Nov. 22, 2002
Staat, Roberta
By Eric Glover
Roberta Staat is a fine arts teacher at Montgomery Blair High School. She is a married woman, with two children that are in college. She went to school in Wisconsin and Texas, earning herself two Bachelor's degrees in art and later her Master's degree of Fine Arts in Washington, D.C. Prior to Blair, Staat ran a flower shop. At one point, she taught the fine arts at college level. She came to Blair only last year, establishing herself as a teacher in both Drawing and Design and Fundamental Art. Once at Blair, she found the environment extremely different and more demanding.
There were a number of elements that made Staat's surroundings fresh and different. Staat found herself in a much more diverse atmosphere than she had ever taught before. Further, she realized that some of her students did not have the same motivation as college students had; several high school students were in her classroom because they were obligated. Some of her students underestimated the amount of challenge they would receive from an art teacher, and had difficulty.
Yet Staat's philosophy for overcoming obstacles is to inspire oneself. She firmly believes that she "can't do it for them." Staat will reassure a student that he or she can do the task set before them, but ultimately it will take time and hard work on their part. In any case, she knows that the finished product of student is the real inspiration. "If you can see it in front of you...it feels good," she said. Grades don't mean so much as whether the student is satisfied and how much will her or she displays in her work. Sometimes she tries to find out what the students like to do and teaches based on what she finds. Yet Staat knows that no matter what she asks people to do, each and every person is capable. She is disappointed by students who don't give their all, especially when she knows that they are able. "If they just hung in there," she said, they would no doubt have accomplished anything they put their minds to. She finds that there must be a level of trust between the student and the teacher.
When it comes to forming a bond between herself and her students, Staat finds that she can only relate to them "sometimes." She is near clueless to what her students' opinions of her are, except that she may be demanding. Still, Staat uses this technique to push people into doing things they haven't done before, even those who are naturally able to draw.
Staat believes that the fine arts will help her students in life. According to Staat, research shows that visual stimulation helps boost reading and writing skills.
Roberta Staat loves the work she does. To her, artwork is not a hobby. "It's a way of life." She will continue to work at Blair High School, she says, "until I get fired," or "until my husband says it's time." Until retirement, it won't be her personal life that affects her professional life. Rather, "it's the other way around."
Name: Roberta Staat
Department: Fine Arts
Education: Washington, DC (Bachelor's Degree)
Year started at MBHS: 2000
Previous Jobs: Flower shop owner
Hobbies: Art.
Roberta Staat is a fine arts teacher at Montgomery Blair High School. She is a married woman, with two children that are in college. She went to school in Wisconsin and Texas, earning herself two Bachelor's degrees in art and later her Master's degree of Fine Arts in Washington, D.C. Prior to Blair, Staat ran a flower shop. At one point, she taught the fine arts at college level. She came to Blair only last year, establishing herself as a teacher in both Drawing and Design and Fundamental Art. Once at Blair, she found the environment extremely different and more demanding.
There were a number of elements that made Staat's surroundings fresh and different. Staat found herself in a much more diverse atmosphere than she had ever taught before. Further, she realized that some of her students did not have the same motivation as college students had; several high school students were in her classroom because they were obligated. Some of her students underestimated the amount of challenge they would receive from an art teacher, and had difficulty.
Yet Staat's philosophy for overcoming obstacles is to inspire oneself. She firmly believes that she "can't do it for them." Staat will reassure a student that he or she can do the task set before them, but ultimately it will take time and hard work on their part. In any case, she knows that the finished product of student is the real inspiration. "If you can see it in front of you...it feels good," she said. Grades don't mean so much as whether the student is satisfied and how much will her or she displays in her work. Sometimes she tries to find out what the students like to do and teaches based on what she finds. Yet Staat knows that no matter what she asks people to do, each and every person is capable. She is disappointed by students who don't give their all, especially when she knows that they are able. "If they just hung in there," she said, they would no doubt have accomplished anything they put their minds to. She finds that there must be a level of trust between the student and the teacher.
When it comes to forming a bond between herself and her students, Staat finds that she can only relate to them "sometimes." She is near clueless to what her students' opinions of her are, except that she may be demanding. Still, Staat uses this technique to push people into doing things they haven't done before, even those who are naturally able to draw.
Staat believes that the fine arts will help her students in life. According to Staat, research shows that visual stimulation helps boost reading and writing skills.
Roberta Staat loves the work she does. To her, artwork is not a hobby. "It's a way of life." She will continue to work at Blair High School, she says, "until I get fired," or "until my husband says it's time." Until retirement, it won't be her personal life that affects her professional life. Rather, "it's the other way around."
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