Art Educator Statement
Every student should feel welcome in the art room and comfortable to explore their curiosity. I disagree with the notion that the Arts do not play an important role in providing students with a well-rounded education. Art is part of who we are, it is our history and our expression. Art encourages innovative thinking, self awareness, and challenges people to expand their perception of the world. Similar to other facets of society, art shows our progression and evolution as humans. In the classroom, art helps students cognitively reflect on themselves and the world around them. There are so many false perceptions of art and what an “artist” is. However, anyone can find a place within art.
The Importance of Thinking Like Artists
No matter what students aspire to do in life, my biggest goal is to guide them to foster a positive connection to the arts and develop skills that transcend the classroom. “Authentic instruction in the art room can bring interest and success to students who do not have a natural desire to learn about art and can increase the success of those already interested,” (Anderson & Milbrandt, 2004, p. 26). As an educator, I aspire to cultivate a positive and enlightening studio culture with a social climate that incites innovative thought and perception. In order for students to feel comfortable enough to make meaningful artwork and evolve as thinkers, they must feel safe within the classroom and its community.
It is essential that students are not only encouraged to make meaningful art, but are able to think like artists. There are many ways for art education to combat the rigid mindset established through standardized testing. Through guidance from creative relationships, critiques, and self-assessment, students can be encouraged to fail and evolve as artists. My role as an art educator is to help students see failure as an opportunity to evolve. By learning to accept failure and take risks, students can self-assess their work, expand their creativity and ultimately think like artists. Within the curriculum, lessons will present ambiguity and take a collegial approach that respects students’ artistic autonomy. Motivation and “interest derives from the challenge of envisioning and creating something that was not there before the student conceived it,” (Davis, 2012, p. 99). Students are engaged and ultimately responsible for the work in their art classes.
Students should be able to make powerful decisions, critically think, and communicate big ideas in a multitude of ways. By guiding students to develop skills that transcend the classroom, they become self-aware individuals who project social responsibility and empathy. Through intellectually and creatively challenging students, they gain metacognitive skills and become aware of the world around them and their personal impact.
My Role As An Artist, Art Educator And Art Advocate
Beyond being an artist and an art educator, being involved in the arts entails a lifelong pursuit of advocating for the arts. Art advocacy must stand on what the arts directly teach. Innovative thinking, self-awareness, and understanding are skills attributed to art education. The arts may not directly benefit students in their core classes, but it can help them express themselves and persist in their creative pursuits. Visual arts can also improve communication skills and help students expand their thinking through the artmaking process. As an educator, a large component of my class would be reliant on critiques and open discussions. I aspire to have students develop a positive connection to the arts and be aware of their perceptions and metacognition.
Studio Culture
As an art educator, it is important to balance student interest, media exploration, art history, and fundamental skills. However, I believe art education begins with studio culture. According to Studio Thinking 2, many elements encompass studio culture within the classroom such as space, time, language, music, and routines. By creating a safe and empowering studio space, students are free to learn and explore through independent and collaborative artmaking. As an art teacher, I would methodically think through my decisions when trying to create a positive studio culture. I plan to design the physical space by painting the walls and utilizing the wall space both as an educational tool and as a way to display artwork.
While the students’ work will be displayed at all stages of production, occasionally I will display my own artwork. Displaying my work will allow students to get to know me both as their teacher and as an artist. If students feel vulnerable or uncomfortable with the notion of displaying their work, I will model through my behavior that exhibition is okay and a necessary part of being an artist. Since students will be constantly exposed to artwork, they will become more comfortable with displaying, analyzing, and discussing their personal work and the work of their peers. A positive student culture will help to “create a climate where students are engaged with each other, collaborating and learning to participate in a community of artists,” (Hetland et al, 2013, p. 17). Displaying artwork at all stages of production can help create an atmosphere of collaboration, peer critique, and support. Students can become accustomed to receiving feedback, revising, and improving their work. Critiques engage a community of art learners and students gain insight by verbalizing their thoughts and hearing how others perceive their work, (Hetland et al., 2013, p. 27).
