Teaching Philosophy: Humble Phi Sally S. Fine, 2005 Associate Professor of Art Regis College, Weston, MA The golden section, 1. 618. (Phi), can be a metaphor for the interconnectedness of all things found in art and architecture, nature, music and math. Enlisting this ratio to articulate my teaching philosophy may seem to be a reach, but it is a useful context in which to frame my methodology. Phi describes an ideal proportion. The proportions of a DNA molecule is a small scale example of this generative ratio. The spiral of the Milky Way is at the other end of this scale. The golden mean is described as the course between extremes. With the guidance of the teacher, students can learn to navigate from a small notion to a galaxy of ideas. The exercise requires faith in the process and in oneself. In an artistic format, the final design/drawing/painting is the culmination of a transformative process. Patience shown to developing students is almost always rewarded with their expanding growth. As a teacher, I am in awe of the potential in the coil and wind in students of traditional age. Adult learners with more life history add a rich dimension to the spiral. I learn as much from my students as they learn from me (and each other). I teach because I learn as part of the process. Tolerance tempered with a good bit of humor is my way of urging students toward high standards. By the time design or art students reach their junior year they feel confident about their ideas and skills. At that point hard work is its own satisfying process and reward. I teach by means of project-based problems and exercises building on learned ideas and skills. Within the buzz of the hive, I honor individual development. My goal for students is that they become self-generating individuals with excellent critical skills and the confidence to work beyond what they know.