Amy Atkinson

ABOUT ME: MISS A

Current Ph.D. Candidate at Concordia University in Art Education
Instructor, Art Education, Concordia University
Co-Editor, The Canadian Art Teacher Journal
Digital Content Developer, Ontario Virtual School

IB SHARE OUT FOR TEACHERS, 2021

Since COVID has restricted many IB DP VA teachers from attending workshops and many may be feeling isolated, I organized a few zoom IB DP VA discussions/workshops over the fall. It was so cool to meet and connect with over 107 IB DP VA teachers from all over the world. Thanks to the participants for allowing me to record the sessions and share with those who weren't able to attend. I hope to make this a annual event.
You can find the full video on You-Tube. For more helpful guidance, visit my IBDPVA with Miss A site or reach out to me with your questions.

I am currently taking my educational experience to the next level and am working on my Ph.D in Art Education at Concordia University. My focus is on quality within the secondary VA course: what does that mean? how can it impact the way we think about teaching art? how can we support art teachers? I am also exploring, in a different yet entangled tangent, spirt of place and the importance of environment in the creative process from a perspective of new materiality. In my artistic practice, I am looking for ways to increase sustainability.

I have had so many amazing experiences teaching Visual Arts in Canada, Singapore, Australia, Thailand and China. I came late to my teaching career, first starting my career within the (then) emerging field of Information Technology (IT) as a programmer and web developer working at IBM and Rogers Media. When I look back, it's clear that I took the 'teachers are life long learners' saying to heart. Ever since my early days as the Head of Waterfront in Orillia, Ontario, a competitive swim coach, a feng shui consultant and a working artist, I have always been teaching and learning.

As a teacher my strengths are based on enriching the student experience; inspiring, motivating and creating inclusivity across the arts. I adore my time in the art studio with my students, challenging each other (me to them and them to me) with ideas and designs developed through the design process. I am a big fan of scaffolding and writing curriculum that flows through the secondary levels with a focus on the design cycle, (It is all about the PROCESS!), as well as skill development while including planning opportunities for students to practice and demonstrate ATL skills is an integral part of a task or assessment. Doing this allows students to take ownership of their work and recognize their successes beyond the remits of the grade boundaries. To that end, I also created a few strategies, such as 'Pop Art Challenges' to further encourage student ownership and develop confidence in their artwork as well as the understanding of the subjective nature of art. On a more practical level, as a working artist, I know my subject thoroughly. Because of my strong IT background, technology and creative ways to use it to convey meaning and develop creative confidence is always a part of classroom. I am constantly inspired myself by my students and take great pride that I am able to work alongside my students to design units that we all can creatively engage with.

Working with Ontario Virtual School as a content developer and VA instructor, I am exploring how to develop innovative strategies to straddle our new hybrid and asynchronous learning environments, while enhancing creativity and inclusivity and exploring technology. I have developed secondary Visual Art courses that explore contemporary art themes, encourage the creative process while developing student's knowledge and understanding of art concepts, art history, art analysis and of course, allowing them much guidance and inspiration to develop their own creative path.