Blog Entry # 1 Read and Respond:

Response to Walker and Olivia Gude readings:  

  

Some say that over the past few decades, the world has changed and advanced more than ever before. As our world gets more technologically advanced and standardized, it is now critical that art educators foster creativity in today's youth, while empowering them to create in their own language.

Art Education in the 21st century focuses not only on the visual, but also the conceptual. As Walker put it in Chapter 1, "Big ideas are what can expand student artmaking concerns beyond technical skills, formal choices, and media manipulation to human issues and conceptual concerns." It is important that I teach my students that art is a form of language, an important one with the power the tell great stories and even offer solutions. Art education in the 21st century is also an opportunity to "teach skills and concepts while creating opportunities to investigate and represent one's own experiences," according to Oliva Gude. Students have the power to share their experiences and speak through the work that they create.

It is imperative to recognize in today's world that art and its definition are constantly changing. As an art teacher it will be my responsibility to be aware of and embrace these changes so that I can connect with my students and give them every opportunity to create in their own language.

Teaching Philosophy: First Draft

I believe that teaching visual art is a critical component of a well-rounded and successful education. Providing students with a creative outlet where exploration and imagination are abundant not only gives them the opportunity to express their thoughts and opinions in a new language, but also a powerful environment to learn. Along with teaching visual art comes visual literacy. It is just as important to teach students how to read and interpret the thousands of images they encounter in today's world as to create images.

In order to be an effective art teacher, I will need to produce art consistently throughout my life in a multitude of mediums so that I can understand the challenges my students will face. I will also need to remember it is equally important for me to be a learner as a teacher, so that my students can educate me on their needs and understanding.

I believe the best evidence to demonstrate my ability to teach will be the work that my students create. It is through their creative explorations that my teaching abilities will be seen. I plan to develop a curriculum that will be both challenging and inspiring, and I hope for this to be seen in my students' work.

Journal: Big Ideas