Feb 20, 2013

What Undergrad Art Ed Programs Forget to Teach You

Do you remember teaching a lesson to your peers in a methods class during your undergrad? I remember it clearly.

My classmates (college students) acted as the “students” and we were asked to teach a lesson to them. Hours of prepping, scouring books (no Pinterest or blogs back then- how did we survive?) for the best lesson. I ended up choosing a fabric crayon lesson in the style of Van Gogh. Of course my logic led me to create a lesson that involved each student coming up to the front of the room to use a HOT IRON to set their fabric crayons, while the rest of the kids sat patiently and well behaved at their seats “working” – Epic fail.

And as if sharing this story isn’t embarrassing enough- here I am proudly donning my Alma Mater’s gear during my formative undergrad years as an aspiring art educator.

What I Wish my Undergrad Experience Taught Me

Ok, but in all seriousness. This got me thinking, there were so many important things that AREN’T covered in many Undergraduate Art Ed programs.

Then I had another thought: Maybe this is intentional. Maybe you have to actually TEACH (dive in, get your hands dirty, while blinded by the passion and excitement) in order to have the experiences that shape you, season you as an art educator, and make you the person and teacher you are today.

However, I would like to argue there are so many things Undergrad art ed programs should cover, but many don’t. I am sure as a professor it can be 100% overwhelming to decide what to fit into the curriculum and what to leave out. There are only so many hours in the day.

Here are some things that were not covered very well in my undergrad experiences that I WISH I would have learned more about. (Please keep in mind this is based upon my own personal experiences and is not meant to encompass all of YOUR experiences – so please use the comment section to share those)

What Undergrad Art Ed Programs Forget to Teach You

1. Classroom Management – This should be a semester long class. WAIT. A full year! Without management, you can’t teach art. I firmly believe it’s one of the most overlooked areas of teaching and the biggest source of discomfort for so many teachers, yet no one really likes to talk about it, or even ADMIT they are having issues. I am first to admit that Classroom Management is something you can always work on.

2. It’s OK to Steal Ideas – I remember coming up with so many of “my own” lessons that were very… let me say.. unique. Usually they flopped. I have no clue how many art teachers are actually coming up with their own, 100% unique, art lessons, but it seemed we were encouraged to do this in undergrad. The most successful lessons I’ve done are the ones I get from somewhere and tweak to make my own. A starting point is always good.

3. Technology - I really hope the times have changed and technology in the art room is now covered more readily in art ed programs. I am going to assume it is. If anyone has recently graduated I would love to hear your take on this and what types of things were covered. For me , the topic was virtually non-existent.

4. Organization- The life of a teacher is very very busy. It’s hard to understand this until you are actually in it. You must cut corners. You have a life. There isn’t always an assessment for every single lesson right away. You can’t always spend hours at home creating the perfect bulletin board or example projects and by golly there is a lot of “stuff” to keep track of. Where is this taught?

5. Advocacy- No one tells you how alone it can feel as an art teacher. How many of your experiences are an uphill battle. How not everyone appreciates the arts like you do. How you will need to FIGHT to keep your program valued and alive, and more importantly the specific and intentional steps you can take to make this happen.

When I was designing the lineup of AOE online classes, I intentionally thought about what was missing from many undergrad programs in order provide very specific and relevant PD for art teachers going forward. Our classes allow you to dive very deep into topics like iPads in the Art Room, Managing the Art Room, Blogging for Art Educators, and Advocating for the Arts. Something you may have spent an hour or two on in your undergrad program is now turned into an 80+ contact hour course. This is perfect if you are trying to earn CPDU’s or PD Points and is 100% applicable to your daily teaching. Theory only goes so far. I believe in theory and direct and practical application to help you become a better art teacher and I love finding creative solutions to everyday problems. Blame my right brain, I guess!

What do you wish your undergrad experience would have taught you to be better prepared to teach art?

What have you learned over the years that only experience could bring?

dawn

I went to college years ago, but the focus then wasn’t on all the elements of differentiated learning as it is now. That would be extremely helpful in education today. Sure, we had a few lectures here and there, but to really get into the many ways to modify lessons for enrichments and adaptations, we just didn’t see that then. (In the 1993-95 years)
Lisa

ALL of the topics you covered are great topics! I definitely wish I’d had a lot more knowledge of technology usage in the art room, how to advocate for the arts, and more organizational tools!

