Dan CollinsartCORE Coordinator

Professor of IntermediaSchool of Art

Arizona State University

Principles of Core Art Instruction (ARA 598)August 23, 2013

So You Wanna Be an Art Teacher…?!So You Wanna Be an Art Teacher…?!

IntroductionIntroduction Since 1988, I have had the pleasure of supervising graduate teaching assistants in our foundation program in studio art at Arizona State University.

These GTAs—many of whom are first time teachers—are “instructors of record” who help to create original curricula and teach undergraduate students enrolled in our first year art and design courses.

There are from 24 - 28 of them per semester…most of them MFA candidates in our Studio program.

I asked them for some pictures of themselves. This is what they sent…

Some are quite young.

And some are fugitives from the law.

Some are endearing…

Some are driven by curiosity.

Program DescriptionProgram Description

 Despite our unique GTAs, ASU is pretty typical:

• Large state university with over 1200 majors. (Now the “biggest” University in the U.S.A.)

• 36 individual 100 level classes in Drawing, 2D Design, 3D Design, Color, and Intro to Digital Media every semester.

• Almost all of these courses are taught by GTAs.

• We are proud of our program but…

The Dark Side of GTA InstructionThe Dark Side of GTA Instruction

• They work with little or no supervision by senior faculty.

• They are paid at a wage substantially lower than market value.

• They are seldom given the opportunity to develop a personal teaching philosophy.

FACT: Much of foundation teaching is being performed by graduate students without adequate preparation for the studio or classroom.

The Dynamic of GTA InstructionThe Dynamic of GTA Instruction

Typical Undergraduate

Task of Teaching

Teaching Assistant

Perceived Curriculum

Path to Full-time Teaching Job

What’s Your Teaching Philosophy?What’s Your Teaching Philosophy?

What’s Your Teaching Philosophy?What’s Your Teaching Philosophy?

John Dewey

X

X

X

bell hooks

Elliot Eisner

What we CAN do.What we CAN do.Most of us are not positioned to address the administrative,

economic, or broader ethical dimensions of the problem. But…we CAN ensure that our Foundation Programs provide the GTA with:

• a way to connect studio practicestudio practice and teachingteaching.

• an opportunity to explore new perspectivesnew perspectives on art.

• an interdisciplinary bridgeinterdisciplinary bridge between art education, art history, and other fields of inquiry.

• an opportunity to develop a personal teaching philosophypersonal teaching philosophy.

• entrée into a learning communitylearning community for interaction and support.

• the opportunity to build a teaching portfolioteaching portfolio and gain the experience needed to secure a teaching jobteaching job.

Principles of Core Art Instruction (ARA 598)Principles of Core Art Instruction (ARA 598)

Several years ago, I received approvals to formalize the materials provide to TAs as a new 3 credit class—Principles of Core Art Instruction. This course provides:

· resources for teaching foundation level art and design courses. · an overview of issues germane to University level art instruction. · an opportunity to build a “teaching portfolio.”

Outcomes for ARA 598Outcomes for ARA 598

Students will:

• develop course materials for a practicum in teaching art at the introductory University level (any art course in the School of Art is an acceptable target).

• modify existing curricular models provided by the instructor and create

at least one original project that includes objectives, resources, processes, and assessment strategies.

• demonstrate knowledge of different philosophical orientations with

respect to art instruction and develop a personal “teaching philosophy.”

• produce a “teaching portfolio” that includes samples of curriculum design for art as well as examples of their students’ work produced during the practicum.

Sample Sample Teaching PortfolioTeaching Portfolio

Contact Info:Contact Info:

Dan Collins, ProfessorDan Collins, ProfessorSchool of Art, Arizona State UniversitySchool of Art, Arizona State University

Tempe, AZ 85287-1505Tempe, AZ 85287-1505

dan.collins@asu.edu

artCORE wiki:artCORE wiki:http://artcore.pbworks.comartcore.pbworks.com