Art & Design Teacher Training
Teaching art and design can be both fulfilling and challenging. As a teacher, you will never be short of proud moments when you see your students develop their artistic skills under your tutelage. However, before you decide on choosing this career path and train for it, make sure you are fully conversant with the prerequisites and demands that go with this job.
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Teaching Art
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As an art teacher, you must be trained to teach classes on a range of subjects from art history, art appreciation and visual arts to design, aesthetics and criticism. Merely being an excellent artist yourself is not enough to be a successful art and design teacher.
Basic Requirements
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Apart from a thorough understanding of the creative process, you need to have the ability to make an art class both engaging and fun. You need to be a "people person," understand the many media and techniques available in the art and design world and be able to effectively explain them to your students. Also, schools may look for teachers trained in first-aid and CPR and may conduct a background check for past criminal records.
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Training Particulars
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If you are planning to teach art and design in a public or private school, college or university, the basic qualification required is a degree in Fine Arts; it's even better if you have a master's degree in the subject. As an art major in college, it is usually mandatory that you take a minimum of 30 semesters or 45 quarter hours of coursework in art. Knowledge in specific areas like art history, architecture, critical thinking, cultural perspectives and artistic development of children is important alongside practical knowledge in areas like ceramics, printmaking, sculpting, drawing, painting, photography and digital art.
Teacher Certification
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Most states need art and design teachers to be certified, which is only possible after you have had some teaching experience. This will be a part of your college curriculum and you will be coached by your mentor teacher on this topic. If this is not a part of your bachelor's degree program, you have the option of enrolling in a master's program in education and getting the necessary licensure. If you intend to teach children in a private school, then you may not need these credentials required by the state.
Jobs After Training
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Your art college will probably have a placement office that can connect you with suitable openings in your chosen area. Applying for an art and design teacher’s job requires slightly different prep work than other teachers. Apart from your résumé and cover letter, you must also create an electronic portfolio with your works. Teaching jobs in art and design exist at all levels, from community centers to hospitals and elementary schools. Once you have completed your art and design teacher's training course, you can also explore options like becoming an art historian or a curator.
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References
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- Photo Credit making pottery image by Avesun from Fotolia.com