I had an entire semester class on classroom management – but it was gen.ed, not art ed. Because of this, much of class focused on how to manage a class during reading or math, etc… not an environment like the art room. Sure, SOME of the things are interchangable, but the art room atmosphere is so different – as you all know. Student teaching helped with understanding this concept much more than any class could have taught me, but it would have still been nice to spend a semester focusing on what I actually need to know vs. what classroom teachers need to know. That was my biggest dissapointment with college.
Jen

I graduated about 4 years ago and I couldn’t agree with you more. The sad thing I have to say is most of the students knew the technology better than the professor. I remember feeling like I should be the one teaching the class. That was super frustrating. And you are right about the borrowing ideas. I remember once I had to come up with a Unit plan that lasted THE WHOLE YEAR. WHAT?! It had a total of four lessons in it and I thought it was fantastic. And I got an A. But oh my gosh, if I taught it in real life my students would have revolted on me.

I think one day I would actually like to be a professor at a University and teach art ed to undergrads. I just want to see that whole department revolutionized.
- http://www.theartofed.com/ Jessica Balsley
  
  That is one long unit, Jen! :) Revolutionizing Art Ed- One idea at at time. You go girl!
artprojectgirl

Unfortunately art ed classes were pretty ineffective. My best preparation was undergrad at RISD and creating my own art programs in the community. There is nothing like knowing your craft and then real world experience with real kids. I remember going into the inner city libraries and BRIBING the kids to come to my photography classes with toys and food. They loved the treasure box and snacks and it kept them off the streets. I do remember going back a year later and seeing some of the same boys who were a big part of my photography classes walking the streets with a group of much older boys. It was very sad for me, and I knew I wanted to keep working with kids in a more consistent place (like school). I remember my students at these special moments in their lives in my classroom when they are somewhat innocent. I guess school never prepared me for the emotional drain of it all. I thought that once I had all that stuff down (classroom management, lessons, etc.) that it would get easier. . . but it just gets harder the more you get to know and care about the kids.
Novak

HAHA. Jess the memories of what you wrote made me smile. I remember sitting in that class. I had ‘scribble stage’ and paint. I had our classmates pretend to be young kinders and paint with our ‘school colors’ to make spirit signs for an assembly. The best part about this experience is that classmates really acted like kids and some where given personalities like, “parents just got divorced” or “undiagnosed ADHD” or “refuses to stop” etc. It made the whole thing a little more ‘realistic’. HA! I actually enjoyed it a lot and learned a lot.

While some of your holes I agree with – others I do not. It is interesting that two people that went through the same program could feel different ‘holes’. It could also be that we took different art classes, which influenced what we felt lack in. For example, I always felt that I could borrow ideas to launch off of – but I also did a lot of reflections and pieces inspired by other things in weaving/book arts – so perhaps that idea of borrowing and inspiring ideas leaked over to Art Ed.

My big HOLE is some of the more practical things like how to load a kiln, what kind of glazes to buy, what cool things can you do with a kiln (glass…. raku… etc). I would like to see Art Ed people have to have work study or a class where they learn specifics like this. I learned about loading kilns, cone, electric, glazes and so forth at a summer camp where the head Art lady put me under her wing and had me help her load and unload ceramic pieces. This could also be helpful for students to learn about paper making, looms, dark rooms, printing…..and anything else practical for an art teacher. (Luckily the professors I had for bookmaking and fiber arts took the time to teach us paper making, loading warping boards and looms…. but I am not sure everyone gets this) This would need to be a whole art department endeavor. I find it difficult to learn some of these things on my own with such a small budget.
- http://www.theartofed.com/ Jessica Balsley
  
  The classmates acting like kids was insane. I will admit, this really did mirror what it’s like to be in the classroom. hahaha! I wondered what your take would be! Thanks for weighing in! I found the time I talked with my practicum teacher after school, or over lunch about the details was even more beneficial than watching her teach.
- Lisa
  
  I agree with you SO much on missing the every day things that we didn’t really think of in college – like the kiln. I was so lost when I started teaching. I love clay and know how to use it really well. Somehow the buying glazes, loading kilns, using cones, etc… didn’t get mentioned. Good thing the other art teachers in my district were able to help me out.
  I’ve just started experimenting with glass in the kiln but not sure what all I’m able to do with the students! Maybe an article about that could be written… **hint hint, wink wink**
Lauren Wenk

Preech Jessica :)
Jennifer Christiansen

I learned more from the teacher’s classrooms than from the classes. I remember specifically being told many times that this doesn’t really apply to “specials”….but then they never really gave us information regarding our unique classroom environment.
- http://www.theartofed.com/ Jessica Balsley
  
