NAME:
Tracy Workman
SCHOOL:
Imagine Schools - Nau Campus
CLASS:
Art
SCHOOL PHONE:
772-237-8600
I have always been a student of the arts. The study of and especially the creation of artistic works is
a big part of what makes me who I am. As a small child I spent so much time drawing that my
mother had to bring home stacks of scratch computer paper from work so that I would have
something to draw on, and as I grew through elementary and middle school I continued to use art as
an important tool for expressing myself. It wasn’t until high school, however, when I took art classes
under Mr. Floyd Tunson that I started to see myself as an artist. I took every art class that I possibly
could under his direction and grew by leaps and bounds in the three years that I attended there,
graduating with high honors in art. He encouraged me to pursue my own artistic vision while
helping me to improve my skill and was the first person (other than a family member) that I can ever
remember calling me an artist (a compliment that I don’t believe he gave lightly). I have no doubt
that his influence on me is a major part of why I am an art teacher today.
On August 8, 2009 I graduated from the University of Florida with highest honors, a Bachelors
degree in art education, and a minor in art history. I look forward to putting my knowledge to work
and making a difference in the lives of my students just as Mr. Tunson made a difference in mine. It
is my belief that education in the arts is an essential element of a balanced general education and
that it will help children to better understand the world around them, foster creativity, encourage self
expression, build artistic skill, promote appreciation for various cultures and other ways of thinking,
and engage children in critical thinking.