Welcome to Artful Education
Mrs. Lashar's Online Classroom Platform
Class Schedule
1st Hour - Graphic Design
2nd Hour - Conference Hour
3rd Hour - Graphic Design / Adv. Video Production
4th Hour - Graphic Design
5th hour - Adv. Photography
6th Hour - AP Computer Science Principles
Online Resources
Graphic Design : Google Classroom
Class Codes:
1st - 6pa2x5l
3rd - bms2cmv
4th - 6s44a6k
Adv. Video Production : Google Classroom
Class Code: uzfjvor
Hello, I am Mrs. Lashar
I graduated in December of 2016 from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan with a Bachelor's Degree in Studio Art Education K-12 and a concentration in Photography. Currently, I am teaching Video Production, Graphic Design, Darkroom Photography, Advanced Photography, and AP Computer Science Princples at Stoney Creek High School.
In addition to being an educator, I am also a photographer and artist. Photography is my passion, but art education is my life. I live and breathe to be a teacher. It is something I've always aspired to be and now even more it is something I want to do for the rest of my life. When I'm in the classroom I feel like I belong; I feel comfortable and at ease with my students. Incorporating art with education is a great way for me to combine my passions!
Philosophy of Art Education
The expressionist viewpoint of art education is one that I developed while at university, and I continue to hold that perspective as it best represents my personal beliefs about art. I continue to believe that the primary focus of art education should be individual expression. By allowing the students the means to express and create, they will in turn alter their society around them. With that said, I believe it is also important to incorporate visual culture and multicultural education into their art lessons. While I believe that art education’s purpose is to allow students creative expression of their feelings and thoughts, I also believe that the students should be educated on the impact their artwork has and how it can be used as a venue to cause change in the world.
Additionally, alongside with my expressionist perspective, I have also gained a postmodernist philosophical approach. The idea behind pedagogical postmodernism is that there is no single way of thinking; there is no universally bound mode. Rather there are multiple possibilities of thinking, understanding, creating, and viewing art. The students can express themselves in the manner that best suits them, but by allowing for multiple perspectives it teaches the students to be accepting of different interpretations, tolerant of different opinions, and allows students to collaborate and find new, innovative ways to solve problems. This goes beyond the classroom and allows the students to utilize different tools to view and interpret the world.
The multi-perspective philosophy that I have formed ties in directly with visual culture. While students are expressing themselves, they should be educated on the art that surrounds them so they may be informed individuals of society. The students should be taught that art is an applicable and influential tool to be used in the world outside of school. In addition, visual culture is a way to incorporate semiotics into the classroom. By focusing on art history, interpreting art, and philosophy, students can learn about signs and symbols in past art forms. Furthermore, by examining art through critique and by evaluating the meaning behind the artwork, students can begin to interpret the visual aspects and symbolic meaning of the piece in question. It is vital to provide an enriched curriculum that incorporates history, theory, culture, and aesthetics into the classroom. By focusing on culture in visual images, it allows the students to connect to the world around them and draw comparison between the artwork they study and the visual culture outside the classroom.
By incorporating visual culture, semiotics, and a multicultural perspective, I believe I have formed a balanced philosophy between pedagogical postmodernism and expressionism. As my personal philosophy of art education has morphed over the past several years, I believe it will continually be modified as I go deeper into the theories of art, and as I continue in my role as an art educator. Even though my philosophy will be influenced and altered, I will always have the key belief of the importance of self-expression in art, and I will hold strong to the concept that art allows for diverse avenues of thought and expression.
Reach Out
To get in touch, please fill out the contact form below. I look forward to hearing from you!
Thank you!
Contact Mrs. Lashar directly at nlashar@rochester.k12.mi.us