Re: What am I in for?

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On 12/15/11, artinthemiddle wrote:
> From the way you posted your question, you sound a lot like
> me. I also took my time going through college and everything
> pretty much clicked in my senior year, but I was terrified,
> anxious, and had many unanswered questions in the back of my
> mind. I can only answer your questions based on my own
> personal experience, but if yours is anything like mine: yes,
> you will slave away until 1am on lessons, planning,
> researching, assessing - but you will do it because you love
> your job and because you want to, and because even on your
> longest and most exhausting days, your career will leave you
> feeling inspired, motivated, and wanting to challenge yourself
> not only to expect the best from your students, but to give
> the best, by constantly tweaking what you teach and how you
> teach it. You will set high expectations for yourself and
> challenge yourself to meet them, not because some stuffy boss
> in a corner office is asking you to, but because you will
> realize the importance of what you do every day and how it
> impacts the lives of children. It will not always be easy,
> there will be times when you are exhausted, out of patience,
> frustrated, and overwhelmed. There will be more paperwork than
> you had in mind. That part will be tedious. However, more
> often than not, you will feel accomplished, rewarded, proud,
> excited, and inspired. You are about to embark on a
> rollercoaster that begins in September and ends only briefly
> in June, and it will occupy your thoughts for the majority of
> the hours in the day and the days in the week. It sounds
> overwhelming, and it is, but you will realize that graduating
> and becoming an art teacher was one of the best things you
> have done for yourself, and you will be one of the few people
> who know who can share with honesty that you truly love your
> job, not only on the good days, but on the bad days as well.
> Best of luck!!
>
>
> On 12/14/11, Patrick wrote:
>> So this is my situation.
>>
>> I'm 29 and in my senior year for art education at Carlow
>> University. I wasn't mature enough to handle college the
>> first time, and by the time I went back (2008) I'd finally
>> figured it out. I'll probably be student teaching spring
>> 2013 (I'm a part time student).
>>
>> Never in my life have I been so sure anything as I am of the
>> decision to teach. I know that this is what I'm built for.
>> It is the one single thing that I actually believe about
>> myself, and not just what friends and family tell me.
>>
>> But I'm scared. I'm scared of the PRAXIS, I'm scared of
>> student teaching, I'm scared of the things that I -don't-
>> know about the career. The major thing is I don't know what
>> kind of lifestyle that this will lead me to. I aim to teach
>> elementary art, btw. Will I be slaving away every night of
>> the week until 1 a.m. doing lesson plans for the rest of my
>> life? The things that I don't know are chewing up the back
>> of my mind.
>>
>> I want to do this more than anything, but I want to know
>> what it's going to mean for my life outside the classroom
> too.
>>
>> I'm actually going to take a year to prepare after I
>> graduate in 2013. I'm joining the JET (Japan Exchange
>> Teaching) program and heading there for a year to be an
>> assistant english teacher in primary and secondary schools.
>> It'll be a resume booster AND it'll afford me a great deal
>> of time to prepare lesson plans, read and otherwise gear up
>> to come back to the US and land a job.
>>
>> Too long; didn't read version: What am I in for? I know this
>> is right for me, but I want to know how my life is going to
>> change.

Hi Patrick,

I wish you the best of luck on your journey of becoming an Art
Teacher. I have read the responses to your posts, and I wanted to
comment on the PRAXIS. I am a change of life Art teacher (well I
am certified and actively looking for a job!) Anyway, I have been
connected to art making, and I am always reading Art History
books etc. When I went back to become certified my professor
advised me to STUDY for the Praxis, and she was right. I studied,
and read, and researched what was going to be on the test etc. I
dedicated time to compiling notes on what to study, and then
spent about three weeks studying. The Praxis includes everything;
jewelry making, photography, artists, artists quotes,clay and
ofcourse who made what and in what period. I did pass with almost
all correct..yay me! but it was a lot of work.

If this is what you want to do you will do great. I am a nervous
person and being a "mature" person student teaching was
incredible. Yes I was up until 2am some nights planning and over
planning (just in case) and it was totally worth it. The students
excelled and learned. I felt that this was where I wanted to be
and needed to be. The students inspired me, and the energy in an
Art classroom is not like any other.

Again, I wish you luck and please study for that Praxis, and rest
assured once you are with the students your passion for what you
love will overtake any fears you may have now.

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