Teaching the Teachers

A Resourceful Instruction

         Who teaches the people that teach? It is not something we think about so often but it is the main idea of the reading I stumbled upon titled, Teaching Art, Teaching Artists, Teaching Art Teachers. In this resource, there is a focus on the theory of feedback in the classroom and the importance of teaching as a self-referential communicative process. I have learned that the key to establishing a solid relationship with classmates and teachers is the ability to communicate each other’s opinions off of each other as a group. This resource facilitates the dynamic structure of an artistic learning environment and emphasizes the practice of art processes and explorations. The author explains his key ideas, “Teachers of teachers must constantly shift between what is taught—content—and the form that allows this content to be communicated (…) In the language of complexity theory, this self-referential interplay would be called feedback” (p.6). Editor of the journal Robert Sweeny believes that it is crucial to maintain a balance between being an artist and being a teacher while providing opportunities in the classroom to create discussion.

         Sweeny explains that he is teaching about art, how to be an artist, and how to be an art teacher all at the same time, happily intertwined. This learning unit specifically discusses those three steps on connecting to art, becoming an artist, and becoming a teacher in the cycle of art education. In addition, there is a subtle discussion of the contemporary American artist, Mark Dion, who “utilizes the numerous modes of working and making” (p.7). I could agree that challenging the “traditional notions of what it means to be an artist” is what sets certain artists above and beyond the rest. This resource seems to be aimed for the audience of art teachers and to me- I found it to be very helpful in terms of thinking of the big ideas behind teaching art.

                  This Instructional Resource was strong in its organizational qualities, separating the key ideas of art education. I thought that the information was very precise and to the point, which can sometimes be very refreshing for an aspiring teacher to hear! The only disadvantage to this resource was its lack in visual qualities. Obviously as an aspiring art teacher, I am prone to being a visual learner and therefore yearn for images and or video clips to help better illustrate the concepts of a learning unit.

         In my own classroom, I would be interested in adopting these key points into making a sort of “class rules” that would help set up the foundations of a well-organized class flow. I believe it is important for the students to understand what goes on inside their teacher’s head and have always loved hearing the ideas behind each assignment. I would explain as the journal has, “It is increasingly important for art educators to maintain a level of self- reference (…) We must make sure what we teach is clear, is challenging to all stakeholders, is culturally and socially relevant, and is understood at numerous levels.” (p. 7). I suggest that everybody in the class takes a look through this journal for its teaching advice benefits!

Cited Source

Sweeny, Robert, ed. "Teaching ART, Teaching ARTISTS, Teaching ART TEACHERS." 66.3 (2013): 6-7. Web Journal.