In May of 1997 I had just graduated with my associates degree in art from a local community college in St. Louis, MO. It was a general art degree, so I had dabbled in many different aspects of art and wasn’t sure where to go next. Do I get a job or continue my schooling? Fortunately, life has a funny way of pointing you in the right direction. I got a call from a friend about teaching art to elementary kids over the summer at the local Y.M.C.A. I was very shy and up to this point had never considered the idea of going into teaching, but I reluctantly said yes. Leading up to my first day of teaching I had so many questions and ideas. What kinds of projects can I introduce them to? How should I include art history perspectives? In the end I told myself to keep it simple, so I did.
Looking back at that summer through my current lens of teaching, I think I did a great job of keeping it simple and fun. The kids were entertained and came away with some cool projects. But is that enough? Did they really connect and have a sense of ownership in the works of art they created? I was offering those children a “packaged curriculum.” Their choices were limited and based on my directions. After last week’s visit to Ms. Noel’s 4th and 5th grade TAB classes I see how impactful the TAB teaching method can be.
Looking to my future in teaching I realize that at age forty-five I still have a lot to learn and will continue to be flexible with myself during this process. In the past I thought teaching art to grade school kids was just about keeping them entertained with project after project. Keeping it simple. If I decide to go with choice-based or TAB teaching in the future will that be better? Or do I need to combine teaching styles? Do I even have to be set on a teaching philosophy from the start or develop my own over time? Ms. Noel said she changed her philosophy over time due to burnout. I think for me it depends on comfort level, the school I end up at, and the students I have from year to year. I see myself being flexible.
Seeing a TAB classroom in person last week opened my eyes to how simple teaching art looks, but how complex it can be in the classroom. Ms. Noel knew every student by name, made deep connections with each child, and knew about their individual projects. When it was time for the students to work the room became a living organism creating new art. My experience in the TAB classroom showed me how personal and individualized TAB teaching can be. One story she told really got me thinking about my past experiences and how I learned best. The story she shared was about her personal transition to TAB teaching and a lesson that stood out to her. She revealed that in her early days of TAB teaching it was very difficult to sit back and watch her students make mistakes. In the past she had always stopped students before they had made a mistake, yet her new philosophy was to let the mistakes happen and everyone learns from them. I found this to be such a profound and a beautiful discovery.
My art piece this week deals with the idea of simplicity. The light represents the goal of becoming an art educator and the branches in the foreground and background represent different methods of reaching that goal. I’m not sure which one I’ll end up choosing, but ultimately, I feel like I’ll reach that light.
Each week in art education studio my current understanding of teaching art shifts. Over this past week it took a turn for the positive. As I learn new possibilities for teaching art, I’m faced with new discissions about which direction to choose or how many teaching styles to combine into my own. As of this moment I am feeling hopeful that I will overcome my anxieties about my unknown future as an art educator.
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