My Art Education Philosophy

"Education is learning what you didn't even know you didn't know." 

(Daniel J. Boorstin)

 http://quote.robertgenn.com/getquotes.php?catid=90

Over the past four years I have attended SIUE, I have taken all or are currently enrolled in the art education classes that SIUE has to offer.  Through these experiences, I believe that I have stumbled upon a few ways of teaching that I find important enough to influence how I want to teach in the classroom someday. 

Art education should be about letting students develop individuality and expand their creativity through art making.  It can also be an escape for students who, like myself, would rather be hands on in their work and explore the creative side of their brain rather than always think analytically, like one must do with math and science.  With this type of thinking, a development of an appreciation of art and how it is made begins to blossom.  Many students are unaware of how certain mediums can be used or how different techniques can be applied with familiar tools to create new and exciting artworks.  By making new materials available, like gauche or textiles, and techniques other than the norm, like printmaking or metalsmithing, my future students can have a broader sense of how art can be created. 

I attended a very small school which was more or less located in the middle of a corn field.  For a student who aspired to continue her art education in college, I was not prepared at all.  I hadn't realized how many techniques and materials I had been oblivious of because of what little I was introduced to in school.  This realization drove me to want to open the minds of my future students to the possibilities of art and how it is not limited on how well you can draw or paint. Art is so much more.  

This philosophy of mine, as well as the basis of art education, is related to both the Progressivist theory and the Essentialist theory.  Essentialists believe in teaching the basics, or the essential knowledge and skills, yet accept the idea that the core curriculum may change.  Art has never been at a stand still when it comes to what is popular or now accepted as "fine art", yet no matter what era or art movement we are currently in, the basics are still needed to be taught.  In order to reach a level of professionalism, one must first know and understand the basics of art making, regardless of medium, before than can begin to make their own art through their own experimentation.  This leads me to progressivism.  Progressivists believe in a more hands on approach to learning and to allow the students to ask and possibly answer their own questions.  For me, this is the definition of art.  Art is all about asking questions and finding your own answer.  And without being hands on, how would one be able to create art?

While I have only described on how my teaching philosophy relates to both progressivism and essentialism, I do believe that my beliefs can be related to all of the teaching philosophies and theories available.  All have good points that should be applied to the teaching process, but I believe that some are much more stronger than others.