Teaching
Teaching Philosophy
On the first day of orientation of my foundation year in London, one of the faculty members said to us “I am here to render myself superfluous,” paused for a moment, and then continued “I am here to teach you how to learn without me.” That has stayed with me ever since, and it has become the bedrock of my teaching philosophy. I later learned that this approach is called teaching metacognitive skills. The interests, the skills necessary to succeed, and the students’ needs will continue to evolve after leaving the classroom; there is no way for us to teach them everything they will need to know in their lives. If we aim to teach them only a specific set of skills they will fail in the long term and, by proxy, we too will have failed. If we teach the students how to learn autonomously, they will be able to retool their skills and knowledge for an ever-changing environment and continue succeeding.
The second value around which I have formulated my teaching philosophy is John Baldassari’s statement to his students: “Art comes out of failure. You have to try things out. You can’t sit around, terrified of being incorrect, saying ‘I won’t do anything until I do a masterpiece.’” I interpret this as an appeal to encourage the growth mindset in students. If they are not making mistakes, taking risks, and, at times failing along the way, they are not pushing themselves out of their comfort zones, and they are not learning. Making mistakes is not to be feared; failure can be a learning tool. Looking back at what worked and what did not work allows students to grow. To inspire and nurture students’ potential, the classroom must be a place where students can take risks and where they can push boundaries. The role of faculty is to direct experimentation and to provide support in understanding what happened. It is fundamental to listen to the students’ concerns and understand where they are coming from in order to encourage risk-taking and experimentation.
I have been lucky enough to have teachers, colleagues, and supervisors who took the time to understand my background and how it relates to my work. These experiences have taught me the value of openness. I have learned that making sure that colleagues and students find a welcoming environment is paramount. Collegiality and cooperation among faculty is a strong way to model and promote the desired behaviors to students. Showing my students that every person deserves to be heard furthers the attitude that openness is not merely window dressing, but a core value.
I measure my success by how independent and passionate about learning my students become. The goal for me goes beyond teaching a set of notions; it is about communicating a love for learning. I am successful when students become independent lifelong learners. Students need to learn how to learn and do rather than what to think and do.
Contact me if you would like to see a student work portfolio.
Teaching Experience
Fall 2023
University of South Carolina
ART261 Introduction to Photography
Spring 2023
University of South Carolina
ART261 Introduction to Photography
Spring 2018
South Carolina State University • Orangeburg, South Carolina
ARTS 333 Web Page Design
ARTS 235 Digital Imaging
ARTS 233 Digital Media II
Fall 2017
South Carolina State University • Orangeburg, South Carolina
ARTS 223 Digital Media I: Introduction to Digital Media Art and Design
ARTS 323 Digital Media III - Electronic Page Design
ARTS 440 Independent Study in Art
ART 250 Art Appreciation
ARTH 216 The History of Western Art II
Spring 2017
South Carolina State University • Orangeburg, South Carolina
ARTS 333 Web Page Design
ARTS 233 Digital Media II
ARTH 315 Art Exhibition Techniques
ART 250 Art Appreciation
ARTS 440 Independent Study in Art
Fall 2016
South Carolina State University • Orangeburg, South Carolina
ARTS 223 Digital Media I
ART 250 Art Appreciation
ARTS 323 Digital Media III - Electronic Page Design
ARTS 440 Independent Study in Art: (see above)
Spring 2016
South Carolina State University • Orangeburg, South Carolina
ARTS 233 Digital Media II
ARTS 116 Fundamentals of Design II-3D
ARTH 315 Art Exhibition Techniques
Claflin University • Orangeburg, South Carolina
ARTS 328 Photography II
ARTS 200 Art Appreciation (On-line)
Fall 2015
South Carolina State University • Orangeburg, South Carolina
ARTS 223 Digital Media I
ARTS 323 Digital Media III - Electronic Page Design
Claflin University • Orangeburg, South Carolina
ARTS 209 Photography I - Introduction to Digital Photography
ARTS 492 Senior Project Studio Art
HNTH 391 Honors Thesis Seminar I
Spring 2015
South Carolina State University • Orangeburg, South Carolina
ARTH 315 Art Exhibition Techniques
Winter 2014
Savannah College of Art and Design • Savannah, Georgia
Teaching Internship, Supervising Professor: Jonathan Field, Ph.D.
ARTH 207 20th Century Art
Fall 2013
Savannah College of Art and Design • Savannah, Georgia
Teaching Internship, Supervising Professor: Zig Jackson, M.F.A.
PHOT 218 Black and White Technique
Selected Certificates
2017
Adobe Certified Expert - Photoshop CC 2015
https://www.youracclaim.com/users/giordano-angeletti
Adobe Certified Expert - Dreamweaver CC 2015
https://www.youracclaim.com/users/giordano-angeletti
2015
Mental Health Aid First Aid Certificate – Mental Health First Aid USA, Jacksonville, Florida