Hi, I'm Jo Burke,
a Visual Arts teacher
from Perth.

“Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.”

― Plato

I believe that a visual arts classroom is a place for expression, creativity, and embracing individuality. Each student is developing their own idiosyncratic form of artistic expression, and in adolescence, it is important to nurture that. I also believe visual art is a class that requires both discipline and fun; two seemingly contradictory traits. My pedagogical approach to cultivate this is inquiry based learning. In inquiry based learning, students both create and solve their own problems (Wilson & Jan, 2007). This ties into my social constructivist philosophy: my role as a teacher is a facilitator – to help them create problems they want to solve, and then guiding them through solutions. I believe learning is lifelong – an oft repeated cliché in this profession. However, the need for a creative outlet in life is an almost-universal one. A positive experience in high school can lay the framework down for life.

Curwin and Mendler, authors of “Discipline With Dignity”, a 1999 book on classroom management, are two theorists I wish to emulate in my classroom practice. Discipline with dignity is a theory that prioritises students above everyone else. Students are young adults with developing autonomy, and often act in unpredictable ways. Their dignity should not be furloughed in response to misbehaviour. In this framework, instead of following on a strict hierarchy of consequences, teachers evaluate individual situations (McDonald, 2019). This is system that has a strong focus on the power of teacher-student relationships, and how they influence student behaviour. As with all egalitarian teaching theory, teachers model the conduct and values desired in the classroom (McDonald, 2019). Building rapport with students is an essential part of any classroom; this is especially vital in the visual arts. Students must feel able to express themselves. This is not only expressing themselves creatively, but both the worries and the curiosities that come with it.