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Roosevelt Middle School’s Pam Schwandt named art teacher of the year
Pam Schwandt believes creating artwork develops creative problem solving, provides a safe place to express feelings and emotions, and allows endless opportunities for discovery.
“You hear people say you’re born to make art or you aren’t; you’re artistic or you’re not. I don’t believe that. I believe you might not be born able to do art yet but there is endless possibility. You just haven’t acquired your artistic ability yet,” she said.
Schwandt instills that belief in her students at Roosevelt Middle School (RMS) in Blaine, and delights in seeing smiles emerge as they recognize their own creativity.
“That’s my greatest joy — seeing these fabulous little people find the beauty and artistry that exists within. That is my greatest reward,” Schwandt said.
Schwandt, who graduated from Burnsville High School and earned her bachelors and masters degrees in art education from the University of Minnesota, has taught art in Anoka-Hennepin schools for more than three decades.
She began her career at Lincoln Elementary School in Anoka where she taught 13 years before accepting a position at RMS 18 years ago.
“I always knew this is what I was meant to do, and now just think — for 31 years I’ve gotten to do what I love,” the art teacher said, smiling at the gift of teaching she so enjoys.
For Schwandt art is therapeutic, refreshing, joyful and essential.
As she grew up assisting her dad as he tinkered on cars, the creative little girl exercised creative thinking and ingenious problem solving. Her artistic mind worked and whirled and creative juices nourished artistic seeds taking root in her heart.
Tinkering on cars wasn’t artistic — far from it, her concrete-sequentially thinking dad would say – but the elements of artistic creativity she saw at work in the garage sparked more imagination and creativity and further affirmed her desire to work with art someday.
Her dad eventually recognized the value of her “abstract-random creativity” and presented his artistic daughter with a Christmas gift of a drafting table, art portfolio and sketchbooks.
“That meant so much to me — he recognized my passion and encouraged me,” Schwandt said.
“And artwork is so much more. Art is an outlet. It’s a safe place to express yourself, to investigate, to solve problems,” she said.
Though she never had a favorite art form to teach, Schwandt said she loves combining media whenever possible. For her own artistic creations, Schwandt especially enjoys mosaic.
“Because I can take broken things and create something new,” she said. “It is tedious and time consuming, but so rewarding when complete.”
Another reward comes when she hears from former students about the enduring value of art in their lives.
“Not every art student will be an artist. One of my former students became a meteorologist, another builds bridges. They may not be artists but they are using creative thinking and problem solving in their work, so really they are doing artwork,” Schwandt said.
“You hear people say you’re born to make art or you aren’t; you’re artistic or you’re not. I don’t believe that. I believe you might not be born able to do art yet but there is endless possibility. You just haven’t acquired your artistic ability yet,” she said.
Schwandt instills that belief in her students at Roosevelt Middle School (RMS) in Blaine, and delights in seeing smiles emerge as they recognize their own creativity.
“That’s my greatest joy — seeing these fabulous little people find the beauty and artistry that exists within. That is my greatest reward,” Schwandt said.
Another reward was recently bestowed on Schwandt when she was named the state’s Middle Level Art Teacher of the Year by the Art Educators of Minnesota.
“It’s so humbling to be nominated — it’s not just about me. Without these students I couldn’t be an art teacher,” she said. “And I’m still learning and growing every day. These little people, my students, are always showing me something new.”
(Photo: Roosevelt Middle School art teacher Pam Schwandt compliments one of her students on his Kabuki painting.)
Schwandt, who graduated from Burnsville High School and earned her bachelors and masters degrees in art education from the University of Minnesota, has taught art in Anoka-Hennepin schools for more than three decades.
She began her career at Lincoln Elementary School in Anoka where she taught 13 years before accepting a position at RMS 18 years ago.
“I always knew this is what I was meant to do, and now just think — for 31 years I’ve gotten to do what I love,” the art teacher said, smiling at the gift of teaching she so enjoys.
For Schwandt art is therapeutic, refreshing, joyful and essential.
As she grew up assisting her dad as he tinkered on cars, the creative little girl exercised creative thinking and ingenious problem solving. Her artistic mind worked and whirled and creative juices nourished artistic seeds taking root in her heart.
Tinkering on cars wasn’t artistic — far from it, her concrete-sequentially thinking dad would say – but the elements of artistic creativity she saw at work in the garage sparked more imagination and creativity and further affirmed her desire to work with art someday.
Her dad eventually recognized the value of her “abstract-random creativity” and presented his artistic daughter with a Christmas gift of a drafting table, art portfolio and sketchbooks.
“That meant so much to me — he recognized my passion and encouraged me,” Schwandt said.
Today, Schwandt wants more than anything for her students to recognize their own passions, to see their own creativity and to embrace their own artistry.
“And artwork is so much more. Art is an outlet. It’s a safe place to express yourself, to investigate, to solve problems,” she said.
Though she never had a favorite art form to teach, Schwandt said she loves combining media whenever possible. For her own artistic creations, Schwandt especially enjoys mosaic.
“Because I can take broken things and create something new,” she said. “It is tedious and time consuming, but so rewarding when complete.”
Another reward comes when she hears from former students about the enduring value of art in their lives.
“Not every art student will be an artist. One of my former students became a meteorologist, another builds bridges. They may not be artists but they are using creative thinking and problem solving in their work, so really they are doing artwork,” Schwandt said.