“…of all our cognitive capacities, imagination is the one that permits us to give credence to alternative realities. It allows us to break with the taken for granted, to set aside familiar distinctions and definitions.” (Greene, 1995, p.3)

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In order to effectively teach students about a world that is becoming consistently smaller and more diverse, imagination is essential to the role of the teacher. Every school is different, every classroom is different, and every student is different. As Eisner reflects (1985, p. 176) teaching requires, for its artistic expression, routines with which to work and repertoires to draw on. As visual art teachers, we are not only providing students with technical skills and knowledge but also with skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. We are challenged with doing this while operating within a framework that focuses heavily on exams and places inordinate emphasis on the results of those exams. Imagination is needed to be able to balance both of these. In this section I outline my approaches to teaching and how I plan to support and scaffold students in their journey as artists while also supporting their educational needs.