Colorful monsters, intricate cardboard mask sculptures and geometric prints are on display in Graham Gallery in The Art of Student Teaching exhibition at Moore, running through December 10.
The art is a showcase of the journey of five of Moore's graduate students as they got hands-on experience in teaching art to young people.
Amanda Newman-Godfrey, assistant professor of Art Education, said the student teachers begin their path in class, then apply what they've learned in their host schools.
"(They) discover firsthand the mysteries and joys of teaching art to young people," she said. "This exhibition portrays that brave journey."
The student teachers include Al San Valentin, who worked with young students at Academy at Palumbo High School; Rebeca Baudille, George W. Nebinger Elementary School; Stephanie Nicholson, Welsh Valley Middle School; Kara J. Durant, Penn Alexander School; and Kayla Wallitsch, Chatham Park Elementary.
Wallitsch, who worked with second, fourth and fifth-graders at Chatham Park Elementary School in Havertown, is a post-baccalaureate student.
"I decided a little bit later on that I wanted to be an art teacher, and had already been to school to get my undergraduate degree and master's in fine arts," she said. "Moore's post-bacc program was unique in that it worked as a quality certification program that catered to the schedule of a full-time working student that can be tacked on to the degrees that I had already earned."
Baudille, who will graduate from the post-bacc program in December 2018, said she appreciated Moore's student-centered approach toward education.
"Its emphasis on teaching to diverse populations of learners taught me to be flexible and to adapt my teaching strategies to my students," she said. "It was interesting to be able to practice in an environment where I felt comfortable enough to try out new ideas that I had. I made many mistakes, but I was encouraged to reflect on those mistakes and use them to further inform my teaching practice."
The young artists at the five host schools ranged in age from second grade to high school, and worked in mediums from ceramics to cardboard, and from Gelli plates to oil pastels.
