Editor’s Letter
Teaching Identity
Art is a means by which people express individual and
group identity, and their beliefs and goals, or ideals. As
art teachers, we endeavor to help our students understand how art can reflect identity or promote ideals. We
invite you to use this issue’s teacher-generated lessons
and ideas to explore these themes with your students.
When someone asks you what you
do, what is your immediate answer?
I suspect, for most of us, the answer
is “I’m an art teacher.” It is the role
with which we most identify. And
we all know that teaching art successfully is not an eight-hour-a-day
job. I’ve always thought of it as a
24/7 profession. We’re forever thinking about teaching art—searching
for more effective approaches, looking for ideas for interesting art
problems, and translating the world
around us into meaningful art experiences for our students.
Naturally we identify with and
share the ideals of other like-minded
art teachers. We may even need this
connection more than classroom
teachers, as we are often the only art
teachers on a campus, especially at
the elementary level (all the more
reason to join your state organization and the National Art Education
Association). Having the support and assistance
of your fellow art teachers is priceless. I was
poignantly reminded of this at a student art
exhibition this past year.
Our local art education organization, the
Denton County Art Education Association, has
an annual student art exhibition at a local art
center, the Center for the Visual Arts, during
Youth Art Month. Though it is open to all grade
levels, elementary students and their parents are
most likely to attend the opening reception.
At the opening, Kay Adamson, the art teacher
at Ginnings Elementary, couldn’t wait to introduce us to two of her students, Luis Valdez and
Uriel Alvarez, to show us their artwork, and tell
us their stories. She was so proud of them and
wanted them to see that other art teachers were
also impressed with their work. One of the students had even brought his sketchbook.
Kay told us that the boys are from wonderful
families who speak little to no English. They
are both very hard workers, well liked by other
students, and considered to be leaders. Yet art is
their refuge. Both boys have been at Kay’s school
since kindergarten, so this was their sixth year
with her in art.
Denton elementary art teachers Rhonda Sherrill, Kay Adamson, and
Nancy with Kay’s students Luis Valdez and Uriel Alvarez at the Center
for the Visual Arts Youth Art Month reception, Denton, Texas.
Kay shared their stories: “Both boys are very
detailed artists. Luis enjoys drawing anything
and everything and Uriel loves drawing people,
especially his sport heroes. When they come to
art, they explode! They are on fire and their faces
shine with joy! I have invited them to come to the
artroom anytime during the day that they have
free time to draw. They feel so grown-up walk-
ing in during another class, as they open up the
sketch drawer and get out supplies with which to
draw. I wish you could see them! Luis and Uriel
do this often. I am praying that both boys will get
the right teachers in the years to come and that
they will be encouraged, supported, and guided in
becoming creative and industrious men, and most
of all, terrific artists!”
Watching Kay with her students, I was
reminded that when we look at a student’s art-
work, we see the student and all we know about
his or her life, in ways that no one else might
possibly see. We see the challenges, the effort,
the process, and the progress. Can there be any
better ideal than to hope for the best from every
student?
