Florida High art teacher Allison Prater was recently named the WCTV and Addition Financial “Teacher of the Month” following her transition to teaching high school art after teaching six years in the middle school classroom, demonstrating her unique teaching style and her visible impact on students adjusting to the rigor of high school-level art.
Rather than enforcing a strict, rigid agenda on students, she encourages them to embrace their own creative mindsets and explore unfamiliar processes. By having this open-minded philosophy, Prater welcomes cutting-edge ideas that transform her class into a safe place for innovation. This approach to teaching helps spark authentic student engagement, while also helping students be resilient and use critical thinking skills to navigate their high school courses.
“Mrs. Prater gives us a lot of freedom to experiment with our ideas and our materials. But she also gives us a guide along the way,” senior Arya Patel said.
For many students, high school can bring an overwhelming environment filled with academic rigor, GPA anxiety, and stressful classes. Mrs. Prater’s classroom environment offers a welcoming mental break where students can decompress through visual expression. Her studio offers a low-stress environment that prioritizes personal growth over perfect work. By walking into this supportive space, students can quiet all the noise of their day-to-day life and use their hands to create and recharge before taking on the rest of their day.
“It’s kind of a break in the middle of the day, cause it is a light class and we get to do stuff we actually like instead of math or reading,” senior Zyan Ramos said.
Prater sharpened her teaching skills over the past six years at a middle school level. By doing this, she was able to master the art of building student confidence. Her deep familiarity with the Florida High community provided her with a great opportunity, giving her preexisting insight into her students and their personal strengths before they entered the high school classes. While the middle school experience is viewed as a distinct phase of her career, it has served as the perfect startup for the adaptable, helpful methods that define her award-winning classroom today.
“I think returning to my old students has been the most surprising. The current seniors are my very first class that I taught at Florida High, so I got to see the beginning of their journey and now the end of their journey so that is very cool to see,” Prater said.
Prater’s approach to art education shows the impact that shared art can have on a school community. Prater organized a mask parade where Sculpture 1 students wore creative masks to share with the elementary students. This event connected different grade levels and created a memorable experience for the school.
“I really want to start working more on community areas and have students think about the ways the arts are in our community. So doing things like parades with the elementary kids or creating opportunities for the kids in sculpture classes to put their art out there and see how it can influence others,” Prater said.
Ultimately, Prater’s recognition as the WCTV and Addition Financial “Teacher of the Month” celebrates her impact in the classroom. By creating a low-stress, engaging environment, she provides students with a mental break and the creative freedom to help students navigate high school rigor.
“I hope students feel that they have the safety and freedom to express who they are, learn something unexpected and have fun to find different ways they can express themselves,” Prater said.
