Task 4d

I have practiced as an artist for over ten years and during this time I spent two years studying a Youth and Community course at Goldsmiths. Since completing the course in 2009 I have worked as a youth worker, learning mentor, teaching assistant and have organised and facilitated community art projects in my spare time.

My aim is to gain a BA with a title that will enable me to most affectively reach my goal of becoming an art teacher. I would like my title to also reflect my past experience and expertises’.

I am in the process of looking into undertaking a GTP Training Programme and therefore mindful that the BA title must enable me to do this.

I am really interested in reading what other people think about the three title options. I am hoping that the feedback I receive will help me with the process towards making the final proposal.          

The initial options for my BA award title are as follows:

1)     BA Hons Professional Practice in Visual Art Education

2)     BA Hons Professional Practice in Fine Art

3)     BA Hons Professional Practice in Community Arts Education.

Option 1

I feel that option one clearly expresses my intention of becoming an art teacher.

Option 2

This option captures the experience and expertise I have gained as an artist.

Option 3

This option includes the experience I have gained working in community arts and youth work projects.   

 

Task 4b

Special Interest Group (SIG)

I have set up my LinkedIn account which I hope to use as a part of my SIG. I would like to use the SIG to establish and gather ideas that will further inform me about how I can use visual art to develop and enrich young people’s lives. I would like to focus my inquiry on how art can be used effectively to work with young people who have behaviour and emotional difficulties. I have experience in working with underprivileged young people in South Africa and the UK. I have seen how young people can respond positively when presented with the opportunity to express themselves creatively.  These first hand experiences have been the driving force behind my passion to work with young people within an established education setting incorporating mentoring and art. I believe that art can improve young people’s self-esteem, discipline, cultural awareness and provide them with a platform to express them. 

I would like to bring together and be part of a group that shares similar interests. I hope we can use this opportunity to share ideas and information via SKYPE, Blogs and LinkedIn.

http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Art-in-educational-environment-4672876?gid=4672876&report%2Esuccess=7GcSc9MenMD5-zxa-kN_TToM-x5janvu_HMEw0LwSaLTiMXToFk2hhLiKanEipLCLCi2aHOMY2Q0YQnTDIu0oJnh-x5wKBYTHQ

Task 4a

 

This task provides a good starting point to converse with other practitioners and to question my understanding of how to:

Utilise knowledge gained from my own experience as a professional who has benefited from using art to overcome challenging and difficult socially inequalities.   

Acquire the skills needed to become affective as a visual arts educator.

Does the social and cultural background of an art educator impact on the way students relate to them?

What difference can art make on the lives of young people who have behavioural  and emotional difficulties?

What value does the education authority place on art as part of the education programme for young people who have behaviour and emotional difficulties?

Does the social and cultural background of parents determine the value they place on art as a subject in schools?

Does the lack of formal art education or accessibility of the arts have a positive or negative impact on how young people view society? 

Does informal art education appeal more to young people than formal classroom teaching?

Does having informal art teaching experience improve how we communicate and teach young people in a classroom setting?

Do young people relate and respond more positively to art teachers who have established themselves as a practicing artist as well as being an art educator?

 Is it the security of income that drives artist to take up teaching or the desire to share their knowledge with young people?

I look forward to hearing other people’s views and to expand these initial questions.