ADVOCACY
Art Teachers Make a Difference
We make a difference by planning
meaningful learning experiences that
balance formal, expressive, and thematic content. Based on assessments
of needs, we map the most effective
routes for mastering artistic skills. We
identify essential questions and design
artful problems that require students
to look closely at the world around
them, analyze visual qualities, consider traditions of artistic accomplishments, and make informed judgments
about the visual forms they encounter
every day.
We make a difference by unifying
art learning with the daily life experiences of our students as well as with
Art education
makes a difference
in people’s lives.
other disciplines. When we compare
works of art by focusing on human
commonalities, we reconcile cultural
and artistic differences and underscore
the value of art as an essential human
experience.
Art teacher Bob Hepner, engages his students at the elementary laboratory school
at Smith College in Amherst, Massachusetts. Photo by Nancy Walkup.
As our nation struggles with an unsettling economy, we need to put our best foot forward and promote what
we know to be true: Art education
makes a difference in people’s lives.
Eldon Katter
tiple ways to see and create beauty in
our world. We remain confident that
we are making a difference because of
how and what we teach.
Why Do Art Teachers
Make a Difference?
Before we thought about being art
teachers, we knew, from personal
experience, that art makes a positive
difference in our lives. We experienced
encounters with art as a journey of
discovery and mastery of skills. With
beginners’ minds, we discovered mul-
How Do Art Teachers
Make a Difference?
We make a difference by guiding stu-
dents in creating, interpreting, and
evaluating visual forms. We embark
students on a lifelong journey of
inquiry and forge multiple pathways
for appreciating the natural and
human landscape. Along the way, we
challenge students with many oppor-
tunities to reflect on their journey.
Making a Difference
in the World of Work
Art education can make a difference
in preparation for the world of work,
when students acquire inquiry skills
for confidently and creatively finding solutions to design problems and
answers to questions about art.
An orderly and safe studio environment also contributes to productive
work habits. When students learn to
organize their own spaces, systems,
and ways of working efficiently, they
will be well prepared to succeed in the
work place.
Increasingly, in the contemporary
world, work places are dependent on
creative and collaborative processes
involving mediation between individuals. Opportunities for group work
can cultivate students’ sensitivities
for participating in a democratic work
environment.
