Sabine Strauch

Sabine Strauch is an art teacher at the high school. She earned her BFA in 2019 from Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art and Planning, and received her Master of Arts in Teaching in Art Education in 2022 from Tufts University. Strauch creates artwork that responds to current events and focuses on messages of social change. Strauch loves trying new restaurants and playing tennis in her free time, and currently lives in downtown Boston.

Tell me a little bit about your background.
I’ve known for a long time that I wanted to be an artist, so I went to Cornell for undergrad to study fine arts. I just completed grad school last year at Tufts for art education, and I got my masters’ in teaching there. I was a student teacher at the high school last year with Ms. Brennan, so I am familiar with the environment and I’m very happy to be here. I am an artist in my freetime, and here, I am an artist as well. I help kids become artists, so it’s awesome!

What specifically drew you to the high school?
What drew me to BHS is how this school really values everyone’s opinion. I appreciate how vocal students are about what they would like to see at their school. I also appreciate the push toward acceptance, whether that be through GSA or addressing racial matters. It was clear to me that the community here is really strong, and I also appreciate the attention to the arts at this school. There are six art teachers, which is very rare, and I wanted to be a part of that community.

What inspired you to become an art teacher? Did you have any role models when you were very young?
I definitely have had some amazing art mentors throughout my life. What inspired me the most was thinking about how I can make a difference. In addition to creating my own work, I really love working with kids, specifically the highschool age group. It’s really an exciting age, as you are all on the precipice of approaching adulthood but you’re not a ‘kid’ anymore, per se. It’s a very exciting point of growth, and I think that art can help mediate that time because while it’s an exciting time, it’s also a tough time. My goal is to help kids work on finding a way to express themselves and communicate with each other in a respectful and efficient way.

When you’re working with students, do you have any central goals or values that you try to keep in mind or impart upon them?
One of my biggest goals is to accommodate all learners and ensure that everyone is able to succeed in my class. Another is really focusing on communication. There are all sorts of different messages that we receive in the world, especially since the advent of social media, so it is important to learn how to digest whole types of information that, perhaps, we may not be familiar with. Another of my goals is knowing how to respond to and discuss with others in a respectful manner, even if our opinions differ.

How does being a student teacher versus a lead teacher differ in an art classroom?
As a student teacher, you still have so much to learn and you gradually take over the class, but you’re never truly a lead teacher until you’re officially a lead teacher. I feel the biggest difference is responsibility, and it’s quite exciting when transitioning from a student teacher role to a lead teacher role to have your own classroom and plan your own curriculum however you want.

What do you believe is the most interesting place you have ever visited?
The most interesting place I’ve ever visited is the Pompei ruins in Italy. It was incredible to see something so old and to witness all of the ancient paintings there. I loved seeing all the ancient graffiti and carvings, and the writing of everyday people is just so cool to see.