Friday, September 17, 2010

The Teaching Artist Roster

Well, I did not get accepted. I did not prove to the panel at the Washington State Arts Commission that I am a "teaching artist". I had a very informative phone interview with Lisa at WSAC, to go over my application for the "Teaching Artist Roster" so that I could find out where I fell short.

To be honest, I have some reservations about this program, whether it is right for me. Whether the art taught by "teaching artists" in public schools is the kind of art I want to teach. I like to teach the kind of things that are not easily assessed; the focus of the WSAC is to provide a roster of teachers who can create lessons to teach specific, simple, easily assessed outcomes. Like techniques and vocabulary. Vocabulary? To assess for that sounds like a written test to me, not an art project.

So, I'm struggling with this at the moment. I love teaching children art, doing art projects with them that expand their knowledge of other cultures and of themselves. I detest vocabulary tests as part of an art project. That's too much focus on "the head, slightly to one side", as Sir Ken Robinson would say.

2 comments:

  1. I'm sorry to hear that, but it sounds like it might not have been right for you. We are going to be in the Seattle area--near Issaquah. I'm so excited that you are in WA too. We'll definitely have to meet up!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Issaquah is beautiful. You will love it. It's not far from excellent hiking trails and woods, and the town has a nice feel. I am on the other side of Seattle, a ferry ride away. In fact I often ride a ferry called the Issaquah when I want to go to Seattle.

    ReplyDelete