Elan as Teaching Artist and Family Programmer

My interest in art began when I was very young. My father, accomplished artist/educator Edwin G. Cadiz, always supplied me with art supplies and encouragement. I grew up watching and admiring him and his work, and when I became an adolescent I was introduced to teaching as my father’s assistant. As I became older and began teaching on my own I consulted with my mother Dr. Sharon M. Cadiz, an educational and child development expert, while developing my curriculum. Dr. Cadiz holds a PHD in child development from infancy to 5 year old and over 20 years of experience in the field of education.

My formal training began in High School of Art & Design. I attended the Fashion Institute of Technology where I studied advertisement, design and photography for two years. I graduated from City College of New York with a BA in Studio Art and Education and specialized in graphic design, printmaking, and education. I also took classes in art instruction and child psychology. I have instructed young people in the arts for fifteen years and taught for and/or with programs/institutions such as the Police Athletic League (P.A.L), Astoria Beacon Program, Young Adult Institute (Y.A.I), Casa Duarte, Say Yes To Education (affiliated with Columbia’s Teachers College), Harlem School of the Arts, Thurgood Marshall Upper and Lower Academies, Harlem Gems (Harlem Children Zone), Cool Culture, Bank Street College, No Longer Empty, Weeksville Heritage Center and the Studio Museum of Harlem.

With over ten years of teaching with many different schools and institutions I prefer a constructionist teaching model. I have found it very hard to make one-way work for every student so instead of focusing only on the outcome of a project I consider the process. I give each student the steps and framework needed to arrive at a conclusion but I do not interfere with the in-between moments of explorations or the alterations that are sometimes made on the way to the outcome. I believe that people construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world, through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences.

I also follow seven rules for my practice, 1. Have a sense of purpose; 2. Have expectations of success for all students; 3. Tolerate ambiguity; 4. Demonstrate a willingness to adapt and change to meet student needs; 5. Reflect on their work as well as my own; 6. Learn from a variety of models and finally 7. Enjoy the work and the time spent with my students. Evidence of this can be found on my personal art blog for kids, http://diverseart4kids.blogspot.com/ .

For me, art is not just a job, it is a family tradition and I take much pride in my work, the experiences I create for students and the knowledge that I have accumulated from different educational institutions.

This is my personal blog, written and edited exclusively by me.  All content on this blog reflects my own personal views, thoughts, and endorsements, and in no way represents the views or endorsements of any third party, including but not limited to, my employer.