Job Description for Art Teachers in Elementary
Art teachers work in private and public schools. They can also work at community centers and at private studios. Elementary school art teachers typically teach children from kindergarten to fifth or sixth grade. The goal of an art teacher is to help children learn to appreciate and create art.
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Role of an Art Teacher
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An elementary art teacher creates projects that children can accomplish. A successful art teacher will introduce a class to a variety of media over the course of the school year or course. Elementary school art students typically complete drawing projects, painting projects and create objects out of clay. An art teacher also instructs students in art history, introducing them to well-known artists and art movements and strives to develop an appreciation for art in the students.
Classes
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Unlike general elementary school teachers who teach multiple subjects to the same class of students, an art teacher will see multiple classes throughout the day. An art teacher will have to develop age-appropriate lesson plans for a range of grades and must have mastery of different teaching techniques depending on the age of each class. Sometimes art teachers will work with general subject teachers to develop a lesson plan that ties the art lessons with what the students are learning in social studies or other subjects.
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Education Requirements
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Elementary school art teachers must have at least a bachelor's degree, usually in art or art education. To teach in a public school, an art teacher needs to have state certification. Student teaching experience is a requirement. Certification is not necessary to teach a private school, but more private schools look for and encourage a teacher to be certified. Teachers at community centers or private art studios may not need to have a degree, just experience in the field and a love of art.
Demand
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Between now and 2018, the overall need for elementary teachers is expected to rise 16 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, this number refers to all elementary teaching positions and not just the subject of art. Demand for teachers in subjects such as math and science is higher than the demand for art teachers. Most elementary schools only employee one or two art teachers, making the prospect of getting a position as an elementary art teacher difficult.
Salary
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In 2010, the average entry-level elementary school art teacher earned $36,000 a year, according to Simply Hired. Salary varies depending on location and need. In urban areas such as Philadelphia and New York, the median salary was $45,000; in the Midwest, the median salary was $31,000. Teachers who earn a master's degree in Art or Art Education are likely to see a pay increase. Teachers can increase their salaries by leading extracurricular activities, such as an art club or by mentoring students one-on-one.
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References
- Photo Credit crayons image by Marek Kosmal from Fotolia.com
