Teaching art can be a fulfilling career that brings enjoyment to you and your students. As an art teacher, you can help your students discover and explore their creative sides and become more well-rounded personalities. By understanding the various requirements of being an art teacher, you can decide if teaching art for a living is something you might want to do in the long term. In this article, we discover what makes an impactful art teacher job description, the responsibilities, skills and experience necessary for the role and review some frequently asked questions related to the position.
An art teacher job description can give you an accurate idea of what the employer expects from you. The principal purpose of teaching art is to boost creative thinking, impart artistic skills to students and make them aware of the social, cultural, political and economic factors that influenced art in different historical periods. For doing this capably, the art teacher requires considerable artistic abilities and knowledge of aesthetics and art history. They also typically require excellent communication, interpersonal and empathetic skills.
1.plan, develop and implement art and art history curriculum to meet learning goals
2.purchase art materials and maintain the inventory of art materials
3.prepare and arrange art materials and art equipment in the classroom for students to use
4.deliver lectures to students on art, art techniques, art history and aesthetics
5.give drawing and painting demonstrations to students to teach them art techniques
6.instruct students in working in different drawing, painting, and colouring techniques
7.discuss various artistic approaches and traditions and encourage students to express themselves artistically
8.provide instruction in the use of pencils, pens, charcoal, brushes, watercolours, acrylic colours, oil colours and other art materials
9.assign art projects to students, grade the finished art projects, conduct art exams and maintain records of the students' progress
10.organise art exhibitions to display the artworks of students and help them develop their art portfolios
11.support the school administration in developing art programmes, attend faculty meetings and participate in parent-teacher discussions
The minimum educational qualification to be an art teacher is a one-year certificate in drawing teacher training that you can do after the 10th. Many schools may prefer candidates with a two-year art teacher diploma (A.T.D.). For the A.T.D., it is necessary to have completed 10+2 and passed the intermediate drawing grade examination that the Directorate of Art in Maharashtra conducts. Some art institutions may also require you to have completed a one-year art foundation course.
You can enhance your career prospects by doing a one-year diploma in art education, for which it is first necessary to complete a four-year diploma or degree in fine arts or applied arts. If you have an A.T.D. and at least three years of experience in teaching art or a diploma in fine arts or applied arts and five years of art teaching experience, you can do a one-year, part-time art master certificate course.
To be eligible for an art teacher job, you require the following skills:
To be able to teach art to students, you require excellent artistic skills yourself. Candidates applying to art teacher vacancies can benefit from demonstrated art abilities and knowledge of various art techniques. Many employers may make their hiring decision based on your art portfolio. It is advisable to prepare a well-presented portfolio showing a range of competently executed art samples in various mediums and revise your knowledge of art theory and art history.
Excellent verbal and listening skills are essential for art teachers to have to facilitate regular interactions with students. They can enable you to supervise groups of students and easily and clearly explain art assignments, art techniques, art materials, art history and aesthetics. You can respond to their questions and concerns and encourage them to express their unique ideas and opinions and become more creative.
Well-developed interpersonal skills can enable art teachers to get along with their students and various other personalities associated with the school. For instance, it may be necessary to collaborate on work duties with other teachers, report to the school administration, inform parents about students' progress, arrange art events and deal with art materials suppliers. Knowing how to cultivate positive relationships with different people can help you to perform your job more effectively.
Successful art teachers have strong empathetic skills that enable them to better understand their students' emotional cues. They listen to what they are saying verbally and non-verbally and can show sensitivity and understanding towards their opinions and perspectives. They provide them with the support and encouragement they need to perform well in art class and beyond.
You may receive interview calls in response to your applications to various available art teacher jobs. It is advisable to prepare ahead by compiling a list of frequently-asked art teacher job interview questions. You can ask a family member or friend to help you practise answering these. Here are a few for your review:
Interviewers often ask this question to find out if you understand the importance of including art in the school curriculum to aid in the overall development of students. Your response can explain why you think art can make a positive impact on students. You can also mention how it can help them to do better in other study areas.
The interviewer may ask you this question to find out what your motivation is in becoming an art teacher. They may also want to check that you commit to teaching art and that, if they hire you, they can expect you to work for them for the long term. It can help to provide an honest answer that outlines your reasons for wanting to teach art.
The purpose of this interview question is to find out if you have done your research before coming for the job interview. Since you want to work at that particular school, it is essential that you have some basic knowledge about it. You can make a better impression by stating a few valid reasons that made you decide to apply for an art teacher job with them
You may encounter this often-asked question to test your understanding of what constitutes effective teaching methods. Your answer may depend on your experience. If you are a new art teacher with no teaching experience, you can give examples of the great art teachers you had. If you have art teaching experience, you can mention some of your experiences.
The national average salary for art teachers is ₹17,458 per month. The exact pay may vary accordingly. This salary amount can depend on the employer, the educational institution, location, educational qualifications, work experience and skills.
Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at the time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organisation and a candidate's experience, academic background and location.