Task 6a, Interview Pilot

I put together some questions for an interview with Hannah Westwood an artist, community educator and art tutor. 

I chose to meet Hannah after work at my home. I decided not to record the interview as I have done with the focus group, in order to improve my note taking skills. 

The interview took a semi-structured approach as with the focus group. Her experience of teaching art stems from working in PRU’s, community art projects, further education and art residence both in galleries and education institutions.

In this pilot interview I hoped to discover how Hannah approached moving from being an artist and community project based educator to teaching within a formal setting. 

I also tried to get her view on what she thinks about art programmes in EBD schools and if they can inspire student to take up art as a subject in further education. 

I also wanted to find out her views on whether Art can be a useful tool in teaching subject such as Maths and Science and/or how important it is as a standalone subject.

I have selected some questions and a few points from the interview:  

1.     How long have you been working and teaching art with young people in education?

        A. 4 ½ years

2.     Did you find teaching difficult when you first started and if so what aspect of teaching did you struggle with?

Yes, I did find it hard in terms of confidence, which was more of a personal issue. 

It took me time to understand how to effectively plan and convey information through interesting and engaging activities whilst developing lower level student’s basic skills and challenging more advanced students.

3.      Is there much of a difference in the way you approach informal and formal art lessons and how much you think the two approaches are inter-linked?

Yes,  there is a difference, with informal sessions I am generally a lot more relaxed because the timescales are not so intense and also because there is not a syllabus to follow. 

There is still structure and a project plan, but there I allow a lot more natural exploration to occur and for students to work on something for pure enjoyment. 

In formal sessions it is a similar process but a lot more guidance is required, questioning and feedback. 

I think that the approaches are interlinked in the sense that you always have a goal you are working towards its just how you go about it is less or more intense and in depth.

4.     Do you think art is more useful or affective as a teaching tool in working with students who have emotional and behaviour difficulties (EBD)?

I think it can be a very effective tool, but it should not be seen as this is its own right. 

It becomes too easily labelled as a method of teaching rather than a core essential subject. 

Art can be used in so many ways and I think that it is often utilised in the wrong way in EBD and  now     mainstream schools which undermines its full potential and value.

5.     Do you think including art in the timetable could encourage students in EBD schools to take an interest in art after they finish secondary school?

Yes, definitely if they are taught by an energetic and passionate teacher. 

I think that art in EBD schools can sometimes be put in place as a soft subject or therapeutic add on. 

If it is embedded and taught as a curriculum subject it can have massive benefits in terms of behaviour and key skills.

6.     Do you think that social background could affect how students and parents attitudes towards art as a subject in schools.

Yes, massively and cultural background. I think there is a lot of stigma around art that it is a soft subject, that it doesn’t lead to a ‘proper’ career, which is rubbish.   

I have experienced students studying a level 1 BTEC within a secondary school being labelled as under achievers because students and parents see art as an easy subject.   

Art is just as, if not more complex than the core national curriculum subjects.

7.     Would you rate art as an important subject alongside Science, English and Maths?

Definitely, all of these subjects can be embedded within art and support students who are resistant to a subject such as maths to learn without realising by measuring up for a mural for example. 

Art teaches students a range of skills from hand eye co-ordination to analysis and evaluation to researching, talking about their work and learning about a range of different cultures and practices. These are all key skills required in numerous lines of work.

8.     What affect will the currents government’s cuts have on art in schools as a whole?

I think that, unfortunately, it will solidify the way in which art is already undervalued and misused within schools, as a soft subject or extra curricula activity. 

Art should remain a curriculum subject, its methodologies should be utilised within teaching practice and extra curricula activities should continue to be offered. 

It concerns me greatly that our next generation of students will have a greatly un-enriched education and therefore loses out on a range of experiences, skills and ways of thinking. 

I think that art will become stale, confined and lack exploration in schools. 

Materials, trips and creative experiences will be greatly reduced and students won’t be allowed the space to explore, dream and create.