed doing this project as it provided me with an opportunity to create and show students cross curricular links, the value that Visual Art skills have in other subject areas and how to delegate tasks outside of my own field working with members from other departments within the school.