The TA Perspective

THE TA PERSPECTIVE

What it's really like to be a teaching artist

What is a Teaching Artist?

In such a quickly changing field, like much of the teaching artist field today, there are many ideas about what constitutes a Teaching Artist. According to the Teaching Artist Handbook, "teaching in an art form makes you a teaching artist" (Jaffe, 4). Other big names in the field, such as Eric Booth acknowledge that there is no consensus on the definition of a teaching artist. On his website he writes, "part of me hopes there will never be a consensus definition for a practice so varied and dynamic. There are no consensus definitions of the words “creativity” or “art” either" (Booth).

While the definition differs from so many voices, the general idea is that a teaching artist is someone is both an educator and an artist. Many TAs see themselves on a spectrum, neither just an artist or just an educator. This in between is such a powerful space because it allows TAs to draw from both their educator and artist sides to engage, learn, and create with others. Below you will find several more definitions of teaching artists from other voices in the field.

Sometimes they teach the art
form, sometimes they teach through the art form, but they use their medium as a
tool for inviting others to explore, learn, and reflect

-CORTNEY

Teaching Artist

"The ones who have the knowledge and skills in artistry and who help teachers to design course in more fun ways."

-RONG ANN

a Teaching Artist is...

For me, a teaching artist is an individual that uses their own practice of making to influence their teaching practice and vice-versa.

-AMELIA FLEMING

Sometimes they teach the art
form, sometimes they teach through the art form, but they use their medium as a
tool for inviting others to explore, learn, and reflect

-CORTNEY

Teaching Artist

"The ones who have the knowledge and skills in artistry and who help teachers to design course in more fun ways."

-RONG ANN

a Teaching Artist is...

For me, a teaching artist is an individual that uses their own practice of making to influence their teaching practice and vice-versa.

-AMELIA FLEMING

Sometimes they teach the art
form, sometimes they teach through the art form, but they use their medium as a
tool for inviting others to explore, learn, and reflect

-CORTNEY

The ones who have the knowledge and skills in artistry and who help teachers to design course in more fun ways.

-RONG ANN

a Teaching Artist is...

For me, a teaching artist is an individual that uses their own practice of making to influence their teaching practice and vice-versa.

-AMELIA FLEMING

An artist who chooses to include artfully educating others, beyond teaching the technique of the art-form, as an active part of a career.

-ERIC BOOTH

Individuals with experience and interests in the education and the arts. They work in a wide range of contexts to support folks to learn in and through the arts.

-KATIE DAWSON

wORKS ciTED:

Booth, Eric. "What Is a Teaching Artist?" Eric Booth. Eric Booth, 2009. Web. 4 May 2017.

Davis, Dale. "Challenges Faced By Teaching Artists." Challenges Faced By Teaching Artists Compiled by Dale Davis From A Snapshot: State of Teaching Artists (2016): n. pag. Dale Davis, 2016. Web. 5 May 2017.

Jaffe, Nick, Becca Barniskis, and Barbara Hackett Cox. Teaching Artist Handbook. Chicago: U of Chicago, 2014. Print.

Challenges OF THE TA PROFESSION

With such a quickly changing and diverse field, TAs sometimes have an uphill battle. While the flexibility of the TA field is one of its biggest strengths, it also leads to different views, even within the field. As of now, there is no certification or degree to become a teaching artist. For this reason teaching artists often have to fight to credibility and expertise. TA Dale Davis writes "It is not easy to break into a field with no credentialed pathway, but once you have the right connections,work leads to more work, though no raises or guarantees of work."

Another challenge facing teaching artists is the lack of full times work , making it hard to sustain on the salaries of part time work. According to teaching artist Roxanna Taylor, "Never sacrifice your art, it is important. Remember that your art is so important to being a TA, so find ways to grow as an artist. Also, be ready for a long road of not knowing what is going on; always be looking for your next gig, we bend like reeds in the wind."