My Philosophy of Art Education

Emma Ahart

What it means to teach Art Education is not a straightforward concept, because Art itself
is not so straightforward. Making art does not simply mean drawing well or being able to paint or
sculpt. Making art, essentially, is the channeling of creativity through a variety of skills both
technical and personal, such as self-discipline, interpersonal skills, critical thinking, and creative
problem solving. To teach Art Education means to teach the technical and design aspects of art,
as well as to act as a guide for students developing their more personal creative skills that will
benefit them through the rest of their lives. I intend to do so by utilizing a blend of the Formalism
and Contextualism art philosophies and teaching to the “whole-child” using a Holistic style
pedagogy in a kind and respectful learning environment.

Formalism is an approach that focuses on art at its face value. The theory teaches to the
base elements of art, such as learning the elements and principles of design and putting them into
practice. It also puts emphasis on learning techniques and use of traditional mediums, like
painting and charcoal. Teaching from a formalistic approach usually means to teach traditionally.
Contextualism on the other hand, does not see art as just “art”, but as a means of social and
personal commentary. This method sees art as a means of deeper expression, and explores many
different levels of context surrounding art. This theory also encourages artists to try non-
traditional mediums based on what is trying to be expressed. I believe both hold incredibly
important values that should be taught to students. Formalism directly works to help students
develop their technical abilities, and Contextualism works to help students develop a voice and
explore art from many different angles and perspectives. When it comes to beginner level
classes, Formalism should take more of the focus, because it teaches foundational skills that
students will always be able to use going forward. For classes that go past those base skills,
Contextualism should be more and more integrated so that students can develop their own
creative ideas and voices alongside using the technical knowledge that they already have
experience with.

If I were to say that my only duty as an art educator is to “teach art” to my students, I
would be doing them a disservice, which is why I work my teaching structure around a Holistic
approach. The word “Holism” is derived from the Greek word that means “whole”, so naturally
Holistic education works to teach to the “whole child”. This looks like working to help students
develop emotionally, intellectually, socially, and creatively. Art is a wonderful subject to build a
curriculum around addressing these points. For example, targeting a student’s intellectual growth
would be to teach about the different art mediums in what they are, how they are used, and their
history of use. Learning how to express thoughts and ideas and use that to give peers critical
feedback during critiques works towards social development. Emotionally, students are dealing
with a lot as they grow into themselves as people, and art is a safe and constructive way to
express and learn about those emotions. Finally, all of these pieces can come together to fuel and
inspire creativity. The final goal of a Holistic educational approach is for students to grow into
the best person that they can be. Such is a challenging process for anyone, but my goal is to help
each and every one of my students to take the steps closer to that.
 Of course, the environment for learning is just as important as what is being taught, and
without a proper learning environment, it will be significantly more difficult for learning to
happen in a way that will be long lasting. The foundation of my classroom will be centered on
respect and kindness. I recognize that every student has something unique that they bring into the
classroom. I want to make sure that my students know that I recognize that, and that I believe
that each of them has the ability to succeed. Respect for each other is also very important. As a
class we are all in the same boat together, and we must work to lift those around us up, and never
put them down. Students should also respect the space around them, which is why keeping their
tools and workspaces clean and tidy will be very important in my classroom. Most importantly, I
want my students to respect themselves. Sometimes it is hard to see your own worth, but if there
is anything that I want my students to leave my classroom with, it would be this. I will help to
work towards this by being encouraging of my students’ when they feel down, supportive of
their ideas, and help them with small wins that will lead to big successes.

Formalism, Contextualism, Holistic pedagogy, and a kind and respectful learning

environment are all tools at my disposal to provide the best education for my future students. The
climate of schools and teaching is ever changing, and it is incredibly important for me to be
willing to learn new things and adapt for the sake of my students. There is no correct philosophy
for education. However, I believe that there is a correct goal that all educators should share. The
goal that at the end of each of your classes, your student walks out your room a better person
than when they entered. If my students leave me with more confidence, a brighter imagination, a
stronger work ethic, or any other skill or mindset that they will be able to use for the rest of their
lives, then I will be content in my work.