About Art Teachers
For those who wish to inspire and improve the lives of others through the use of art, a career as an art teacher can make this happen. The enhancement of self-expression and appreciation of how art affects history and personal development are important parts of the role of an art educator. This is not limited to the learning of any one specific age group. The development of artistic skills is a process that can span a person's lifetime, and it is with the help of the art teacher that these talents can be further enhanced.
Types
There are various environments that art teachers may become a part of once they have earned their degrees. Those hoping to enrich the lives of young children will steer themselves toward the elementary level of teaching art, while others may choose to work with groups of older youths. In this case teaching at the high school or middle school level may be more appropriate. College-level art teachers encourage learning to post-high school students all the way up to senior citizens. At the college level, art teachers may have a more specialized degree in which their syllabus may have an added focus, such as graphic arts, fashion and interior design.
Identification
Students who plan to make teaching art their future career will need to put together a portfolio of their art work. Because the portfolio will be a reflection of what they have studied, along with their capabilities, it is important to include only those works that would be considered their best. Along with a portfolio, future art teachers are required to have completed a four-year college degree in the arts or education. After the completion of bachelor's degree studies, students who plan to go on to teaching must take the Praxis, a state certification exam. Once certified, the application and hiring process can begin.
Potential
Depending on your geographical locations, the starting pay for an art teacher who is fresh out of school with a bachelor's degree can range anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000 per year. The potential for pay increases will run hand and hand with any future education you choose to pursue. Art teachers with a master's degree in fine arts can move past the elementary level of teaching and onto high school or college. Teaching jobs in these higher learning environments naturally pay more. Employment for any type of teaching position is expected to increase with continued demand, especially for those teaching areas that are specialized.
Considerations
Those who are interested in teaching healing though art may want to consider a career in art therapy. Just as the other art teaching careers require a bachelor's degree, so does the field of art therapy. One major difference is that a bachelor's in psychology is also necessary in order to be a viable candidate in the field. But the rewards of the career far outweigh the additional learning requirements. Art therapy teachers work with all age groups to find relief through creativity, helping them overcome stress, trauma, depression, anxiety, substance abuse and other emotional problems.
Misconceptions
It is commonly believed that art education is not as important as some of the other subjects that are learned in school, such as English and math. These misconceptions undermine the benefits that art teachers have to offer to school-age and adult minds alike. In fact, research has proved that art education, by encouraging the creative thought process, can promote clarity, which aids in the learning of the other subjects. Art education also improve self-esteem, self-confidence and overall character. By stimulating the creative areas of the brain, children can become better focused on learning and improving their capabilities.
