Art Education Blog

I had been waiting my entire career for the chance to teach a painting class and it wasn't until last year that I was finally presented the opportunity. The same was true for a colleague of mine, Cindy, who had been waiting for her chance even longer than me. Needless to say we went into the assignment with a great deal of enthusiasm and anticipation about how we would teach the course. I've seen painting classes taught before that were very prescriptive in the projects that were required of the students. Each student, for example, might be expected to paint a still life, followed by a landscape, and then a self portrait. There is nothing inherently wrong with teaching a class in this manner; in fact, a majority of the classes I teach myself follow a curriculum of assigned projects… Continue reading… 8 comments

I was informed a few months ago by a colleague at the local university that there was a chance I could be supervising a student teacher this coming fall. Initially I was very intimidated by this prospect as it would be my first occasion hosting a student teacher and I was uncertain if I was ready for the responsibility. I've always strived to be very personally reflective of my teaching style and have functioned under a credo of never teaching a class the same way twice. I challenge myself to try and constantly be tinkering, tweaking, and adjusting my instructional processes and aesthetic motivations. Being one of five art teachers in a single school has undoubtedly made these efforts much easier by providing a wealth of influences and inspirations… Continue reading… 2 comments

Some aspects of teaching kids art are quite obvious and straight-forward: the correct way to hold a linoleum cutter; using gel medium when painting a thick impasto; or mixing a hue with its complement to dull the color slightly. These are the kind of facts and techniques students must acquire to ensure proficiency within a given media. This kind of information is essentially the first order of knowledge in the hierarchy of aesthetic understanding, and it answers the artistic query of how to create. (How do I sculpt this form? How do I draw a face? How do I clean a brush?) Typically, the necessary skills are demonstrated by the teacher and then replicated first hand by the students… Continue reading… 2 comments

There are two distinct areas of study to focus upon when teaching kids art production: the technical, and the analytical. The far easier of the two is the technical aspects of whatever media is being explored in a given project. Demonstrating and familiarizing student s with the various processes and procedures associated with a specific medium is always fun and relatively straightforward. Typically the students are excited to get to work and dive into their projects eager to make a calculated mess with the newly discovered materials. It is only then that a majority of them realize they lack the second and more important ingredient of art making: the ever illusive idea… Continue reading… 5 comments

The title of this article might suggest that I'll be exploring some kind of compelling Freudian doctrine concerning moral phobias. I'm afraid, however, that my topic is nowhere near as intriguing and will entirely circumvent discussing either the id or the ego. This is a blog about teaching kids art, and thus the values of which I speak are the light and dark variants of tone. Admittedly, the concepts of tint and shade appear rather innocuous, but it has been my experience that these artistic principles unsettle the nerves of a vast majority of beginning drawers. While this fear may be more pronounced in some students, it often manifests itself in the same predictable behavior… Continue reading… 2 comments

It is my opinion that self reflection is perhaps one of the most important attributes of a successful teacher. This characteristic is essential because it bears so heavily on the overall quality of education an instructor provides. Whether successful or not, I believe the culmination of every project should lead to some degree of reflective thinking on the part of the educator. These introspective inquiries should be motivated by a sincere desire to further improve the instruction, application, and outcomes involved in the lesson. And I find, more often than not, that the one factor requiring modification or revision is the method in which I am presenting the project… Continue reading… 3 comments

My slightly askew and easily distractible mind often compares the process of teaching kids art to swimming against the current of a rapidly churning river. The implications of this analogy might suggest that I feel some kind of affinity with salmon and the determined effort they make swimming up stream each mating season. The fact is, I do not. The salmon perseveres so that they can eventually spawn, whereas I would simply like a teenager to be able to tell the difference between an abstract painting and a non-objective one. But before I get myself hopelessly off topic, allow me to try and illustrate my point. Teaching kids art, or any subject for that matter, is similar to paddling across the current in that it requires an exorbitant amount of effort… Continue reading… 4 comments

I've previously written about the enviable enthusiasm of children and the contagious excitement evident both in their art, and their art making. I believe there is another important lesson embedded in that subject, and it's one that I'm reminded of nearly every single day in my vocation. The scope of this lesson extends beyond my professional boundaries of teaching kids art and often convicts me in my personal life as well. Its significance is also deeply rooted in my firm belief that all educators, regardless age or subject area, must remain candidly self-reflective about everything we do in our role as teachers… Continue reading… 3 comments

He who can, does; he who cannot, teaches. George Bernard Shaw is credited with this line from his 1903 play Man and Superman, although it is unknown whether this was actually the opinion of Shaw, or merely a line of dialogue for one of his many characters. Either way, it is a platitude that still finds its way into our modern conversations with a great degree of regularity. And while there is no definitive way to determine how many believe this sentiment, the fact that it shows no sign of fading into obscurity after a century of use says a great deal. Misconceptions like this one are so unfortunate because not only are they fueled by ignorance, but they perpetuate it as well… Continue reading… 6 comments

Before my own children were born, I would spend my summer breaks teaching kids art. Only instead of big kids, I was teaching little kids, typically four to six year olds. I've often said that after nine months of teenagers, teaching little kids was like desert. While I do love my high school kids, and the depth in which we can explore the arts together, they lack a few of the admirable attributes found in their toddling counterparts. Try as I might, I do not believe I have ever managed to inspire those tiny artists as much as they did me. Paul Klee understood this when he noted, "Children also have artistic ability, and there is wisdom in their having it! The more helpless they are, the more instructive are the examples they furnish us… Continue reading… 6 comments

