Write and reflect on the professional qualities of your dream job.

My dream job as an art instructor, up to this point, would be in a middle school. I like the age group best of all, from my limited experience. They are very capable and willing. Most of the students at this age have some confidence as artists, which is one of their greatest assets.

Control over the student projects is a must. I wouldn't mind creating lessons to fit into a curriculum or even teaching a lesson that was popular. However, I need control over the majority of the lessons that I present to students. I want to be able to maximize the students' experience and I don't believe that I would be able to do that if I were teaching lessons that belonged to someone else.

My dream job would have helpful administrators that nurtured the needs of art students and understand the importance of art in a well rounded education. A nice budget and proper facilities with plenty of storage are always welcome. Proper facilities in my eyes, is an art room with many sinks, plenty of room to work with, plenty of natural sunlight, good ventilation, and access to technology. A storage room and a kiln are absolutely necessary at my dream job. An organized area for students to keep their materials and projects would be fantastic as well.

My dream job also requires air conditioning. I love air conditioning.

In what ways do you foresee a necessity for support in your first year of teaching? From where and how do you expect this support to come? i.e. district, school, fellow teachers...

In my personal opinion, I feel that I will receive the majority of support through my fellow teachers. When starting a new position, your fellow teachers can help acclimate you into the your school's culture. They can teach you recognized classroom management strategies that are effective, help you figure out how to motivate tough students, and encourage your efforts.

Special Education teachers are another group of teachers that I foresee lending quite a bit of support. Students in the special education program have several individual strengths and areas of growth that are beneficial to know about before beginning instruction. Knowledge of the adaptations that you might need to make before hand can make instruction run smoother by helping you manage materials and have a variety of approaches to instruct a lesson. This will eliminate wasted time and help the students reach their full potential.

Within the school I can see the principal and a mentoring teacher being a source of support as well. Being observed early in your career, mentors and principals can give you feedback on a variety of behavior issues, lesson planning, and material management. This supporting cast can also serve as a source of positive feedback. Their positive feedback can reinforce your efforts and increase your drive to reach your goals and fulfill your potential.

I believe a successful teacher is primarily a matter of...

I believe that the primary trait that makes a teacher successful is care. Care for the students is the driving force that motivates teachers to continue instructing at an exceptional level. There are several traits that all of the successful teachers I have ever had share, but all of the traits are a product of considering the needs of the students.

Reflection is a necessary trait for any teacher that wants to constantly improve lessons and differentiate instruction for diverse learners. Looking back at lessons and considering what went well and where improvements can be made takes plenty of thought and consideration. More than anything, it takes time. It takes time outside of the classroom to push those lessons to the next level or to figure out a teaching strategy that will benefit a very small portion of the classroom. Without care, the time needed to reflect and shape lessons would be lost.

Ensuring that students are connecting their education with their lives is another trait that I identify with a successful and caring teacher. A teacher that really cares will take the time to create an interest survey or have discussion with students about their values. Gaining insight into what students want to learn and value in order to create instruction that is relevant and meaningful shows a great deal of care. Lessons can become outdated or reflect the instructor's interests, which ultimately leads to decreased student motivation.

One of the best quotes I have ever had the pleasure of hearing came from the University of Iowa Women's Basketball Head Coach, Lisa Bluder. During a visit to my class, she spoke of care and motivation, she told us, "They don't care how much you know, till they know how much you care". It is a quote that has stuck with me for years and I have recently been able to witness how correct that quote is. The toughest students that I have had all seem to respond well and increase productivity when I spend a little time with them, one on one, just talking about them and their work. Letting students know that you care about their development as a student, artist, or successful adult can make all the difference and set them on the right track.

What do you see the role of professional development being in your career?

I view professional development from a very multifaceted approach. There are many different aspects of development to consider as a pre-service art educator. Advances in technology, addressing diverse learners, and a continuation of exploring my own artist expression and content knowledge are several ways that I foresee myself developing as my career advances.

Advances in technology is a never ending area of development. Implementing new technology in the classroom is not only motivating for students, it can also be tremendously useful in running a well maintained classroom. Technology often saves time and opens up instructional opportunities that would not be present without the current advances we enjoy. Keeping yourself up to date on technology is also beneficial for students. Graphic design and other forms of art associated with digital media are constantly evolving and art teachers may need to keep up in order to teach lessons that are relevant in a quickly changing society.

Addressing diverse learners is an area of development that I can see continuing for the entirety of my career. No two students are exactly alike and the diverse learners that we will face will present their own unique challenges. Preparing, adapting, and reflecting upon these challenges will be a never ending process. New research based approaches, RTI and PBIS, will continue to present themselves. In order to develop into better teachers, it is our job to constantly analyze these new approaches in order to elevate our instruction to the next level.

I view my growth as an artist as a very important aspect of professional development. Continuing to stay relevant in the world of art will benefit art educators by exposing them to new types of media, techniques, and styles. The increase in content knowledge will enable us to better differentiate our lessons for each individual while also enabling us to teach a deeper understanding of technical processes.