My Philosophy

My Philosophy on K-12 Art Education

In our world there is only one constant: that things are constantly changing. From birth, the character of a person is developing and reacting to its surroundings. With every year, that same person develops into a different version of his or herself. Therefore educators have the vital calling of setting dependable groundwork for students to develop their identity within the community. Educators must care for their students and guide them in a direction that will stand strong against the challenges of life. Frederick Douglas once said, “it is easier to build up strong children than to repair a broken man”, and it reflects why I feel passionate about becoming a teacher. The way that young people view life inspires me to represent a world in which they can feel free. Many students, no matter the age, will have baggage and sorrows within their life. As an educator I hope to encourage them towards a healthy state of living and give them the tools they need for a successful future. This will be no easy feat, however, and there are countless ‘proven’ approaches to teaching students. My own philosophy comes from a combination of research, professional advice, and personal experience. In this paper I will express my beliefs on the value of art education, the educational environment, and how art education should be practiced. 

In a world of increased productivity, wealth, and technology, it may be difficult for an art teacher to defend their vocation. What is the importance of art in a child’s education? How could it possibly help their future? Both are valid questions that will inevitably be asked by the community, parents, and even the school district. My response to this question is that art, unlike business or the sciences, teaches a student how to express themselves as an individual as well as how to be included within a community. Studying art develops areas of a student’s mind that may not be exercised in other subjects and will “...open broader horizons for them and allow them to more effectively be included in the school and community they live in” (Pappalardo, 1999, p53).

When taught correctly, art can also help a student in every other aspect of their education. Through art a student will learn how to problem solve, work in a group, think critically and establish confidence. Self-confidence and self-worth have been proven as “a foundation for academic learning” (Griebling, 2011, p7), therefore art should be utilized to improve the quality of all studies. Students will also learn independence in thought, how to contribute to a cause, how to belong, and how to master a skill, which establishes a good foundation for their entire life. The majority of my own foundation was created through early art studies and the guidance of my art teacher. Art education helped me define myself as a person and apply my critical thinking to other aspects of life. My art and academics have always been complimentary, therefore I am unconvinced when others claim that art education is unecessary.

When I become an art educator, it will be my goal to establish my subject as an essential contributor to the academic success of students, just as it was in my own K-12 school district. In order to achieve this, it is important that I create an effective and unique learning environment for the students. I have no doubt that my students will spend plenty of time learning from words upon a paper while seated behind a desk. Therefore, I believe art educators should take advantage of their space and create a area for students to feel more free and inspired. Not every student succeeds through traditional learning methods, so I wish to give a chance for those students to thrive and restore hope in their academics. To create this environment, my art room will be organized, visually stimulating, and based around community.  

An organized classroom encourages better productivity because it prevents both the students, and myself, from being distracted by disorder. When an environment is not  in a logical order, it will take longer for a mind to feel at ease or open for creativity. If my classroom is treated carelessly, what message will the students receive about the study of art? I want the presentation of my room to encourage respect for materials, their projects, their peers, and themselves. Keeping my supplies organized will also allow for open access to tools because they can be easily found and returned. Open access to tools, in turn, will encourage a sense of ownership and independence in my students. 

Being organized, however, may create a rigid atmosphere that could hinder the promotion of creativity in some students. To remedy this problem, I will include a plethora of posters, decorations, and student work to visually stimulate those within the art room. When a student loses interest or is struggling with inspiration, I plan to use my environment to refocus their mind and get them excited about the possibilities within art.  In a time when a child is never far away from a television, ipod, or computer, it would be a mistake for me not to create an environment in which their eyes can be entertained. What they see in my room will aid in my teaching and encourage students to create work worthy of being included within the space. 

Another way I will distinguish the art room is through the layout in which the students themselves are arranged. Instead of facing every desk forward and creating a hierarchy of power, I would rather place the desks in a circle or in groups with no clear ‘head’ table. This will encourage students to work together and be more self-sufficient with their learning instead of relying upon teacher micro-management. Art education provides an ideal structure for community based learning, therefore the arrangements of desks would benefit in encouraging the right state of mind for students. 

Establishing a community based environment is also essential for a successful inclusion of special needs students. When all students are equal and free of standardized expectations, it will give students with disabilities a chance to thrive. Some schools separate students, but “allowing students with special needs into the classroom is believed to strengthen the class and give all members of the classroom greater opportunities for learning” (Bain & Hasio, 2011, p34). It is my job as an educator to provide all students with the opportunity to learn and encourage them through their development. Therefore I will create an environment in which special needs students will be given an equal part with their peers and taught how to give and receive respect. Some may argue that including special needs students may inhibit the rate of learning, but I believe it is important that students learn how to love others, and keeping special needs students separate does not send an appropriate message of acceptance. 

