Introduction

 

Acting often in the light of unexplored possibilities, teachers as perpetual beginners work against a background of statistical laws and certainties. The origins of what they do are to be found in the devising of distinctive projects, conditions, states of affairs, moments of mastery, framing of questions, they strive to bring into being, without guarantees that this will happen. They must continually think about what they are doing, they must use their imaginations as they keep in mind what might be, what ought to be. (Greene, 2002)

 

I have thought long about my approach to writing this statement, wanting to articulate my values, beliefs, and ambitions of teaching sincerely, without sounding overly technical or contrived. With plenty of practice writing artist statements, this is quite a difficult thing to do! But in recent months, I have tried to be more honest about my work and it seems even more important to do this here. The thought of new beginnings is equally exciting and daunting, but this quote by Maxine Greene (2002) stands out in my mind- ‘Teachers as perpetual beginners…To begin is to act, and act with a sense of agency.’

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Beginnings 

 

My beginnings are rooted, firstly, in my love of the subject. Art, both the making and looking, brings me so much fulfillment and energy. It is multidimensional and elusive, reassuring and disheartening alike. It is my link to so many happy memories, interesting conversations, and sincere relationships. I always want to learn more about art and I will never learn enough. Teaching has given me this feeling, twofold, instilling in me this sense of agency Greene speaks to. It motivates me to be a better person, a more courageous artist, to be curious, and to celebrate that I will always be a student. To share my love of art with others, particularly with young people, to see them thrive, enjoy, and make meaning, learning about and through the subject I teach, makes being an artist complete. 

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Values

 

As I might have indicated, Maxine Greene is a major influence on my philosophy of teaching, as I see my values and beliefs about the profession reflected in her work. She speaks of the imagination, not just igniting the imagination of students, but activating the imagination of the teacher to become more empathic, active agents of change. She said,  

 

Imagination is required to disclose a different state of things, to open the windows of consciousness to what might be, what ought to be. Imagination allows for empathy, for a tuning into another's feelings, for new beginnings in transactions with the world. (Greene, 2008)

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Through imagination, alternative realities are explored to uncover the ‘taken for granted’. Through imagination, we empathise. 

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My values of teaching are all interwoven, and in my experience, are the qualities of my best teachers. Imagination creates empathy, creates care. Fundamentally, I have a duty of care to the students I teach, and I will always strive to ensure that the learning environments that I cultivate will be inclusive and respectful of everyone. They will be spaces that encourage and celebrates divergent thinking. Anthony Gormley (2010) beautifully articulates, 

 

Art is the means by which life reflects on, transforms, and indeed creates its values; human life without it would not properly be human at all. Once we have the means to sustain life, art is the way that life expresses itself—this expression is no add-on, but part of its sustainability.

 

Art making is, without a doubt, human nature, but a limited presentation of what art is can make students feel that it is not for them. Caring for students, empathising with their needs, creating equity and self-efficacy, means creating opportunities for all students to learn and succeed, for all students to access what could be considered too inaccessible, too skills-based, too academic. Art is for everyone, and I play a role in making this possible. Through discovery learning, students appreciate that art is challenging, complex, beautiful, disappointing, emotional, and as an interpreter of the curriculum, I will not shy away from these things. I aim to present art for what it actually is and can be in the real world.

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The curriculum and reflective practice

 

In my opinion, for the art teacher, immersion into diverse historical and contemporary art practices is crucial. The Artist-Teacher-Researcher is motivated by their own work, and the practice and research of others, as it connects curriculum to the methods of professionals shaping the artistic landscape. It is a process orientation that can ground values in real-life experiences and requires ongoing reflection on professional development. Real-life experiences of art-making are diverse, and I place huge value on the construction of a culturally diverse curriculum that represents the students before me. However, for me, this means being active in teaching students the disciplinary methodologies of real art making, avoiding ‘misteaching of meaning, intention, and processes of original artists’ at all costs. (Gude, 2015)

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Reflective practice is hugely important as it requires a critical evaluation of my performance as a teacher. It requires you to look at yourself through the eyes of your students and colleagues. In career, I can see how reflection is an active resistance to complacency, leading to an open mindset where new strategies for pedagogy and assessment are tested and always grounded in scholarship, which ‘ensures that the curriculum process remains rigorous’. (Fraser et al., 2007) 

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As art teachers, we are so privileged to have much autonomy over the interpretation of the curriculum. But in my view, the student voice should be ever-present in decision-making at the classroom, school, and national levels. My role is to ensure they are given opportunities and platforms to do this, that autonomy is fairly distributed, and that students are listened to. 

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Final note...

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On a final note, I wish to express my enthusiasm and excitement for a future career as a teacher of Art, Craft, and Design. Throughout the two-year Masters, I have grown so much as an artist, educator, researcher, and individual, as my ongoing love of learning is being fulfilled. I am eager to continue my journey as a ‘perpetual beginner’ in practice through Driochead and further professional development, learning from my students and colleagues, and self-reflection. Finally, I want to reiterate that art in all its forms, has the potential to equip students with the skills and tools to understand, adapt, and feel belonging in a constantly changing, unpredictable world. I will be very proud to help achieve this. 

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Fraser, S.P. and Bosanquet, A.M. (2006). The curriculum? That’s just a unit outline, isn’t it?. Studies in higher education, 31(3), pp.269-284.

Gude, O., 2013. New school art styles: The project of art education. Art Education, 66(1), pp.6-15.

Greene, M. (2002) To New Teachers (2014) YouTube. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_raVMnP57w (Accessed: May 7, 2023).

Greene, M. 2008. Education and the Arts: The Windows of Imagination. LEARNing Landscapes 1(3), 17-21

Gormley, A. 2010. Why we make art and why it is taught. Intellect Books.