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Stressy - Messy

© Jo Murphy

When you teach Art do you get stressy? Is Art one of those subjects you find absolutely messy? These are the reasons many Primary Teachers find art a subject to avoid. If they are not formally trained in Art and perhaps have no confidence in that area, the added extra stressors often make the subject seem too much trouble.

Painting, drawing, sculpture and craft languish in the background, grouped with the things to do tomorrow. Some of the aspects of Art that can become overwhelming are

• Ordering Supplies
• Storage of
  1. Materials
  2. Finished Artwork
• Appraisal. How do you know when Art is 'good' anyway? Throughout the year we will talk about the notion of 'good' itself. There are some reasons why the word might be an inappropriate one to use when evaluating artwork.
• Discipline. Some people think with an attitude of 'anything goes' when they think of Art. On the contrary I will look often at the notion of discipline and what it really means. In particular I will look at the idea of discipline as it refers to
  1. Self (the teacher needs to begin some form of regular artistic activity if he/she is expected to hand on skills in the classroom.
  2. Handing on the skills of self-discipline to the students
  3. Teaching the children to be self-directed, inquisitive investigators.
• Cleanliness of space is a must. A plan that stops messes before they begin and a very strict clean up regime is required.
• Appropriateness of Project. Things can get tough if students take on a project
  1. too hard
  2. not relevant
  3. too messy
  4. or boring
  If the lessons don't touch the needs of the kids Art can become a strain. Developing an understanding of how to program Art is the most important thing an Art Teacher can do. When a programme is functioning well Art becomes a self-propelled dream. You become a negotiator and director rather than a struggling teacher trying to keep ahead of the problems.

Communication. Art is about communication and being able to express feelings and ideas. Communication as an Art needs to be structured into the programme somewhere. Many teachers think that discussion will naturally happen during the classes or that small classroom critiques are enough. But formal processes such as Exhibitions and Swap Meets bring with them explicit learning. As students begin to see more clearly the exposition of artworks can become the power behind the program. Art Exhibitions too can bring about stresses of their own. The trick is not to allow them to get bigger than you can handle. Clarity at the outset is a must. Knowing why you are hosting the Expose is important not only for you but for the Admin Team, the parents, friends, peers and the students as well.

Understanding and Meaningfulness. For Art to have relevance in the curriculum it needs to be anchored in simple contexts

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