The arts in education teach students principles about life by widening their perspectives and giving them an outlet as a means for self-discovery and play. It develops skills key to every career area and walk of life: flexibility, perseverance, self-questioning, and the realization that some problems have numerous answers. Arts demonstrate to students what adults today value, as well as the great capacity of all that people can feel and accomplish. Awareness of art provides students with an appreciation and literacy of the visual world. In total, art can play an important role in their formation of identity, perception, and belief. I hope to inspire all my students to not be afraid to try new things, and to have a genuine curiosity and joy in discovering the world.

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In my class, students shall experience a great variety of traditional and contemporary art media. It is important to start by teaching technical skills and craftsmanship; this provides them with confidence and ability to manifest their creative ideas how they are envisioned. Demonstrations and hands-on practice in observational drawing and use of these techniques will bring the experience to them.

 

A range of cultural art and history will be examined and discussed in conjunction with projects. PowerPoints will be used for studying art images; as well as trips to art shows and museums when possible. This is to provide students with a sense of the many subjects and methods that artists work with, and how they have impacted culture. Projects will be centered on broad subjects and themes, allowing students to explore many contemporary ideas, interests, and personal issues that are intriguing and of relevance to them.

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For learning to be fostered and of benefit to everyone, mutual respect of diverse personal histories and cultures will be essential to the class environment. By keeping open-minded, my students and I will learn much from each other.

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Rubrics shall provide the basis for thinking and questioning that I want my students to employ during their creative processes. This will give them a clearer idea of what I expect, and will aid in assessing achievement. Students will be graded not only on effort and improvement, but also on knowledge and ability as related to the state standards.

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As an art teacher, it is my responsibility every day to utilize my knowledge of, and passion for the subject, so my students will be engaged and learning. To do this, I will stay up to date on research and information from many artists and teachers. Study of the research and thinking behind ideas like right side of the brain drawing and the importance of cultivating creativity; from professionals like Marvin Bartel, Betty Edwards, and Daniel Pink, will aid me in this process. As a major part of my journey, I will also continue my own creative endeavors as an artist.

 

Continual reflection on my performance and student learning will help me to problem solve methods for improvement. Learning is a lifelong process, and my own exploration and curiosity should set an example of the kind of mindset I want my students to employ. As I learn new things each day, they will too.