I was recently able to interview Mr. Berretta’s new student teacher, Mr. Andrew Campbell. Currently enrolled in the Masters Program in Art Education at Long Island University Post, he worked at Newfield to gain experience in the classroom setting. He has shown immense motivation to learn from our art teachers and has had a great influence on the many art students at Newfield as well.

When asked why he wanted to be a teacher, he said that it started out as tutoring friends and family. He says that teaching others is a great way to understand your own philosophy of learning. He states, “You learn from experience and I’ve realized that there are multiple ways to learn and think.” Along with experience, Mr. Campbell is eager to see the different types of art the students at Newfield have to offer. He advises aspiring artists to carry a small sketchbook wherever you go because there’s art all around us and you never know when creativity may strike. Along with this, he firmly believes in keeping your options open, saying, “Never settle. There’s always time to change yourself and your goals. You just need the courage to do it.”

When he’s not spending his time student teaching or learning himself, Mr. Campbell enjoys creating his own artwork and animation. While he loves teaching, he enjoys making profits off his artistic abilities as well. He also spends his time competitively playing videogames at conventions, a platform that includes a broad scope of artists and medias. He says that if he did not decide to go into teaching he would continue to freelance his artwork and travel across the country to sell his work at conventions. Although Mr. Campbell has been successful in his road to becoming an art teacher, he likes to keep the future open because he believes everything happens for a reason and that your life can go in a multitude of directions. When asked about his strengths and weaknesses, he says that he is strong at digital graphics and visual aids but isn’t the best at verbally giving out directions to students because everyone learns in a different way. He wishes to improve on his teaching abilities in a learning environment and hopes to show students that hard work ultimately pays off.

Mr. Campbell’s time in high school is very similar to students at Newfield. During his sophomore and junior years he took many AP classes and sees them as very beneficial because it

teaches you good work ethics. Afterschool, he spent much of his time on his school’s cross country team and in the theater. He also worked on his passion for art. Due to his efforts, he managed to graduate a year early and got accepted into LIU Post. When asked if there was anything in his life that he wishes to go back and change he stated, “No, I wouldn’t go back and change a thing. I think its super important for students and adults alike to realize the good things in life, and how we have the ability to make things even better.”