On Sept. 17, Terri Yacovelli held a virtual lecture titled “Jobs in the Arts: What is Art Education.” This informative lecture was about the requirements of becoming an art educator and her 30-year journey in the art education field.
Becoming an art educator requires a passion for teaching people of all ages. Yacovelli has taught 11 years in elementary art, 19 years in high school art and spent 19 years as an adjunct professor of art. In order for Yacovelli to become an art educator, she had to get a level 1 certificate. To get this certificate in Pennsylvania she had to get a bachelor’s degree in art education from an accredited college, complete student teaching and take six exams. The college education and exams prepared her for the content she had to teach, while the student teaching provided her with a mentor to teach her how to be in charge of her own classroom. This level 1 certification is active for three to six years. While teaching, she then had to take graduate classes in order to keep the certification active and prepare for a permanent certification. Yacovelli recommended getting certified for grades K-12 because this allows educators to be placed with kids in any grade.
“Becoming an art educator requires a passion for teaching people of all ages.”
After being certified, Yacovelli emphasized the importance of comparing different school zones’ salaries. For art educators, there is a base salary, but it can increase with experience and degrees. The amount it increases varies by state and school districts. Available benefits, like healthcare, also vary on location.
Yacovelli loves teaching elementary students in kindergarten through fifth grade, because they tend to be very energetic and excited about art. This is the time where they explore beginner materials like colored construction paper and colored pencils. Middle schoolers, sixth through eighth graders, are in the transition phase from elementary school to high school. Yacovelli hasn’t taught this grade so she couldn’t comment on that experience, but she did say that her fellow art teacher friends love working with this age range because the kids are only a little more mature with the same amount of passion for art. High schoolers, ninth through twelfth graders, are more grown up and learn how to critically talk about the emotions and importance of art. Unfortunately, a lot of high school kids doubt their skill set out of fear of what others think so Yacovelli found her role as their teacher very fulfilling because she was able to create an environment that welcomed mistakes and helped foster personal connections to art. To Yacovelli, building connections and watching her students grow up is the highlight of being their art teacher.
“Yacovelli loves teaching elementary students in kindergarten through fifth grade, because they tend to be very energetic and excited about art.”
Being an art teacher allows a lot of creative freedom, however, as Yacovelli explained, “You can teach how you want,” but art teachers can’t teach whatever they want. Art teachers can develop their own curriculum but must follow the state standard for the arts. In Pennsylvania’s state standard there is a strong emphasis on showing students the process of making art and explaining its cultural context. Still, art teachers can create their own lesson plans to do this in an engaging and effective way for students. Yacovelli has the saying, “Say it, show it, do it,” because she explains the art’s cultural significance and visually breaks down the art step-by-step. Art teachers can find ways to present the same information in unique and exciting ways.
Art teachers have essential roles in other departments and activities as well. They may be asked to lead some advisory groups, be a homeroom teacher or train new teachers. They may also be asked to lead an after-school art club or lead a fundraiser. Unfortunately, the art department is severely underfunded so a lot of the school supplies are bought through educational grants and garnered in non-traditional ways, like in common household items. It takes a lot of work and energy to be an art educator, but educators like Yacovelli see the fruits of their labor in being able to see the kids grow up kind and with a passion for art. Being an art educator is not like the standard job, every day is different and it’s important to remember “they’re kids, not clients.” Educators can be more personable with children and be seen as a warm figure to them. Art educators build a loving community eager to work with different supplies every day. Every day as an art educator is a new experience and that’s what keeps it exciting.
