Post #2

I think that being a practicing artist will help me guide students in the classroom, because I have the experience of creating work. Knowing how difficult it can be to come up with ideas and physically create work will allow me to relate with the students experience. I will be able to better provide them with guidance and motivate them to continue with art, even when it gets difficult. Artists develop skills of persistence and expression that can lend themselves to being a great art teacher. In the classroom there will constantly be new challenges facing the teacher. Persistence and creative solutions are essential in dealing with these issues and for keeping students interested in class. As an artist, I will incorporate my work as examples to the students and to demonstrate my passion for the subject. I want the focus of my class to be on the students work, so I will keep the incorporation of my work to a minimum. I will continue to make my own work while teaching on the weekends and during break, because I think that creating your own work provides a creative outlet and serves as a stress reliever. I believe that it is also important to demonstrate to the students your desire and interest in the subject, by engaging in the process with them.

The relationship between creating work and teaching art are very similar. Both present different problems, but can be solved using the same techniques. I think that being a teacher requires a huge amount of creativity and need for constant progression, which can be said for being an artist as well. To balance technical skill and allow for personal creativity, I hope to create assignments in which students can practice their skills but also include personal meaning. I hope to make the projects open ended so students can decide what the outcome of their project will be.