Master Art Educators

Master Art Educator

Master Art Educator Series

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free," is a familiar stanza on our Statue of Liberty. I say, "Give me your new, your tired, your befuddled art educators yearning to find a way." At this year's Fall Conference in Galveston, TAEA is launching the MASTER ART EDUCATOR strand.

The MASTER ART EDUCATOR Strand was created by the TAEA Executive Board and Council-at-Large to provide members successful tools for their educator tool boxes. They identified and defined 12 essential attributes. When these are absorbed, adopted and implemented as needed — in part or in whole — they will enable art teachers to find real success in their classrooms and real joy in their profession. They can also serve as examples to other content area teachers because educators in the fine arts are blazing the trail of authentic learning for children.

Are you a brand new art educator?
Are you an art educator with alternative certification?
Are you an art educator looking for a specific solution?
Are you an educator in search of all the tools you can find?
Are you in need of rejuvenation?

If you answered "yes" to any of the above, come to the Annual Conference and plumb the depths of the Master Art Educator with us. There are 12 amazing Master Art Educators who will be guiding these sessions.

The 12 Attributes (and sessions) are: 1. Sees developing relationship with students as key to student success, 2. Builds an effective classroom environment, 3. Successfully integrates across the curriculum, 4. Teaches process and technique through the creation of art, 5. Establishes a collaborative and/or collegial environment between teachers and students, and students and students, 6. Applauds creative thinking rather than mimicry — differentiating instruction for unique results, 7. Establishes high standards with formative, summative and authentic assessment — enabling students to set and reach high goals, 8. Relates the creative process and problem-solving skills to everyday life, 9. Actively engages students at all times, 10. Believes in students in a positive way — all students have potential, 11. Seeks continuing development in their field — is a perpetual learner, and 12. Is an active artist. We are also throwing in a special 13th Session on "Prepares and maintains professional documentation of his/her work as an art educator."

Master Art Educators Handouts

Relating to Students- Key to Student Success : Linda Fleetwood
The Master Art Educator sees developing relationship with students as key to student success. Students know they are cared for with risk factors removed. Students care about learning because teacher cares about them with the student/teacher relationship based on mutual respect. The teacher is a facilitator rather than dictator and advocates for his/her students and program. Genuine interest is taken in student interests and activities.

Building an Effective Classroom Environment : Tim Lowke
The Master Art Educator builds an effective classroom environment. The room is organized, but functional, and is instructionally specific with the room arrangement related to assignments. The room could appear as organized chaos as students direct their own learning. It contains samples of historical, professional, exemplary student, and career idea artworks. Safety concerns are evident and visible within the organization of the classroom and students are given choices within the safe environment.

Integrating Across the Curriculum : Alisa Meli
The Master Art Educator successfully integrates across the curriculum. Accomplished curricular by tying art to core norms in writing, vocabulary, measuring, environmental science, etc. and by teaching other content teachers how to incorporate art into their curriculum thereby creating student relevance. Accomplished through enhancing school climate by taking part in fine arts and spirit events.

Process and Technique : Jennifer Janak
The Master Art Educator teaches process and technique through the creation of art. Scaffolding is used to teach process and teaching is differentiated for different student learning styles. Also, traditional art methods are deconstructed and constructed for further scaffolding. Many different teaching strategies are used: teacher demonstration, guest speakers, field trips, samples, etc. Students are encouraged to self-discover and then their findings are celebrated. They are given casual exploration time provided with formative checking without the pressure of summative assessment. There are no cookie cutter projects; both process and product are utilized for the students to examine, explore, express, and evaluate.

Establishing a Collaborative and Collegial Environment : Samantha Melvin
The Master Art Educator establishes a collaborative and/or collegial environment between teachers and students, and students and students. The art room is a safe environment that allows communication; agreeing to disagree, exploring, discovering, and trying. The teacher is a guide or facilitator who leads students to destinations. The teacher keeps it light-learning to laugh and using a sense of humor. There is a climate of mutual respect as students are people, not lesser beings. The teacher shows students their own artwork and has students observe them working. Students are encouraged to create their own rubrics and criteria and peer collaboration and tutoring is welcomed and encouraged. The teacher creates quality questions, giving students ample time to reply,then probes farther to encourage deeper thinking. Instruction is not limited to just the art classroom but is found in other disciplines and in the community.

