Cristina Fernandes Rosa

My teaching style resonates with the Kikongo proverb "Fu-Kiau Mu kanda, babo longa." As Congolese philosopher Fu-Kiau explains: "within the community everybody has the right to teach and to be taught. Education is a matter of reciprocity. True knowledge is acquired through sharing" (2001: 99-100). I see myself as a a facilitator who creates diverse and inclusive environments that foster collaborative growth and solidarity. The classroom is a space where learners share and refine their intellectual wealth with respect. My teaching philosophy is based on the premise that art students excel at what they care about. I have learned that people put effort into ideas and initiatives that move them, energize them, or resonate with their curiosity. Therefore, my primary goal in teaching is to develop inspiring tasks and activities that ignite their desire to learn. At the same time, I challenge them to participate in the learning process as active thinkers and makers, not as passive consumers.