A few months ago I wrote about the propagation of what I have often called The Drawing Myth and its role in the spreading of misinformation concerning the accessibility of drawing as a learnable skill. This is a fascinating topic for me and one which I find myself returning to with each new semester of teaching kids art. The beginning of this school year was no different, and in fact, I found myself just this week delivering my Drawing Myth speech to a collection of eager new faces. My mind is often prone to wander while my mouth is delivering familiar words, and I'm often just as prone to allow it; I'm curious to see where it might go… Continue reading… 4 comments

There is a tangible energy in an art room; a palatable excitement that at times I have to force myself to slow down and savor. You can sense it when the students are really enthused about an assignment and they're eagerly immersing themselves in their work. I float around the room encouraging creativity, nudging inspiration, and playfully joking with the kids. Amidst the flurry of noise and activity there are days I must simply stop and smile as I take a moment to remind myself that teaching kids art was my dream, and I'm living it. I've known I wanted to be a high school art teacher ever since I, myself, was a high school art student. Under the tutelage of some exemplary instructors I heard my future vocation beckoning me… Continue reading… 6 comments

CONTINUING THE ADVENTURES OF TEACHING KIDS ART ! I've mentioned before that most dreaded assignment I give any of my students is the notorious self portrait. No single project garners more gripes and groans than the ominous chore of being left alone with pencil, paper, and mirror. It should come as no surprise that this is one of my favorite projects to assign, not because I'm sadistic and enjoy torturing my students, although they would argue otherwise. There are actually two main reasons for my enthusiasm with the self portrait; the first of which is consistently seeing students perform far better than they ever imagined… Continue reading… 5 comments

I really love teaching kids art, especially drawing. Part of the reason for my enthusiasm, as I've been rambling on about in my last three blogs, is the fact that there is almost as much aesthetic philosophy to the course as there are hands-on skills to learn. As a result of my eagerness to teach the course, I do a fair amount of recruiting to build interest in the class since it is often overlooked. What's interesting is that the class is almost unanimously neglected by students for the same reason. Even more unfortunate is the fact that the reasoning behind the rationale to not enroll in a drawing class is fundamentally inaccurate. So one of the professional responsibilities I've taken upon myself is to do what I can to try and dispel The Drawing Myth… Continue reading… 9 comments

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This is a popular phrase that, no doubt, everyone has heard casually tossed around in conversations of various topics. However, its application to the subject of teaching kids art might seem less obvious. In fact, to be of any use in an aesthetic debate, I propose this statement needs to be reorganized. I suggest that, artistically speaking, the sum of its parts are greater than the whole. Or perhaps more succinctly, the whole is great because of the sum of its parts. Before I pontificate myself into a philosophical quagmire, allow me to try and develop something that resembles a point. Much of what makes a piece of art great are the smaller details within the work, rather than the image as a whole… Continue reading… 3 comments

CONTINUING THE ADVENTURES OF TEACHING KIDS ART ! In my last post I introduced the importance of trying to teach my students, especially those in drawing, that before they can really begin to improve their abilities, they must first learn to see. Convincing teenagers, a species that is inherently omniscient, that they don't really know how to see can be, at times, a humorous endeavor. And oddly enough, one of the most valuable instructional tools I have to help facilitate this task is an empty bulletin board; its moniker emblazoned on the sign above it: 10 Foot Test.… Continue reading… 2 comments

Originally published April 17, 2008 http://artid.com/members/mize/blog/ It seems that a large portion of my work in teaching kids art is trying to convince students of the validity of concepts that, on the surface, seem quite contrary. Often times, it is only after these paradoxical notions are fully understood that a student will begin to see any real progress in their work. Add to this conundrum the fact that, in art, many of the significant lessons are not entirely logical or concrete. They are really more like intangible perceptions to reflect upon during the creative process; allowing them the opportunity to influence and inspire the direction of a piece. Perhaps my favorite of these vague theories is the importance of learning to see… Continue reading… 0 comments

Originally published March 29, 2008 http://artid.com/members/mize/blog/ I have found that one of the unexpected by-products of being a professional educator is that I'm also afforded the unique opportunity to be a professional learner. It has been my experience when teaching kids art, that with a sufficiently open mind and a healthy amount of humility, I have a chance nearly everyday to learn something from the same students I'm there to instruct. What's even more fascinating is the variety with which these occasions present themselves. Sometimes it will be in the unique perspective and clever thinking of an individual student. Or it might be something I overhear while two kids exchange ideas and offer each other advice… Continue reading… 0 comments

Originally published March 4, 2008 http://artid.com/members/mize/blog/ "When do we get to do what we want?" I've been teaching kids art, specifically teenagers, for nearly eight years. I've taught at three different schools and in two separate cities, and yet I've always been haunted by this query. "When do we get to do what we want," is the battle cry of the creatively suppressed adolescent who has lurking deep within them an artistic arrangement that would redefine society as we know it. If only their tyrannical art teacher would release his aesthetic strangle hold and allow them to share it with the world… Continue reading… 0 comments

Originally published February 16, 2008 http://artid.com/members/mize/blog/ I love teaching kids art. There are so many aspects about it that give me a strong sense of purpose and satisfaction. I simply adore art, and the opportunity to get to talk about it everyday is ideal for me. I really enjoy teenagers and the challenge of inspiring and exciting them about my subject. Much of the philosophy of teaching continues to fascinate me. And I still get excited about constantly updating, changing, and improvising my curriculum with each new semester. However, as much as there is to love about my vocation, there is one chore that time and time again fills my soul with a sense of dread and injustice: Grading. I really, really hate grading art projects… Continue reading… 1 comment