Teaching for the BIG Idea

The readings seem to focus on having students go beyond making a pretty picture that uses complementary colors or repetition “correctly” to developing an understanding of the process of art making as an expression of a big idea; a big idea about themselves or about society or an exploration of boundaries, etc.

In lesson plans that I have written I know that I have been guilty of trying to teach using what Gude explains are outdated constructs for teaching art. I have also been a victim of being taught art on a shallow surface level. Even in my current art classes I have been stuck feeling a need to display a certain technique or method that the professor wants us to show an understanding of. I am left creating piece of art that I feel very little personal connection to and am not very motivated to be working on. In my field experience over the summer I also felt that the students were too restricted and being pushed to show a right answer, which stifled their creativity.

Art teachers often seem to be trying to preform a balancing act. There is a need to find a balance between teaching the required standards and guiding students in basic elements of art while still allowing deep exploration of “big ideas” that the students care about. Gude discusses a need to reevaluate the state/national standards. The state standards for art leave me wondering, who comes up with these things? I have to think that they at least invited art teachers to help develop the standards. How have we been left with this list of standards that seems so unconnected and myopic? There is a growing pressure in education to have measurable results. While I think that there are some positive outcomes from this push, I think that it has also influenced this narrow definition of art education.

 At the end of Gude’s article Principles of Possibility, she writes, “Art teachers are optimist…They combine the sensibilities of an artist with the social awareness of community organizers. If it is indeed true that our notions of real and the possible are shaped in cultural discourses, art teachers have the potential to change the world.” I find this to be a really inspiring thought. I hope that this idea will guide me in my future as an art educator.

Teaching Philosophy:

I believe that teaching visual art should give students the skills that they need in order to create works of art that are true to their values, concerns and interest. These skills should be developed through exploration of techniques and media as well as an exploration of one’s self and one’s role in society.

In order to be an effective art teacher I feel that the teacher needs to first do their best to understand their students, their varied backgrounds, their skills, and their lives. A teacher must also have an understanding of where art has come from in order to develop the future of art through students. In my opinion, the most important role of a teacher is to be an open, non-judgmental support system for students. The teacher should also strive to foster this attitude amongst peers in order to create a positive classroom environment. 

Hello!

Hi Guys! So, I think I have this thing up and running. Yay! Just so you can put a face to the name I have included a pic of me and my fur baby, Koby. The pic is courtesy of my husband. Yes, it's blurry. Yes, my hand looks freakishly large. Yes, you can see his shadow. But it took about 15 tries before I approved this one, so we will have to give him a break:) See everyone in class on Monday.