Faculty

Dr. Jessica Sponsler

Teaching Philosophy:

I love what I do: I am endlessly fascinated by the study of art history  and I thoroughly enjoy translating that love into a dynamic classroom experience. I do not believe students should sit back and merely consume information to be regurgitated back to me at a later date. Active learning, constant questioning of all assumptions, and a rigorous exploration of  art are components of the learning environments I create for my students. I want the works of the past to become “real” so that students can make connections between their own studio practice and other artists working in times long ago and places far away with very different cultural boundaries. I also encourage students to confront the museum and gallery experience. My goal is to help students become comfortable in those high-stakes cultural spaces so that even if they never take another art history course, they will continue to visit museums and galleries for the rest of their lives. And, I am committed to facilitate learning for all students by offering multiple platforms into the material of my courses. I firmly believe that a professor who is engaged with material and still excited by learning herself creates an atmosphere in which student want to learn.