artistteachercef

As an artist teacher, I value being an expert in my own work. I love talking about my work and ideas, whether in school, galleries or conferences.

This image shows me at BALTIC, Centre for Contemporary Art, at my multi media show, ‘Playing the Waiting Game’ 2017.

I am committed to my artist teacher role in school and beyond and I think it is important to be present at the gallery when my work is being shown.  I love this photo, it records the experience of meeting two gallery visitors (they had never met ‘an artist’ before!)

My daily teaching role at Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne, moves from teacher to learner several times per hour!

My students have been encouraged from the start to see themselves as ‘artist learners’ with much to give, as well as much to learn! The studio is an open space for exchange of ideas ( a haven at lunchtime and after school for artists of all ages) and for cross phase collaboration. The students come into the Art Department from year seven..armed with their own Visual Diary; a document that contains their own ideas and themes, memories and records of creative activity. They are encouraged to be proactive in collecting starting points for themselves.

I see my job as an artist teacher working to help students develop meaningful creative work. I help them as a group and individually, to support an ethos where we can develop and explore ideas and materials. I value the opportunity to recall the sources and stories behind an artists’ inspiration. I love narratives and supply strategies and opportunities for students to record and

extend their ability to make innovative cultural connections through using resonant materials and performance.

I have passion for my subject, I am committed and dedicated to helping students to develop depth in their ideas and to champion their enthusiasms and stories. Mentoring young artists and helping them to be confident in connecting ideas, subjects and people is a motivator for me. Recording their memory of being in the studio is also important.

My year seven students have many experiences that they want to share. I have encouraged students to propose a lesson takeover, a student takeover! where they become the artist /teacher /learner, presenting a skill or topic that they value.

Paper making; a student presented a workshop in paper making teaching us how to paper pulp, use special tools to sieve the pulp and then demonstrated and allowed us to participate in pressing. This workshop was inspired by the student’s grandma who makes a living in India from the art of paper making. The student has been making paper since he was 4 years old.

 

The student was brilliantly prepared for the workshop, bringing with him to school ready prepared pulp, bowls, deckle and nappy liners..he even had a system of putting names on the pieces! Students were intrigued by the subject and loved making paper.

The summary discussion was about the student’s Grandma’s work and how beautiful her handmade paper is. He brought a hard back copy of a book, written and illustrated by his Grandma showing her work and how she has developed her work over a lifetime.

Sustainability, time based work, tradition, learning from elders and how an artists’ choice of paper can be handmade was also a development in making students aware of the wider world.

He loved bringing this skill to his peers and taking over, assuming a ‘teaching’ role. I would like to think this takeover may result in students being willing to find ways to communicate their ideas and skills in other subjects too.

I would also like them to perhaps think of teaching as a career in later life, or remember teaching as a skill they can offer in the form of peer learning within any career.

Muscle memory and troll hairstyles!

My work often centres on memory as a theme. I remember watching Blue Peter as a youngster and I can remember the thrill of watching and making, motivating me to play with materials and later demonstrating to family and friends and enjoying the final result of my labour. My happiest times were making things, and they still are.

The student takeovers are always full of stories…Some of my students had loved an activity they had learned from science club…. and decided to do their takeover creating troll chromatography hair styles! …the students supplied a variety of paper trolls, science provided the chromatography paper…our use of simple materials

The students loved bringing this activity to the class, they prepared well and made sure, as all the students have done, that each student..and visiting teachers could take part.

The student takeovers have been a great success; students are learning to present their ideas, enthusiasms and skills with passion and they are learning how to get organised in order to make their workshop a success. As a teacher, I am learning more about how my students perceive a teaching role…their use of voice and posture was an eyeopener! They clearly enjoyed having the opportunity to get into someone else’s shoes and I was amazed at the level of organisation they had.

Each workshop ends with a follow up discussion and an opportunity for questions and for students to record and write up what they have experienced.

I would love to explore developing this empowering, but simple, way for students to become teacher/learners.

I would like to ask students to present opportunities for the class to explore more open ended conceptual /performance works. I am working with Jon Swords ( Northumbria University) to look at ways of developing performance (actual and virtual) spaces local to our school. I would like to look at the idea of the openair classroom and taking art into ‘almost’ galleries……watch this space.