Entry 3: Being an artist / teacher

This entry is driven by questions regarding being a practising artist while also working as an art educator. The two are interconnected and, I feel, quite necessary in relation to one another. I will focus on my individual work as an artist and how it has and may affect my abilities as an art teacher.
Question: How do my art practices and abilities help in the classroom and with teaching?
- I have found my artistic abilities to be quite helpful in a number of educational situations. I have often found it handy to create a quick sketch or drawing to help illustrate my point or to clarify a piece of instruction. When and if I need to do this, I can usually do so fairly quickly and accurately, so as not to take up too much class time. I can also draw out a set of examples or simple instructions and then make copies of them, so I don't have to rely solely on pre-printed media. I have experience working with many different materials and processes, so I feel I can be flexible when necessary. Many types of media can lead diligent artists to develop quite a lot of patience, which is always helpful when working in sometimes stressful situations. Also, as I have worked with different materials, I have already encountered some pitfalls when using them, as well as discovering numerous tips for success, each helping to prepare me for potential problems my students may face. Finally, I believe that the more I try new things, experience new processes and work with new materials, the more I will be able to bring to the classroom through lessons and projects.

Question: How can I incorporate art making into teaching?
- I think that showing your students that you are a practicing artist demonstrates that you care about art and that you "practice what you preach". It shows students that art is a viable means of (self)expression and communication, as well as a source of entertainment and/or relaxation. It can also be helpful as a problem-solving tool, helping you to work out visually or concretely those issues which may be too ephemeral or complex to simply talk through.

Question: Why continue to create art?
- Well, why do I / we do it now? I think that some of the same reasons would still apply: for relaxation, self-expression, self-reflection, enjoyment, etc. As a teacher, it may (likely will) be difficult to find time to create art, but making the effort to do so will help us to be better art teachers, as well as keep us from stagnating or getting stuck in place as artists.

Question: How can I balance the technical skills of teaching art with personally meaningful and creative student artworks / interests?
- This is an important question and I think it should be seriously looked at by all educators, not just art teachers. In the case of teaching art, it is important to show students that acquiring new skills and proficiency with new media is necessary to advance in their means of expression. Also, what may be seen as too hard or complicated for some students may be a good challenge to either advanced students or skilled "problem" students.