Throughout my semester in the Overview to Art Education course, I have learned so many valuable things about what it means to be a great art educator. Although I was always passionate about art's impact on students, I realized that there is so much more to teaching than simply regurgitating the elements and principles of art. I learned that art is more than an elective, a hobby, or an easy A. Teaching art to students is not only cross-curricular, but it also demands the highest level of thinking.
From my experiences, I realized the importance of being prepared. As a future teacher, I have learned to expect the un-expected; preparation and planning is crucial. This calls for organization and effective classroom management. Regarding the class topics, I learned that viewing the work of artists to build knowledge and context is something that I will absolutely implement in my classroom. The method of Visual Thinking Strategies is a powerful way to allow students to think deeply, analyze, and make their own connections to artwork. Also, the creation of art should always have a purpose behind it. Unit plans and students' work should stem from a big idea to ensure meaningful making. I will always model techniques for my students and provide exemplars to show students what success looks like. It is important that my expectations always remain clear through the use of rubrics. Finally, I feel that an art curriculum should have a balance between concept and technical execution.
I now have a clearer idea of my identity as an artist teacher. As I gain more knowledge, my confidence in my ability to teach grows stronger. I think communication with students is a strength of mine. I have a sincere desire to develop a strong relationship with each of my students. I will continue to develop my skills in different media, as well as develop innovative ideas for meaningful units.
I intend to add more artwork, more reflections from teaching experiences, and revisions to my philosophy to my portfolio in the coming semesters.
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