Creative Thinking : Nicole Brisco:
The Master Art Educator applauds creative thinking rather than mimicry and there is differentiation for unique results. Students are encouraged and expected to look outside their comfort zones and approach things in new ways to stretch them for growth and positive feedback is given to encourage. Open-ended projects and different types of materials are provided to help students stretch. There are student-led changes and teachers welcome and celebrate student discovery. Brainstorming strategies are encouraged and teachers help students make connections with their own experiences for authentic instruction.

Establishing and Reaching High Standards Through Assessment &Pedagoy : Debi Waltz
The Master Art Educator establishes high standards with ongoing formative, summative and authentic assessment, enabling students to set and reach high goals. Teachers provide a balanced curriculum, teaching the TEKS but then extending them. Creativity is cultivated and arrangements are made for thoughtful engagement with art. Connections are made for relevance so that students develop a healthy global world view. Learning is student-centered and class critiques are positive and productive. Varied pedagogical strategies are used: ask 3 before me, valuate/produce/re-assess, brain-based activities, peer critiques, differentiation, etc. Students are encouraged to be risk-takers and problem-solvers and teachers set high expectations and demonstrate a "can do"success-driven attitude.

Relating the Creative Experience to Everyday Life : Mel Basham
The Master Art Educator relates the creative process and problem-solving skills to everyday life. Teachers keep learning real, establishing relevance to produce rigor. Students are encouraged to create artwork that relates to their lives and their cultures. Teachers get to know their students-making relevant connections and valuing their culture and experiences. They motivate their students like a coach and help others see the importance of creativity and the arts.

Actively Engaging the Student : Suzy Green
The Master Art Educator actively engages students at all times. Learning is student-centered (with teacher orchestrating), concept driven, relevant to the student, encouraging, cross-curricular, engaging, student-guided, and teambuilding. The classroom appears as organized chaos as learning is accomplished through communication, collaboration and movement- teacher to student and student to student. Teacher uses communication pedagogical strategies like: think-pair-share, peer critique based on the Critical Method, 100% participation, and differentiation. There are no worksheets or technique practices without application to real artwork. Laughter is encouraged and open-ended projects are used to give students freedom of choice. Expectations are overt or transparent and therefore criteria and guidelines are provided for the student.

Is Positive — Believes in Students: Mary Hierholzer
The Master Art Educator believes in students in a positive way-all students have potential and all start each day anew. Teacher establishes a "Yes You Can" atmosphere-helping students find their unique gifts, and establishes an open-ended approach to learning. Teacher is happy in his/her work with a joyful attitude knowing that a successful and positive attitude starts with the teacher. Teacher is encouraging and celebrates creative problem-solving skills. Order in the classroom is established to maintain peace and safety. Teacher is flexible, forgiving, merciful, professional, positive, encouraging, mentoring, resilient, and has respect for the students, the school, and community.

Seeks Continuing Development : Dr.Christina Bain
The Master Art Educator seeks continuing development in their field and is a perpetual learner. Teachers stay up-to-date because the field of art education is always changing and they must feed themselves artistically to stay fresh, innovative, and creative. Teachers must stay ahead of the curve because they are preparing students for jobs that have not even been created yet so creative problem-solving is essential. The world changes fast in the information age and new research impacts practice and can make the difference in student success. Teachers must stay energized and happy in the profession and must use research and new strategies while keeping what is best of tried and true practices.

Is a Practicing Artist : Cheryl Evans
The Master Art Educator Is an active artist because teachers relate best to a student if they are still learning as well. Teachers showing and creating their own artwork display and demonstrate the creative spirit. It also builds relationships with students and increases trust and relevance; giving them confidence in their teacher. Practicing artists/teachers introduce the artists lifestyle as a career choice and help students be proud to be involved in the arts. Practicing artists/teachers also stay on the cutting edge of new materials and trends and demonstrate innovation which builds personal experiences that students relate to.

Professional Credentials : Dr. Linda Kennedy
The Master Art Educator prepares and maintains professional documentation of his/her work as an art educator. As a tool for advocacy for the arts and as a means of accountability in the profession, art educators should prepare and maintain a professional resume and portfolio. Both should be available in digital or printed format,digitally through the use of email, e-portfolio, or other media-sharing means.