When Amelia Bell walks through the art hallway of Prince George High School she feels an overwhelming feeling of inspiration and passion for art.
“My favorite thing is when a student falls in love with an art process and really goes for it,” said Bell, “I also really enjoy just seeing all the art. I love watching students create and learn. I am so happy to facilitate it any way I can.”
Bell, originally from Takoma Park, Maryland, currently attends Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond and she is helping teach at the high school as a part of her college class.
“For my last semester of school I go to an elementary school and a secondary school (middle school or high school),” said Bell, “I’m at each school for 8 weeks where I observe the art teacher(s) and take over teaching for at least 4 of those weeks. I’m basically learning and practicing how to be an art teacher so I’ll be ready when I graduate.”
Bell is making the most out of her student teaching experience by teaching Ms. Eliades’s art classes.
“So far I have helped students with their work as Ms. Eliades was teaching,” said Bell “Now I have taken over the classes. That means I’m doing everything, writing the lessons, organizing the supplies, teaching it, helping the students, etc. I have to sign any passes, answer the phone, and even take attendance.”
While teaching Bell has learned a lot about being a teacher and even learned a few new techniques about it.
“I have learned a lot so far. I’ve learned a lot about motivating the students to create. I have figured out how to make the artists and artwork I show to be relevant to the students and encourage them to want to create their own artwork,” said Bell “I’ve also learned how to manage the class time. 90 minutes is a long time and I have to make sure the students have enough to do for the whole class time, along with a few breaks of course.”
Bell shares that she’s always had an interest for being creative with anything she did growing up.
“I’ve been interested in art. I’ve loved it since I was a toddler. I was always trying to be creative in all my classes whether they related to art or not. I was always encouraged to make and create by family, friends, and teachers,” said Bell.
Bell mentions that she loves to share her passion for art with others.
“I really like interacting with the students. I also love showing people a new artist or a new skill,” said Bell, “My favorite thing is when a student falls in love with an art process and really goes for it. I also really enjoy just seeing all the art. I love watching students create and learn. I am so happy to facilitate it any way I can.”
Bell is inspired by the students at the high school and she loves seeing them climb thier way up to thier goals.
“My favorite part of high school I think has to be the students and the art they make. I love watching them from the beginning when they are first formulating their ideas to the end when they have a fully realized idea and artwork to present,” said Bell “I really enjoy watching them grow as artists and as human beings.”
