Spirit of Huntington
Spirit of Huntington
Woodward Parkway Elementary
About Me
Hello! Welcome to my digital portfolio! My name is Rebecca Whalen and I am currently student teaching while finishing my MSEd in Fine Arts Education. In May 2024, I earned my B.S. in Art Therapy, through those internships is where I discovered my love for teaching art. The last internship I had hired me as an art teacher, where I taught students of all ages and abilities. Helping my students express themselves through their artwork, was one of my favorite things.
I currently hold the following New York State certifications.
- New York Visual Arts Certification (Prek - 12), Inital
Prior to student teaching, I have had many experiences teaching art. Ever since I can remember, I've had a love for art. After school, I would always have drawing paper in front of me and markers in my hand. Growing up, I even took a couple different medium and level classes in acrylic paint, observational drawing and figure drawing. In spring 2023, I had an art therapy undergraduate internship for university at Spirit of Huntington. Spirit of Huntington is a nonprofit organization "that ignites the passion of students of all ages and abilities for creative expression that transforms lives." This environment is where I found my love for teaching art, and allowing a space where students felt comfortable, to create and express themselves in their artwork. As I stayed at the center, I learned more about the behind the scenes such as ordering materials, organizing artwork and lesson planning. This past summer in 2025, I was the lead art teacher at Malibu Summer Camp. I designed art crafts for campers ages three to fourteen. I would see campers eight years and under twice a week while nine year olds and above came once a week for a half hour. I designed eight weeks worth of projects with the materials available. I also had two seventeen year old helpers, who I delegated daily tasks to. The experience at summer camp helped me improve my skills in time management, organization, classroom management and student connections.
**All parents of students shown have given permission for photo use**