2007 Teacher of the Year - Region III

Search The Site

Region III: Juvenile Justice Teacher of the Year Winner

Tom Vacek

Adolescent Residential Campus, Osceola School District

Teaching Philosophy Statement

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who come into a room and say, “Here I am!” and those who come in and say, “Ah, there you are!” As an Art educator for nearly three decades, my philosophy has always been that I am that person who makes each of my students feel important, builds their self-esteem and confidence, helping them realize their self-worth. I know that “every student will succeed”. That success may come in many different forms, whether personal, facility based, or recognition in the community. I have found that success is a great motivator, and that nothing breeds success like success!

Students are encouraged to participate in a variety of Art Exhibitions and Competitions. The excitement created in the preparation for these events has helped to create a “positive buzz” about the arts at my facility. Calming music and a beautifully decorated classroom set the tone for a creative atmosphere. Students take pride in their work and are anxious for others to view and receive their finished projects. My students may not bring any of their academic coursework with them when they complete the program, but they always have their artwork proudly at hand.

As a rule, students entering the program are never happy to be in a residential facility. They are filled with conflicting feelings and emotions that they must learn to manage and hopefully channel. In a facility where there are no other creative outlets and few extra-curricular activities, Art had become the area where the students not only want to, but in fact, do excel in. I have always found that Art is beneficial when working through the difficulties in your life. My Art classes provide a creative outlet that is not only therapeutic, but allows a quite time for introspection. I am told regularly by students, staff, and faculty that the students “get so much” out of my classes, and how “lucky” they are to be part of this program. Art has provided a way to insure successful transition not only into the program, but has increased the opportunity for the students to be productive when they transition back into the community with a new found sense of pride and self-worth. Many of my students have indicated they wish to pursue Art as a career and now look forward to a productive future.

Students are exposed to and work with a variety of Art media including; airbrush, graphite, watercolor, prisma colored pencils, acrylic paint, India ink, oil pastels, scratchboards, flair pens, computer graphics, and clay. All student work is professionally presented in mattes and acetate.

In an attempt to not only capture, but increase students' interest in the class, I have incorporated innovative and creative instructional techniques that include usage of: LCD projector, ELMO visual presenter, handheld classroom response system, smart-board, digital camera, power-point presentations, DVD/VCR, and web based fieldtrips to museums. Multiple media devices and the internet are used to present Art History and to show samples of artists and artwork from around the world that inspires the students. Many of my students never saw, nor could they imagine the creative world we live in, and how it can positively affect their lives. The students attend fieldtrips to Art Galleries and working studios in the community. Students are taught to work as a “team” to assure positive results for all involved.

Rotating exhibits of student artwork are prominently displayed in this facility's Administration and the School District's Administration buildings. In addition, students compete against other schools in many juried exhibitions. My student's artwork is consistently selected as place winners over the other district's secondary students, repeatedly winning juried shows and having student work reproduced for community events. Prizes have included a college scholarship and monetary awards. Local artists offer students internships at the completion of their programs in media such as glass blowing.

Working with the facility, I was able to secure several hundred t-shirts for each of the students to airbrush. Airbrushing has become so popular that every nine weeks, one student is selected by all of his teachers as the “Most Well Rounded Arts Student”. He receives his own airbrush, compressor, and hose. All of the students strive to achieve this honor.

I have been awarded a grant from the NEA and started a clay program. With the grant, I was able to increase my classroom size, install a sink, purchase clay, tools, a drying rack, kiln, and a slab roller. My students are in the process of completing a “low-relief” clay mural entitled “The Wall of Respect”. The mural, which was designed by a student, includes images of a physician and child, a marine, a scientist, and American Flags. The mural will be permanently installed and displayed in the facility's Administration building.

I am that person who says “Ah, there you are! ...you did it…you ARE a winner!” It is possible and we all need to believe that every student not only can…but “will succeed”. That is my philosophy, which is who I am; it is what success means to me.