Teacher

 

Who I am: Ms. Paula Roswell

My School: Grasso Southeastern Technical High School

Classes taught: Drawing I, Drawing II, Studio Art, Introduction to Art, Art & Architecture

Just a note about me:

I am not only an Art Teacher but I am also an Artist.  I try 
to pursue my own drawing and painting outside the classroom. I feel it is 
just as important for the teacher as well as the artist in me to express 
myself in a visual way.  

I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Texas Woman's University,in Denton, 
TX. I studied Illustration and minored in English & Biology. I was 
very active in my college community; I was honored for inclusion in Who's 
Who of American College Women.

I have an Associate of Arts Degree in Commercial Art with focus on 
Illustration from Lansing Community College, in Lansing, 
MI. 

I obtained my teaching credentials at Central Connecticut State University. 


Now for some fun facts: 
- I LOVE my Mini Cooper
- I LOVE the BOSTON REDSOX!!!  
- I love Pepperoni pizza, Sushi and Mexican food
- I love animals: I have 3 cats,who are spoiled rotten
- I love going to the beach
- I love all kind's of music, I am addicted to my satellite radio
- I love to read: you can often find me at my local library
- I love to learn something new everyday!!

My thoughts on the importance of Art Education

Why I teach Art: 

What is there not to love about art? Art has bright colors, amazing shapes; 
you can create powerful paintings and astounding drawings. Art is great!  
Art is not easy. Art is not just about how to draw and paint. Art is a 
visual language that connects you to other human beings,content and 
curriculum. Art teaches you not only creative thinking but also 
inventiveness; it enables you to have decision making and problem solving 
skills. With Art you learn how to learn through self-management and 
collaboration that carries over to all areas, fields and societies. 

In art there is more of an opportunity for students to experience an 
internal process that may or may not result in changes in their behavior or 
projects. Everything about who we are as individuals can have an impact on 
the artwork we produce. Our cultural backgrounds, beliefs, ideas and 
philosophies all come into play in the art room. Does that mean that an art 
room is any less structured or supervised than any other classroom? No, of 
course not. An art room because of the materials alone should be a place of 
structured exercises, content and utensil use. The art room is not a free-
for-all. It is a place for learning and growth. Ok, maybe it is often not 
the most orthodox classroom; there could be music playing during class time 
and you might find all sorts of gadgets and garage sale finds for still life 
set-ups filling every nook and cranny of the room. The walls and bulletin 
boards are often plastered with brightly colored art posters and 
inspirational sayings. An art room is an organized room of disarray. 

When asked about my goals for teaching, I would have to say, I want to make 
a difference, I want to influence and educate. I want to be able to broaden 
horizons and bring about understanding and diversity in our ever-changing 
multicultural society. I want my students to understand that Art is all 
around us and is often found in those everyday overlooked items. I want them 
to appreciate and understand that they don’t have to go to a museum and look 
at masterpieces on the wall to really comprehend the meaning and importance 
of Art to them and our society. I want them to understand that artists’ come 
in all shapes, sizes, ethnic, socioeconomic and religious backgrounds and 
walks of life. I want them to understand that the language of Art is 
diverse. It serves a role as a visual record of the life and times with 
which we live and work. 

My goal for myself as I progress on my career adventures is to remember that 
Art is drawing and painting, but it’s much more than that. I have to be more 
than a teacher. I have to be an artist first, a lover of knowledge and 
education second, and then and only then can I be a teacher. Art is a part 
of who I am; that’s why I call myself an Art Teacher and not a Teacher of 
Art. If you are ever perusing the halls of our school, and you hear music, 
laughter and voices flowing out and enticing you in, that’s my art room, 
please stop in and share the Art.