Sanja Srdanov is a secondary art teacher and associate teacher mentoring teacher candidates from the Faculty of Education (S. SRDANOV/University of Windsor)
By Kate Hargreaves
No matter where secondary visual arts teacher Sanja Srdanov (BFA ’01, BEd ’02) is teaching, her focus is both student-centred and grounded in craft.
A Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate from the University of Windsor, Srdanov emphasizes the importance of being a practicing artist as a visual arts educator.
Recalling her own experience as a teacher candidate, Srdanov was mentored by a working artist, Sue Leslie, who shared her knowledge of evaluation, curriculum and exhibiting and sharing artistic works in the community.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better associate than Sue Leslie, also a BFA graduate from the University of Windsor,” Srdanov says.
The experience reinforced the importance of visual arts teachers continuing to practise and refine their own skills.
“If you can’t do watercolour, you have to teach yourself and be working on mastering your craft,” she says.
“You can’t just show YouTube videos. You have to be able to get your hands in there and help students on the spot.”
Bringing a variety of artistic and life experiences to the classroom can help as Srdanov’s own path to visual arts education came through pursuing an initial degree in fashion.
Realizing that she preferred the artistic side of the industry and had a talent for drawing, she landed in UWindsor’s Bachelor of Fine Arts program and eventually the Faculty of Education.
This fashion experience came in surprisingly handy as Srdanov taught fashion history as part of her second teachable during practicum.
She not only found ways to combine fashion with art as a beginning teacher but sought out opportunities for travel as well.
“I always knew I wanted to teach and travel,” she says, taking on long roles at international schools in South Korea, Mexico and Italy before returning to her permanent job with the Greater Essex County District School Board.
“I suggested that the school leadership in Italy start a photography course while I was there,” she says.
For the past 15 years, Srdanov has been teaching visual art and photography at Sandwich Secondary School in LaSalle as well as teaching photography during the summer in Costa Rica and the Greek Islands with private school Global Summers Academy.
Wherever she teaches, she encourages students to extend their art practice beyond the classroom.
Supporting her students to submit creative work to contests and exhibitions, including the Skills Ontario competition, Srdanov has seen them place as high as fifth in the province with multiple first-place finishes at the Leamington Arts Centre.
“It’s not just curricular, but being part of the school community, getting involved in extracurriculars like these exhibitions and helping students with their portfolios,” she explains, noting that this involvement is something she passes along to teacher candidates as an associate teacher herself.
Having mentored five beginning teachers to date, Srdanov draws influence from her own associate teacher, giving advice on grading, lesson pacing and setting boundaries.
“After I had my experience with Sue, I knew I had to do this too,” she says.
“Teacher candidates need to be able to mess up, to get feedback and get better. As beginning teachers, it’s so important for them to have someone they can go to — who they trust and believe are also good at their craft — so that they can learn from them.”
She also stresses that teacher candidates may need support in navigating some of the socio-emotional complexities that come with teaching.
“You need a strong associate, someone who knows the ropes.”
Sanja Srdanov with Morgan, a current teacher candidate from the Faculty of Education at the University of Windsor (S. SRDANOV/University of Windsor)
With all the changes in the education sector, including developments in technology, Srdanov says that Teachers’ Week is particularly important to recognize the role of teachers in guiding future generations.
“In this world right now, it’s pretty unkind and people are uncivil to each other,” she says. “But I see a lot of great things with this generation of kids. They make me laugh and give me a lot of hope.”
“When you go into teaching, you have to figure out how to lead with kindness,” she says. “And you help create those leaders.”
Teacher Appreciation Week runs May 4 through May 8, 2026. For more information on teacher education programs, visit the Faculty of Education website.