Interpretation and Critique
Furthermore, critiques coincide with interpretation. Terry Barrett from the National Art Education Association believes that the principles of interpretation include encouraging thoughtful interpretation, understanding that artwork can derive a multitude of interpretations, and developing a deeper understanding of the artwork. While bad interpretations do not exist, educators such as myself, can encourage deep and thought-provoking discussions and analysis of art. Interpretations are useful for the viewers and the artist, and can help to ensure a positive studio culture. As an artist I enjoy learning about the interpretation of others, positive or constructive. Feedback allows me to see my work from multiple points of view and possibly realize elements that I may have overlooked. By creating an environment where everyone’s work is on display, it allows the students to engage with one another, be open to new perceptions and create a collaborative community.
Visual Culture
Through a collaborative community and positive studio culture, students can become free thinkers by learning about visual culture. Visual culture encompasses all visual aspects of our lives. Understanding visual culture allows students to become more informed and aware individuals. They can become free thinkers who develop insight into visual meaning. In addition, understanding visual culture helps students create meaningful work and visually communicate their message. According to Freedman (2003), “it is foundational to art educators that students investigate visual culture from a productive point of view because through production students gain knowledge of the effects of their own creative capabilities and of visual culture in general,” (Freedman, 2003, p. 43). By analyzing visual culture, students can develop big ideas that concern “important personal and cultural issues” and therefore become stronger artists.
Exhibition
In my own practice as an art teacher I constantly analyze my own curriculum and think about the lessons from students’ perspective. I think about the type of teacher I needed growing up and how I could foster a positive connection to the arts. I believe that exhibition is one of the most important aspects of art production because it provides a conclusion to the unit. Students are able to visualize their finalized work and be proud of the display. In addition, exhibitions can provide additional opportunities for viewers to connect to the work by creating interactive displays, and involving parents and other community members to participate in the exhibition. Exhibitions throughout the school and its greater community can advocate and educate viewers on the school’s art program. By exhibiting student work and establishing a strong art presence throughout the school, educators can keep their art programs alive and thriving.
In order for students to think like artists, “students need to think about their artworks as part of an ongoing, public conversation, and exhibitions help them to think in this way, (Hetland et al, 2013, p. 30). In addition to student exhibitions, students should be involved in the exhibition process. Student involvement would enable further ownership and education on artistic practices. Students should learn about the four phases of exhibition: the planning phase, installation phase, public phase and the aftermath phase; because exhibition is an essential part of the art world and is utilized by all working artists. Most importantly exhibition and the succession of the artistic process allows students to reflect and continue growing as artists.
Conclusion
Art is more than just a superficial entity. Art production and examination can foster intellectual and innovative thought. As an educator, I aspire for students to have a positive connection to the arts and utilize that platform to appreciate the world. My art education philosophy remains the same, that art is indeed for everyone. In every class I teach, students will create meaningful artwork and will learn about artistic choices, decision making, and communication when working with media. I will encourage students to become innovative thinkers who are visually aware of their surroundings and are open to creativity and media exploration. Regardless of their involvement in the arts, if students gain confidence in their decision-making, communication skills and intuition, they can transfer those skills to all aspects of their life.
Classroom Inspirations
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”10″ gal_title=”classroom-inspirations”]Techniques
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”11″ gal_title=”techniques”]References
Anderson, T., & Milbrandt, M, K. (2004) Art For Life: Authentic Instruction in Art. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Higher Education
Barrett, T (1994). Principles for Interpreting Art. National Art Education, 47 (5), pp 8-13
Davis, J. (2012) Why Our High Schools Need The Arts. New York, NY: Teacher College Press.
Freedman, K. (2003). The Importance of Student Artistic Production to Teaching Visual Culture. National Art Education, 56 (2), pp 38-43.
Hetland, H., Winner, E., Veenema, S., Sheridan, K. (2013). Studio Thinking 2: The Real Benefits of Visual Arts Education. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Stankiewicz, M. A. (2001). Roots of Art Education Practice. Worcester, Massachusetts: Davis Publication.