About Christa Janzen

I was born and raised in Kidron, Ohio and got my Bachelor's degree in Art Education and Special Education at Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas. I met my husband Scott there and we've been married for 16 years and have 2 daughters who attend Bethany. I have taught Art in Kansas, Arizona, Nebraska and Indiana in a variety of schools and grade levels.

What is your philosophy of teaching?

My philosophy of teaching has evolved over the years to become more and more student-centered. I love teaching and watching students have success, but now how i set up my classroom and teach my lessons leaves more room for experimentation, trial and error and individual creativity. 

What kind of classroom experience do you try to create for your students?

I believe that students need to be given room to try and fail, problem-solve and to try again. For each project, I focus on key learning objectives that stem from the National Art Education Standards. Students work on learning those objectives while also following their own creative ideas.  

How do you keep students engaged in their learning experience?

I try to keep students engaged by giving them lots of choice. I love to say yes to their ideas when I can!

What qualities or life skills do you wish to impart to your students?

When my students leave my classroom, my hope is that they have a better understanding of how integral Art is to our lives and our world and that they find room to create throughout their lives. I hope that they remember the visual problems they solved, the perseverance it took and the satisfaction of accomplishing a goal.

What fuels your passion and drive to be an educator?

My favorite thing about teaching is my relationship with my students. I love having a place where fellow artists feel at home and love to talk about art project and things going on in our lives. I love sharing new project ideas and watching students get as excited about them as I am!

When you aren't teaching, what can we find you doing?

Drawing or painting, reading, playing games with my kids, baking, and in warmer months: biking and hiking