An A/R/Tographical Examination of the Transformation to Becoming an Art Educator

Abstract

For my dissertation research, I questioned the necessities and advantages of pre-service art education (PSAE) and in-service supports (ISS). Throughout my time as a public-school art teacher, I experienced many different teaching styles and learning environments. I observed veteran teachers that had tight routines and novice teachers in places of chaos. Some experienced teachers were set in their retinues that they refused new ideas or adding to the curriculum they had in place, while others were struggling to survive. Therefore, they require continued mentorship and content-specific professional development (Balsley, 2013; Caton & Reid, 2007; Jamie, 2013). I created an eight-week online art education professional development (AEPD) workshop called Journey to Becoming (J2B) to investigate the transformation of becoming an art educator. This examination employed case study and narrative inquiry in combination with arts-based research (ABR) (Rolling, 2010; Sullivan, 2004) and a/r/tography (Irwin & Cosson, 2004). Research findings were scrutinized through rhizomatic understandings and applications of experiences to becoming an art teacher (Deleuze & Guattari, 1987). A/r/tography was relevant for exploring J2B participants overlapping and intertwining necessities and identities as artists, researchers, and teachers. During the workshop, I investigated the classroom experiences of twelve J2B a/r/tographers, including mine, through traditional research techniques like reading articles and non-traditional methods such as creating visual journals. Some of the strategies used were course discussion, reflective journaling (text and visual), and art-making. Looking back at teacher notes and experiences was a fundamental component in completing the J2B course, as the reflection process was an irreplaceable component for answering my research questions. J2B research findings built a better understanding of the needs to advance pre-service art education (PSAE) programs. J2B participants deterritorialized unnecessary involvement and reterritorialized necessary beliefs concerning the practices of PSAE and ISS (Deleuze & Guattari, 1987). Research findings constructed ideas regarding how pre-service teaching experiences and ISS affected ones teaching practice (Haines, 2011; Imms & Ruanglertbutr, 2013). The J2B course and a/r/tographers interactions mapped their past movements producing findings and suggestions to enhance PSAE and ISS. The J2B course presented indispensable results concerning PSAE. First, PSAE has some very productive attributes like excellent curriculum preparation and valuable student teaching experiences. Second, significant gaps brought to light, for instance, the desires for improving classroom management techniques, teaching special education students, and providing diversity in studio art opportunities. J2B found curriculum preparation in PSAE was so intense that it gave art teachers proficient understandings for curriculum creation. PSAE still fell short in areas of studio art/art-making experiences, acknowledging students with disabilities, and other real-world requirements like classroom and material management. Simultaneously, the J2B course generated meaningful findings regarding ISS. First, the course highlighted positive areas of mentorship, whether formal or informal. Second, J2B research findings addressed ISS need for AEPD. Many J2B participants commented on AEPD as being one of the most advantageous parts of ISS as it provided networking and collaboration with other art teachers, and it had art-making experiences. More importantly, it is content-focused, which relates to their classroom necessities, as many required school-district professional development (PD) opportunities did not. This outcome connected to another J2B research finding that the location or setting of the PD had substantial impacts on its effectiveness for art teachers. For example, school-district PD focused on district policies and was less useful for art teacher’s daily requirements compared to PD at an art school or with an art teacher organization like National Art Education Association (NAEA) that was much more applicable. Findings from the J2B course and contributor’s interactions brought light to suggestions for PSAE and ISS. It is disheartening that PSAE still lacked classroom management training; therefore, university junior and senior-level PSAE coursework should address these issues. Professors must tackle this by adding role-playing and teacher demonstrations of real-world classroom management techniques. Another critical issue was the necessity to provide more learning opportunities concerning special education students or students with disabilities. Many J2B participants discussed a lack of studio art or art-making during PSAE, which was magnified once alone in the classroom. University programs and ISS must acknowledge, and fill gaps found within the J2B research to improve teacher effectiveness and retention while enhancing student success. J2B research findings showed how ISS could come from a multitude of places, such as people or events. Therefore, continued mentorship was vital for all J2B contributors, no matter how long they had been teaching. One of the most pertinent research findings was the necessity and application for arts-based research (ABR). ABR could fill many gaps found during the J2B course, for instance, mentorship and content-specific happenings with studio art/art-making experiences. Therefore, J2B research produced substantial goals for future research regarding online mentorship combined with ABR.