The most important factor of art education is how the teacher presents the material and treats their students. No matter how interesting or beneficial the material is, no student will improve if their teacher does not set them up for success. Everything from the style of instruction, the treatment of students, and the attitude held by the teacher will influence their effectiveness within the classroom. My current style of teaching is the direct result of how I was taught as a young student, and of the experience I have gained volunteering with youth. I understand that there are many factors that go into presenting a successful lesson, and these factors change as often as the students change. It is important to realize that the students I will teach will have much to teach me as well. In fact, “teaching and research are inseparable” (Thompson, 2005, p22), therefore it will always be important for me to learn as I go and continually strive to improve upon my skills and approaches. If I am doing my job right, then the practice I follow now will not be the same as what I practice in the years to come. 

What I believe in now follows a more relational approach rather than a standardized and objective learning structure. The reason why I have the passion to become an art teacher is because I want to show my students how beautiful they are and what value they hold in life. There are so many things that children learn in school, but they often do not learn how to be human. Everyone has struggles, joys, experiences and dreams. Through my art curriculum I hope to connect with my students and show them how to live with respect, love, and good character. This means that I must first practice these qualities within myself. It is important that “personal transformation and social change should first occur within teachers, and then their students” (Campbell, 2011, p19), otherwise it would just be hypocrisy. I believe that leaders should be held to a higher standard because of the influence they leave on others, and I am striving to live by higher standards every day. My art class will not be a place for ‘arts and crafts’, but rather a time to stretch their skills, analyze their worlds and discover their sense of self. Through my projects I hope to stress the value of personal respect and integrity so that they may grow into upright leaders of their community.

When it comes to my style of teaching, I hope to practice a wide variety of instruction. Not every student learns through lecture, movement, or images. Every student processes information differently, so it is my job to accommodate as many learning styles as possible. Not only will this help every student learn, it will help the students learn how to learn in different ways. It is important for teachers to “tap the full range of human intelligence and...enable them to have a number of languages to hand and not verbal or mathematical languages alone” (Greene, 1995, p57). Using multiple approaches to teaching will also prevent my lessons from becoming predictable or boring for students. Although state standards for curriculum are often the same for several years, I hope to keep my lessons as engaging and imaginative as possible so that the projects will never look the same twice. 

My ideal practice of art education also includes much student and teacher interaction. Much of what I want my students to learn can be instructed through an educational dictatorship, but that is not my style.  My students must treat me with respect and obedience, but I also wish to be their mentor and friend. I was blessed with a supportive family and a good group of friends in elementary school, but I realize that not all children are as fortunate. By using my role as a teacher, I hope to display love and acceptance towards my students. Making a student feel accepted, however, does not mean that I will lead without discipline. It is important for a child to feel encouraged, but it is also important that they learn how to deal with criticism and boundaries that they may not agree with. Life will never be without regulations, therefore I will teach my students the value of acting fairly and appropriately. The ways in which I will discipline my students will depend mostly upon school procedures, but it will never include embarrassment or degrading remarks. 

In summary, my philosophy of K-12 art education would be this: to use art as a tool to build youth into strong individuals who are capable of learning, thinking critically, and contributing to community. Imagination is essential for visualizing a better world and  discovering a way to create it. Without imagination, our society would become a stale and unoriginal place full of people who are incapable of relating to the lives of others. Art education is an ideal way to instill the practice of creative thinking in students and give them the tools to succeed in other studies. My own life has been greatly influenced by art education, therefore I will stand up for my philosophy and continually work to improve the lives of students through the benefits of art. 

References

Bain, C., & Hasio, C. (2011). Authentic learning experience prepares preservice 

students to teach art to children with special needs. Art Education, 33-39.

Campbell, L. H. (2011). Holistic art education: A transformative approach to teaching art. Art Education, 18-24.

Greene, M. (1995). Releasing the imagination: Essays on education, the arts, and social change. (1st ed., pp. 32-59). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Inc. 

Griebling, S. H. (2011). Discoveries from a reggio-inspired classroom: Meeting developmental needs through the visual arts. Art Education, 6-11.

Pappalardo, R. G. (1999). Curricular issues; the visual arts and students with disabilities. In A. Nyman (Ed.), Issues and Approaches to Art for students with Special Needs (pp. 42-54). Reston, VA: NAEA.

Thompson, C. M. (2005, March). Under construction: Images of the child in art teacher education. Art Education, 18-23.