Running head: Importance of Art Educators Teaching Art
Importance Of Art Educators Teaching Art
Laura Klein
Northern Illinois University
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Running head: Importance of Art Educators Teaching Art
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Abstract
For some, art may seem like it is just a “filler” class. Art class is something that will give the kids
a break from their “core” classes. Just leave some crayons and a stack of paper on the table and
we have an art class. However, there are many people that have a different view of what an art
classroom should entail. Take a look around you. Look at the glass you are drinking from, look
at the stacks of magazines strewn about, glance at the commercials playing in the background of
your home. Art is all around you. Before art programs are cut or taught by someone with a nonart related degree, one should take into consideration that the students in school today are the
future advertisers, fine artists, animators, interior designers, commercial artists, teachers and the
list goes on. If students are not introduced to an art environment at a young age they may miss
the boat. They will most likely lose passion toward art as they get older, without being exposed to
art properly. It is vital that students in an art educational setting learn what visual culture is and
why it is important. “ The term visual culture is a way of calling attention to visual qualities as
important components of cultural practices and includes non exhibited dimensions of meaning
such as context and power.” (Keifer-Boyd, Amburgy, & Knight, 2003, P.44). Art teachers have
increasingly been incorporating visual culture into the art classroom. It is important for art
educators to embrace changes in our surroundings and visual culture so the curriculum can better
suite the students. (Freedman,2003). Students need to realize that art is everywhere and art does
not just remain in the confines of a museum. Through educating students in art and visual culture
we can inform them of the importance of culture and the different artistic components in our
lives.
Literary Review
Will all the new means of collecting media and visual culture, one may as the
question, “what should art education of the twenty first century comprise?” (Keifer-Boyd,
Amburgy, & Knight, 2003, P.44)What is in our own daily visual cultures? An art educator, Karen
Keifer-Boyd, goes into depth about teaching what art is today in the article, The Visual Culture
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Debate. There are several components that can be incorporated into art education such as visual
culture, material culture, media studies, and visual studies. Keifer-Boyd is quoted sayinh,“ Each
of these terms is connected with a large body of literature, a discourse, gatekeepers on what may
or may not be associated with the term. These all incorporate our everyday culture.” This article
is an accumulation of three different art educators’ thoughts about visual culture and how it
should be introduced in a classroom. One may argue that visual culture can still be taught in other
classes. This leads one to wonder if teaching visual culture in a classroom distracts students from
producing more artwork. Art educator Kerry Freedman (2003) answers this question in his article
titled The Importance of Student Artistic Production to Teaching Visual Culture;. “ How better
can students develop a deep understanding of the power of visual culture?” The range of what is
considered art today is an ever-growing spectrum. Students should be introduced to many types
of media and art to become better rounded in their knowledge of visual culture.
Personal Thoughts and Discovery
I feel that art educators are not just educated to help students develop technical skills, but
they are specially trained to help students work with important concepts and communicate their
thoughts and ideas effectively. Art curriculum addresses key elements of art that someone such as
a math teacher, would know nothing about. A math teacher would not be suited for teaching an
art curriculum. The math teacher would put more emphasis in his math class because that is what
they were trained for, not art. It is very important for students to tap into their creative mindsets.
The work that they produce in a well-conducted classroom helps students identify with their
visual culture. This helps them discover who they are, which is key for students of any age.
If a teacher that was not properly educated in art was placed into an art classroom they would not
posses the same enthusiasm as an art educator. This would result in a lack of enthusiasm toward
learning about art and visual culture. Many students do not find that they appreciate art until they
reach school age. If they never have a real opportunity to be exposed by a qualified art educator,
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the students with natural ability will lose the opportunity to find something they love doing. The
opportunities that they would lose out on are endless.
Summary
It is not right to sacrifice a student’s opportunity to make the most out of their art
education by letting just anyone teach an art curriculum. There are many important components,
such as visual culture, that are best taught by an art educator. That is what they are trained for.
This is why we should keep art educators teaching art classes. There is no one better suited.
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References
Keifer-Boyd, K, Amburgy, P, & Knight, W. (2003). Three approaches to teaching visual culture
in k-12 school contexts . Art Education, 56(2). Retrieved from
https://webcourses.niu.edu/
Freedman Kerry. (2003). The importance of student artistic production to teaching visual culture.
Art Education, 56(2), Retrieved from https://webcourses.niu.edu