Becoming an art teacher requires dedication, education, and artistic expertise. Bringing to life the magical creativity in another’s artistic journey is the ultimate reward.
Art education inspires future generations to ignite their passion for self-expression.
You can embark on a fulfilling career by following a structured curriculum, learning practical skills, and mastering your artistic talent.
As an art instructor, you are privileged to teach students how to paint, draw, and create ceramics, sculptures, and sometimes even photography. You may work in schools, art studios, workshops, or private homes.
So let’s get to it!
How to Become an Art Teacher-101
There needs to be more than just having a passion for creativity to become an art teacher. The following steps will guide you toward obtaining your art teaching licensure.
- Bachelor’s degree in art
You must first receive a degree in education with a major in art appreciation, graphic design, drawing, ceramics, or art history. This will include a semester of student teaching. You can increase your income by pursuing a master’s degree.
- Art and Core Competency exams must be passed
The core competency exams include the National Evaluation Series (NES), Praxis, and others. A reading, writing, and math test will be administered for each series.
A content knowledge test in art will address art theory, history, creation, and use.
Different states have varying requirements, but for the most part, the competency tests are similar. Also, make sure you are well prepared.
- Apply for your state license
Well, you are almost there! The next step is to provide your state with the following:
- An official copy of your degree certificate
- Evidence of student teaching
- Fingerprint and background check
- An application fee
- Create a portfolio of art
Now is the time to showcase your talent by creating a portfolio of your finest artwork. Your creative process should be shown as artwork, sketches, and working documents.
- Apply for art teaching positions
Yay, you made it! It is time to start cashing in on some of that education and creative abilities by applying for and receiving a teaching position. Consider the age you prefer to teach and target those institutions.
A Few More Things
So there you have it – how to become an art teacher-101. You may be wondering if that is it. I mean, what if you just don’t have any artistic ability? Do I need to know every form of art? Is teaching in schools my only alternative?
First off, having some God-given artistic ability surely helps in this profession. Those who struggle to draw a straight line (myself included) probably gave up on the notion of being a professor of art years ago!
Knowing several mediums of art is necessary. You may be more interested in one area than another, but you must become knowledgeable in most art to teach students wisely. The ability to guide students through clay creations as well as drawing and painting will allow them to properly select a medium when they are ready.
Teaching art in schools is not your only way of making a living as an art major. You could become an art therapist to assist the mentally ill in channeling their emotions better through creative expression.
You could also work in a museum and provide educational tours for visitors.
A studio may also be a possibility for you, as well as giving private lessons in art to individuals.
So now that you are an “official” art teacher, what do you do in the classroom?
Duties of an Art Teacher
- Creating curricula: A curriculum needs to be developed to cater to students’ interests and abilities. Younger pupils require short-term projects with easy tools such as crayons, while older kids can handle more complex things like ceramics.
- Concept introduction: Art teachers use lessons and projects to introduce formal concepts such as types of lines, color relationships, and symbols into the classroom.
- The technique: Here, the instructor shows techniques to assist their students in image and form. Brush strokes, sketching, and shading are part of this.
- Encouraging enthusiasm and talent: All students are encouraged to pursue their artistic expression as a creative outlet; however, some are more gifted than others. The art teacher helps the truly talented reach their potential.
- Lessons in art history: Art teachers incorporate lessons to help students understand the context for artistic styles and ideas.
- Critique: A student’s artwork is critiqued for successful projects and improvement areas in the advanced classrooms.
- Grades and reports: The art teacher’s responsibility is to grade artwork objectively for each student. They may even have a meeting with the parents during the school year.
An Art Teacher’s Guide to Success
- Promote ideas, not just techniques – embrace creativity and playful artwork production methods. Allow the imagination to work.
- Empower empathy – providing an environment of empathy and compassion will allow your students to connect with you better. They will not be afraid to make a mistake but will feel free to be more imaginative.
- Be an advocate – You are your student’s cheerleader. They depend on you to show their accomplishments to the administrators and school art shows.
- Show leadership – Connect with your students by challenging them. Let them critique your work and listen to what they have to say. Inspire them to grow.
Salary Guide
Teachers’ salaries vary based on their education level, years of experience, and the type of school they teach in.
It is reported that elementary art teachers earn a median salary of $58230 per year, middle school art teachers make $58,600, and high school art teachers make $60320 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Prospects for Employment
When there is a decline in funding for the arts in public schools, charter schools take up the slack and provide the perfect segway for an art teacher’s career.
The number of post-secondary teachers (not just art teachers) will grow by 12 % in the next few years. Also, there is a teacher shortage in some areas, which only serves to help those who are willing to relocate find a teaching position.
Summary
Becoming certified as an art teacher shows your true commitment to the profession and makes you very employable. Besides, who else gets paid to play with paint and colors all day?
The art world is not just about teaching techniques; it’s about encouraging creativity, embracing messiness, and occasionally pretending you understand what’s happening with that abstract masterpiece!
A teacher of art can transform a classroom into an imaginative and creative environment. So, pull out your smock, dust off those pencils, and prepare to inspire a new generation of Picassos, Van Goghs, and maybe even some finger-painting Monets.
Go forth and train my future art-teaching maestros!