  We’ve all heard that one before! “Make a Connection” but its SO HARD – Art teachers are like birds of a feather. We need to stick together.
  - Lisa
    
    And that’s where you and this amazing website comes in… Thank you!
erica

I graduated in 05 and had a previous career and degree, so I looked at all of my courses differently than the traditional students I met. But, even other non-traditional students surprised me in their approach to college.
I was rather unimpressed with my art ed classes. Yes, you can’t approach everything, but she spent more time on advocacy, art ed conferences, and I just remember talking about fiber arts. No text book, just a joke of a course where we all pulled lessons off the internet to half-hear tingly presented to one another. I just went through those binders we made recently and cleared them out. The lessons are nearly useless. No one seemed engaged in the process of practicing or finding good lessons. I think apart of the problem is none of knew what questions to ask. Sometimes getting what you need out of the course is seeking the answers you are seeking. It’s easy to blame a teacher, but she/he doesn’t know all of the concerns a student has or what may or may not come up in the future. He/She knows you will figure it out and probably learn the lesson better in the “real world” than talking about potential problems in a classroom (that is not currently your own).
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1458694304 Sarah Winther Shumaker

I think courses for art ed should be a little more focused (once you learn all the theory) not only on management of that many kids/that many classes, but how to manage that many projects/pieces of paper/firing that much clay/ordering supplies for the school year, etc. For example – a class JUST on how to do clay projects with 500-1000 kids: What’s age appropriate skill-wise, how to load and fire a kiln, transporting greenware and bisqueware, tips and tricks with glaze, what type of clay to get or not get, what glazes work best for that many kids, and so on. It’s one thing to take a clay class and make a few pieces of my own — but it’s a whole other deal to make 150-200 turtles (or fish, or bowls, or medallions). :)
- Jorena
  
  I second this!!! I feel lost when it comes to clay.
  - http://www.theartofed.com/ Jessica Balsley
    
    Clay and weaving were terrifying for me at first with kids. Printmaking a close third.
Melissa

I graduated in 1991 (I am a dinosaur.) with the new CCLS, I am finding out that I have NO clue how to write a paper and pencil exam. There is no textbook or Regents exam to use like core classes have. Very frustrating.
- http://www.theartofed.com/ Jessica Balsley
  
  Yes, Melissa, I hear you there! Our school went through extensive training with our our team and a consultant to help us write better assessment questions, which I’ve tried to share out in the assessment resources and class through AOE. Even the smallest changes in wording can totally change how you assess. Of course, for the arts, the performance aspect is so important to me as well.
kari

I graduated in 2008, and while my program was heavy on advocacy (to the point that I found it excessive, redundant, and boring) I was extremely thankful for the practice! All art ed classes included some sort of assignment where we had to compose a letter defending our program, etc., etc. It helped me to have a strong grasp of what I do, why it is important, and how to promote it. However, while I would have loved more studio classes, I also found that there was zero mention of technology. I graduated at 25, and I elected to take graphic design1 in my junior year, at 24. I felt like I was an elderly grandmother to my classmates, and struggled through, learning very little. That was the extent of any training in technology whatsoever. Also, there was one visit to another school where we were required to count everything in the art teacher’s art closet. I suppose this was an introduction to ordering supplies, but it was meaningless busywork to us. When I got my first job, 10 days prior to the start of school, I didn’t have the slightest clue what to do with the art supply budget or what I was even going to teach. Suffice to say, we started with copy paper and #2 pencils. We did cover classroom management, but without any experience in the classroom, at the time none of it resonated. Luckily, my cooperating teacher during student teaching was a whiz at classroom management and brought me up to speed fast enough that I would not sink.
Melissa

So glad to have come across this. I teach 2 nights a week at undergrad level, & teach 1st-8th during the day. I have been feeling less than “adequate” this semester with my class of 3 potential Art teachers! I feel like I have to teach the “boring” stuff…. standards, lesson plan format, rules… blah blah blah. Thank you so much for this article, and all the comments! Once again, AOE has challenged me! I am making notes now, how to revise my 2 classes for the fall. I have to teach the above blah blah blah… but feel like it can be a lesser part of the curriculum with day to day activities/management the bulk of the class. I believe I will enjoy teaching the class much more in this form as well! Thank you all!
- http://www.theartofed.com/ Jessica Balsley
  
  Melissa,
  
  It’s wonderful to hear your perspective from someone who is actually teaching undergrad. You never know until you walk in another’s shoes. I can’t wait to hear about the changes you will make, and its apparent you are a great teacher!