Teaching Narrative

I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I was about 4 or 5 years old, I was asked for the first time by my teacher what I wanted to do when I grew up. Without really any hesitation, I said that I wanted to be a teacher. This was true for me all through elementary school, junior high and high school, I always wanted to be a teacher. Looking back, I think that I wanted to be a teacher because it was my first teachers who first pointed me in the direction of art and I wanted to do that for other kids. I want to be someone who could show kids what art is and what they can do with it.

How
 do 
you 
think 
your 
practices 
as
 an 
artist
 will 
help 
you 
in 
the 
classroom?
 What 
skills 
do
 artists

develop 
that 
also
 lend
 themselves 
to 
the 
art 
of 
teaching?
 How 
will 
you 
incorporate 
your
 work 
as

an 
artist 
into 
your 
teaching?
 How 
will 
you 
continue 
to 
make 
art 
while 
you 
teach?
 Why 
is 
it
important?


How
 does
 Vieth 
characterize 
the 
relationship
 between 
teaching
 and
 art
making?
How
 will 
you 
balance 
the
 need
 to 
teach
 technical
 skills 
with 
the need to 
help 
students 
make 
art
 that

is 
personally
 meaningful
 and
 creative?



Many of the methods I use in making my own art involve a lot of planning and thought. I think that the structure that is involved in my planning may make it easier for me to translate this knowledge to students. I think that in general, the nature of making art provides artist with many opportunities to learn skills that will be useful as a teacher, some of them include; flexibility, creativity and communication skills. These things are integral to a teacher being successful in the classroom.

Although much of my work involves processes that area bit out of reach at the high school level, I think that it is still possible to use my own art to show students so of the possibilities art holds and to let the students get to know me through my work as well as by being their teacher. Artwork can take many forms and even if I do not have the space or the time to do the work I would maybe like to be doing, there are still so many artist outlets one has if they know where to look. I think its important for teachers to continue to make art while they teach for many reasons, for one their actions inspire their students to do work and it also keeps teachers active in the art community.

I think that giving students a solid base of technical skills will help them to grow as artist and it better realize the creative ideas they have.

First Post

When I was a high school student, I was a back of the class kind of kid, I rarely spoke up or talked during class. I got good grades (A's and B's) but I had a hard time connecting with both my peers and the content of the classes. Having that experience, I think that as a teacher, I will seek to be more aware of those students, the outsiders and quiet ones. I think that I am most afraid that I won't be able to make the content of my lessons relevant for students and that I will fail to make them interested in art. I am excited however to help foster creativity in future artist and help others find art valuable.

This is the main piece for my show in a few weeks. All the objects show are the same sculpture. They can be shifted and changed because they are composed of metal sheets and hinges. When properly displayed, they will have a white square underneath them about 12ft x 12ft and 3/4in thick.