Artist Teacher
Fine Art Research Essay
Art Inclusivity;Why an Apple?
This essay reflects on my personal journey through art education and the contemporary art world, questioning who has access and who is excluded. Writing as a mixed Black-Irish woman and aspiring art educator, I examine how race, class, representation, and mentorship shaped my creativity from childhood to third-level education. The essay argues that art is essential, but that inclusivity in the art world is often shaped by privilege, networks, and cultural capital and it reinforces my commitment to making art education more accessible for all.
Curriculum Studies Essay
Role of school food programmes at the second level
This essay examines the role of school meal programmes in DEIS secondary schools and how they influence education through the hidden curriculum. Using personal reflection and research, I explore how food supports reduce insecurity but often lack consistent nutritional quality due to funding and infrastructure limits. I compare Ireland’s non-statutory model with countries that enforce school meal standards and argue that nutrition is directly linked to attention, learning, and educational opportunity. I conclude that school food reform is both a wellbeing issue and a social justice imperative.
Reflectice Practice Essay
Reflective Practice: Identity, Inclusion and Growth in Art Education
This research is presented as part of my professional portfolio as a special education art teacher. It explores how institutional expectations, professional evaluation and personal identity can influence teaching and creative practice. Through reflection on experiences in the classroom and art studio, the research informs my commitment to creating an inclusive, responsive and supportive learning environment where students can express themselves authentically, embrace uncertainty and develop confidence through art.
Accessible Art Experiences
Creating Belonging Through Art: An Inclusive, Nature-Based Workshop Proposal
This workshop proposal is presented as part of my portfolio to demonstrate how I design inclusive, meaningful and accessible art experiences. The three-day collaborative project uses foraging, mandala-making and site-specific installation to help students explore belonging, emotional wellbeing and ecological awareness. It reflects my approach as a special education art teacher by prioritising psychological safety, flexible participation, collaboration and the creative process rather than focusing solely on a finished outcome.