To an artist, inspiration means so much. To an art teacher, even more.
I was lucky enough to stumble upon a beautiful video created by Matt Cauthron and the ADE Creative Group at the Apple Distinguished Educator Institute at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida (US). Please take a look:
In President Obama’s speech, he explains that “Kids whose imaginations are sparked by the arts are more engaged in school…. Part of what arts education does is it teaches people to see each other through each other’s eyes. It teaches us to respect and understand people who are not like us, and that makes us better citizens and it makes our democracy work better.”
It’s so important to take a step back every now and then to give yourself a chance to see what it is that you do every day, and how important it is. It’s easy to get caught up in planning, resource-collection, grading and all the other ‘busy-ness’ of the classroom teacher. It’s important, through, to refresh yourself by realizing just how important your job is, and how important you are.
Because of you, children will have the opportunity to see their world through eyes they never knew they had. You will lift a veil so that they have a chance to view things differently. You will also give them the tools to understand their world, to digest new concepts and to express their thoughts for the benefit of others as well as themselves.
Take a deep breath and know that you make a difference.
Northern Art Teacher 