WilmU master’s candidate named Delaware Art Educator of 2018

Art is an opportunity, says Elizabeth Eggleston, a teacher who’s studying toward a Master’s degree in Education at Wilmington University.”As an art educator, I want to open up new worlds for my students,” says Ms. Eggleston, a candidate in the degree’s Instruction: Teaching and Learning program. “Most of them will not go on to pursue a career in art, and that’s OK. But I hope they’ll realize that even if they haven’t found their passion, it’s never too late to.”

“As an art educator, I want to open up new worlds for my students,” says Ms. Eggleston, a candidate in the degree’s Instruction: Teaching and Learning program. “Most of them will not go on to pursue a career in art, and that’s OK. But I hope they’ll realize that even if they haven’t found their passion, it’s never too late to.”Her classroom goals have earned her the title of Delaware Art Educator for 2018 from the National Art Education Association, a professional organization for teachers of art and artists who teach.

Her classroom goals have earned her the title of Delaware Art Educator for 2018 from the National Art Education Association, a professional organization for teachers of art and artists who teach.

The annual award recognizes a member from each state for their professional accomplishments and service to students, says NAEA president Kim Huyler Defibaugh. “Elizabeth exemplifies the highly qualified art educators active in the field today: Leaders, teachers, students, scholars, and advocates who give their best to their students and the profession,” she says.

“Students can always tell when teachers really care about them,” says Reginald Worlds, assistant principal of Thomas McKean High School in Wilmington, where Ms. Eggleston teaches. “And they flock to her because of her genuine concern and gentle humor. She knows that young people learn best when their minds are engaged while their spirits are nurtured.”

For Ms. Eggleston, a photographer who discovered both the spectrum of art and the wonder of teaching on her way to a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University, effective instruction depends on more than just lesson plans.

“Building relationships that encourage and nurture a student’s desire to explore something new and giving them a safe place to take risks is something that an outstanding art educator (or any educator, for that matter) does on a daily basis,” she says.

“We are teaching our students how to be independent thinkers and problem solvers, which builds the confidence needed to be successful in all subjects,” says Ms. Eggleston. “Being recognized for this validates my efforts as well as my contributions to my students’ success.”