When Taylor Anderson ’24 transferred to Moore, she thought it could be the perfect fit. She loved the small-school intimacy of Delaware College of Art and Design, where she earned her associate’s degree in fine arts in 2020, and expected Moore to provide a similar experience.
What she didn’t expect was the support she would receive from the Art Education faculty and students as she navigated new challenges.
“My whole family actually moved to Florida right before I started at Moore. Not only was I transitioning to a different college, but my whole life got flipped upside down,” Anderson said. “[The Art Education department] was there to support me with open arms and talk to me. Everyone was really generous with their time.”
Anderson spent the next four years honing her art education skills. While working at candle-making bar Wax + Wine, she met an art teacher at Samuel Fels High School, located in the School District of Philadelphia. As a Moore Art Education student, Anderson was required to find a cooperating teacher to host her as a student teacher during her final semester. They clicked instantly and Anderson became a student teacher at the school. She spent 60 days from January to April 2024 learning how to manage a classroom.
“Moore drew me in because of all the experience I would get before my student teaching placement. It definitely prepared me for more hands-on classroom experience like lesson planning and connecting with students,” she said.
Anderson worked with more than 200 students throughout her time at Fels High School. Although the experience was challenging at times, she enjoyed the opportunity to help students find their passion for art.
“I learned a lot about being resilient,” Anderson said. “The connection that you can build with them is so rewarding, especially as you’re guiding them into adulthood.”
After wrapping up her final year at Moore this spring, Anderson was presented with the Deborah Deery ’01, ’12 Memorial Award for Excellence in Art Education during the College’s annual Senior Awards. After her shock faded, pride set in.
“It was really validating for me to get that award. All the hard work and effort that I’ve put in throughout the past four years was recognized, and that meant a lot to me,” she said.
Combining her experiences as a student teacher and a student at Moore, Anderson says she feels ready to take what she learned and apply it in her own classroom. She’ll serve as a teacher in Moore’s Young Artists Workshop (YAW) and Summer Art & Design Institute (SADI) programs during the summer of 2024, teaching classes in ceramics, painting, drawing, and “art outside.” She was also accepted into the School District of Philadelphia and continues to look for her next teaching position.
Although she’s graduating from Moore, Anderson knows she’ll always have a support system in the Art Education department.
“The best part about being a Moore student was having these relationships,” she said. “I know that when I go into my first year of teaching, I’ll have that support from the people who helped me along the way. I know they’ll be there for me.”
Want to learn more about Art Education at Moore? Contact our Admissions team at enroll@moore.edu or 215.965.4015 to set up a call or a campus visit. We’d love to tell you more!
Photos courtesy of Taylor Anderson '24.
