Know Your Worth
By Mary Weimer Green
Throughout my career, I have been blessed to have friends and family who have supported me. With that said, we all have faced teachers (and others) who at one time or another have let us know oh so subtly that we are ‘merely’ art teachers and not part of the core. With this in mind, it becomes exceptionally important to understand and convey our value in a real and practical way to students, parents, and colleagues.
There are many values that we instill daily; for example, perseverance (grit), workmanship, and even playfulness. The most important thing that we do, in my opinion, is to encourage the students to look beyond themselves. In learning about other cultures and individuals different from themselves, they develop a deeper understanding of similarities and appreciation for differences. Students also develop more effective forms of communication; both verbal and visual. While improving their visual literacy they learn perhaps most importantly to question those things they don’t understand and not to settle for the superficial answer.
Through empathy curiosity is charged, similarities bring us together, differences are celebrated and lifelong learning is naturally established. In our classes students realize that the arts are for all people: the arts develop individual affect, it speaks to, and for everyone. In our classes we strive to create an environment where our students feel as if they are safe to respond honestly with their reactions and ideas. What a wonderful legacy we will have if this example carries forward!
Through an aesthetic education student responsibility and accountability are increased. Visual thinking strategies create critical creative and bold thinking within the students that employ these methods. Through the visual arts, problem-solving becomes an everyday occurrence that does not elicit fear or trepidation but problems are viewed as challenges to be overcome. Approaching all of life’s challenges in the same way will benefit the student and our future by making them effective global citizens. In short, we are not a 'Core Subject', we are THE Core Subject.
Teaching art is an important occupation with an awesome responsibility. We are the builders of dreams, the preservationists of culture, and the ambassadors of the future.
-MWG