Congratulations Grace!! We are so excited for you!Get to know the Member of the Year! I asked Grace Springsteen to tell us a little about herself and how she ended up in the art world! She is truly an outstanding member of our division; here's what she said: "I was lucky enough to have three lovely placements for my student teaching, each one incredibly unique. I was placed in two high schools, one a small rural community and the other a very large suburban 10-12 school. I was placed in a k-4 elementary school for my last and longest placement. At each school I gained knowledge from observing the methods of my cooperating teacher. I learned the importance of relationship building. I learned that a rigorous lesson can alleviate many behavioral problems before they arise. I learned that so many students just want to be heard and validated. It was in my last placement that I was able to use that knowledge to become a part of the community. I grew very connected with my pupils, parents, and the school staff. I was able to come into my own and hone my own presentation style, understanding my students needs and allowing them to grow. Now, as a recent graduate I am looking forward to my own classroom. Currently, I am working at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts as their Exhibition Coordinator. This means I work closely with artists to curate their exhibitions, I work with local schools, and organize and implement programing at the center. I feel so lucky to have landed in the art education field. My own journey has been not so much a straight path but one with many twists and turns. As an artist, I am always searching and teaching myself new things. I am an explorer of mediums, which is what brought me to teaching. I love to try new methods and don't often stick with the same one for long. This enthusiasm for livelong learning within the arts lead me into art education, where I solidified things I had already felt my whole life. At Kendall College of Art and Design, I joined a community of art educators who were passionate about the arts and ensuring that children receive the highest caliber of education, which includes a thorough and thoughtful arts education. I learned about the pedagogy, learning styles, inclusion, and history, but I also learned about the brain. I was taught and shown how my teaching effects the brains of my students. My journey brought me to art education, but it really is who I am. I'm very passionate about teaching. I feel that as an art educator, we all have the ability to change the world. Perhaps it is a small way, planting seeds that may not grow today or tomorrow or even this generation, but slowly we may effect change within our communities and the world, one student at a time." Keep up the great work Grace!
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