A Master of Art in Teaching (MAT) – Art K-12 can elevate an art teacher’s instruction and provide access to new career opportunities, no matter how long they’ve been teaching. New art teachers benefit from high-quality education in their MAT degree program, while experienced art teachers apply new classroom strategies and perspectives to their existing curriculum and instruction.
However, those aren’t the only benefits of earning an MAT degree in art instruction. Earning an advanced art education degree puts teachers on a path to professional development that will positively impact their careers – and hundreds of future artists – for years to come. The Arkansas State University (A-State) online MAT – Art K-12 program provides students with art education skills and professional development options to excel in this career.
Why Is Art Education Important?
Art education has always been a vital part of a child’s education, but no time more so than now. With factors like artificial intelligence, school budget cuts of the arts and standardized educational processes, a creative mind is a truly valuable resource.
Art education provides an outlet for children of all skill levels, providing a welcome oasis from the pressure and competition of 21st-century school life. When an artistic mentality is a priority in local schools, the surrounding community tends to flourish, as its citizens are civic-minded, tolerant and creative.
A high-quality art education program benefits students long after art class is over. Students who take an art class generally experience less stress, stronger memories, higher academic performance, better fine motor skills and elevated focus.
When they create with partners or groups, art students improve interpersonal skills and learn to handle constructive criticism. They employ problem-solving skills and a growth mindset to get to their desired goal. Best of all, they bolster a higher self-esteem and sense of efficacy after carrying a creative project to its final product.
What Is an MAT in Art Education?
A Master of Art in Teaching – Art K-12 degree, such as that from A-State, is a graduate-level degree earned at a university, typically through a School of Education. This degree goes past the level of a bachelor’s degree to enable teachers and teacher candidates to teach art to various age levels.
Unlike other master’s degrees in education, an MAT focuses on classroom instruction rather than administrative perspectives. It incorporates real-world experience into a classroom model that benefits many populations of students – all while strengthening students’ own art skills.
A-State’s Master of Art in Teaching – Art K-12 online program sets instructors up for success as elementary, middle and high school art teachers. In as few as 15 months, teacher candidates learn vital classroom management skills, curriculum development strategies, and ways to implement instructional methodologies focusing on the visual arts. The ease of an online program provides a flexible schedule for students already in the workforce, whether in education or another career.
Current Job Outlook for US Art Teachers
Like many instructional positions, art teacher jobs are in demand in the United States. Around 60,200 new art teacher jobs are projected to open in the next 10 years. Over 57,055 art teachers currently work in U.S. schools, with another 69,820 job openings left to fill.
Today, art teachers make an average salary of $50,188 – an increase of 9% over the last five years. Art teachers with a graduate degree, such as an MAT in Art, can potentially earn more than the average at their chosen school or district.
Types of Professional Growth Opportunities for Art Teachers
Many experienced teachers choose to earn an MAT to advance their careers, improve their earning potential and feel fulfilled in their chosen line of work. An MAT – Art K-12 also provides important professional development for teachers, preparing them for a career focused on improvement, self-reflection and professional evolution.
There are many options for art teacher professional development. After earning a MAT, consider the following ways to stay immersed in the arts and on top of changing trends in the art world – and in the art classroom.
Attend Art Education Conferences
Teachers who attend educational conferences in their discipline come back to their jobs feeling refreshed and inspired. They’ve made important connections in their teaching network, reflected on their own strengths and areas of growth and learned new ways to enhance their curriculum.
Art teachers can look for art educational conferences in their area, particularly ones with workshops or in-services. Teachers should consider attending with other art teachers in the district and presenting learned insights to the rest of the faculty.
Host Art Exhibitions
Most art teachers host art exhibitions for their students at least once a year. Art teachers should find a gallery space, either on campus or off campus, and reach out to artists in the community.
Art teachers can invite students and their parents to explore their potential future as artists. They can involve their art class in planning the exhibition, including organizing refreshments, booking the space and writing thank-you notes to participating artists and sponsors.
Seek Professional Art Certifications
Like every industry, the art world is always changing. Staying in touch with these adaptations better equips teachers to guide students as they enter a dynamic, forward-thinking art space.
A-State’s Master of Art in Teaching – Art K-12 online program is a strong professional art certification for professionals’ resumes, especially when they add art certifications such as Certified Professional Photographer (CPP), Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) or Certified Graphic Designer. Keeping in touch with the connections they make as they complete professional certifications and integrate expertise into new and exciting art projects for students benefits professionals knowledge, resources and career opportunities.
Apply for Art Program Grants
As every art teacher knows, a well-funded art program is a strong art program. Securing grants for an art program not only keeps supplies in students’ desks and updated software on their computers. It also establishes teachers as integral members of any school faculty.
Once educators learn how to write grant proposals, they find there are opportunities everywhere for new projects. State-funded grants are often available for programs in underfunded or underrepresented communities, for example, private grants and sponsorships can help with more specific goals in art instruction. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is a great place to start when applying for art program grants.
Take Art History Courses
Teachers are lifelong learners themselves. Whether online, at the local community college or through a university program, an art history course provides important context that teachers can incorporate into classroom instruction.
Those who want to be in touch with more recent developments in art should consider a course in modern art. They can explore trends in visual arts throughout the 20th and 21st centuries and use what they learn to inspire the upcoming artists in class.
Develop a Student Art Portfolio
While students are usually the ones creating portfolios, teachers can benefit their professional careers with portfolios as well. A teacher’s student art portfolio showcases their instruction in a visual way that no other educational artifact can.
Teachers should choose pieces students have created throughout the year (take high-quality photos if they want to keep their work). Ask students to write reflections on the teacher’s practice that contributed to the project, both positive and negative. They should consider questions like: What would you do again for the next art students? What would you change about the lesson?
Focus on Growth as an Artist
It’s easy for art teachers to focus on their students’ art rather than their own. But art teachers who are also working artists bring added value to their students: personal experience. They can offer students practical and meaningful advice about a wide range of art-related topics, including preparing a portfolio, applying for exhibitions and thinking like an artist to push their own boundaries.
To demonstrate their identity as an artist beyond teaching, educators can share their work with students and maintain an open dialog about what they’re doing in their own art career. They can enroll in art courses to explore a new medium – whether it’s painting, photography, sculpture or digital art – and bring those new skills to the classroom. As they challenge themselves as artists, they can more authentically challenge their students.
Is an MAT Degree Worth It?
Earning a Master of Art in Teaching – Art K-12 is a worthwhile investment for teachers who’d like to take their art teaching careers to the next level. After graduating from A-State’s MAT program, graduates find themselves in careers with higher salaries and flexible opportunities. Because they can develop high-quality lesson plans that connect to academic standards, they’re able to teach what they want to students who want to learn from them.
Plus, the career opportunities don’t end with the classroom. Many MAT program graduates get involved with art curriculum development or educational consulting. They become better teachers, artists and professionals, making an MAT a beneficial investment for everyone in their educational community.
Learn more about A-State’s MAT – Art K-12 online program.