Alex Wyatt

Teaching is in Alex Wyatt’s blood. His mother, a TU graduate, is in her 35th year of teaching, and he spent many hours as a child in her classroom.

“I was in the sixth grade when I realized I wanted to teach,” he recalls, thanks to the support of an art teacher who walked him through the process of creating a clay sculpture. Wyatt was completing coursework for a degree in art education at Towson University when he realized a degree in elementary education would allow him to teach traditional courses but still pursue his passion for art.

“I was completing a computer course that was an education requirement, when I came across the concept of art integration,” says Wyatt. “Whether you are teaching math, social studies, or reading, you can integrate art into these core subjects.”

As a first-year teacher at Riverview Elementary School in Baltimore County, Wyatt says, “Nothing compares to seeing light bulbs go off and the relationships you build with students. It is what brings me back every day.”

“ Whether you are teaching math, social studies, or reading, you can integrate art into these core subjects.  ”

Wyatt works hard to keep his students engaged and give them encouragement they may not get at home. “When I teach about the pyramids, I can demonstrate how to write hieroglyphics. When I teach about Asia, we constructed a Chinese landscape painting.”

Wyatt continues to draw inspiration from his Towson University courses. “The children’s literature class was magic. You learn so much about different writing and learning styles and what illustrators and authors want you to take away from their work.”

He also recalls a trip to a homeless shelter as part of a social studies methods class. “We planned a day of activities for kids at the shelter. It made you aware that some of our students may come to school hungry or homeless. That’s why it is even more important to connect with students.”