I have traveled across America and Europe visiting the major museums and have seen, firsthand, some of the greatest works of art ever created. I have flourished in these fields, have taught adult as well as student drawing and painting classes, have worked at the Boys and Girls club for two years, and have a passion for all things art. It is more important to have a teacher who has those skills as well as the ability to introduce students to real world skills such as graphic design. It is valuable to have an art teacher who has a history as an artist, one who knows how to paint and draw. We need to be efficient in the way we teach and think about art as it relates to healthy life habits as well as careers. He is enthusiastic and very prepared, we are learning more than I ever expected. This is the best art class I have taken at UW Baraboo. The approach was continually building on each week and applying past information to new. Some comments that the adult learners left on the survey of the class include: Our instructor was very patient and knowledgeable in teaching, and I love that he went step by step. By presenting the information in several formats, there was a higher success than if I had only lectured or demonstrated. Finally, I led a demonstration of the concept to be completed. We then went through a step-by-step handout outlining the lesson. I always started the class with a discussion and slideshow of concepts, artists, and artwork that relate to the project. Breaking a complex skill, such as drawing or painting, into manageable steps is my main strategy. The topics in these three classes included drawing, watercolor, and oil painting. In addition to introducing middle school students to graphic design, I have taught several classes for adult continuing education at the university. The students also created a mock up version of their favorite magazine cover, complete with their picture. Students created their own personal logo, with graphic programs Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, which could be used on the cover page of school assignments. The students first learned how to get their ideas on paper, then turned them into polished concepts, and finished by digitalizing the project on the computer. We developed and offered a college for kids class aimed at teaching middle-school aged students the fundamentals of graphic design. After returning to college, at the University of Wisconsin-Baraboo, I worked with the continuing education department. Introducing the concepts of graphic design, along with painting and drawing are important so that students can find jobs. I know how the graphic design business functions. I have my degree from MATC in graphic design and have worked in the field. Painting and drawing are disciplines worthy of attention, but the field that employs the largest number of artists is graphic design.
The students become empowered and doors open.Įducators need to think of the field of art as more than traditional mediums. Great teachers believe in their students. By the end of the semester, it seemed as if everyone on campus was rooting for the Black Squirrels. Soon after I was producing a run of two dozen shirts so that my peers in the art department could purchase the shirt as well. My design was for the fictional team, the Black Squirrels, a nod to the unique squirrels that inhabit my hometown. My favorite project that he assigned was to design a t-shirt logo for a fictional sports team and hand silkscreened the logo onto t-shirts. I had a great illustration teacher in college. I believe that the most outstanding teachers know their subject matter, have worked in their fields and are able to connect with their students in a way that makes learning fun. I got the opportunity to work with talented artists/teachers in Madison. I want to teach to carry on the tradition.īecause my high school art teacher knew me so well, she helped me register for college at MATC. My teacher was so passionate about the work and willing to share her knowledge that I wanted to do the same.
Standing in front of Monet’s haystacks series cemented my desire that I wanted to become an art teacher. She walked us through the painting galleries which culminated in her favorite, Impressionism. When I was a junior, she took a group of art students to the Chicago Art Institute. My high school art teacher was a major influence on my choice to go to Madison Area Technical College for art. I have always identified with being in a learning environment, so much that I have taken college drawing and painting classes for non-credit. I became excited about art in high school because I had a great teacher.