Profession fine arts instructor

Fine arts instructors educate students in specific theory and, primarily, practice-based fine arts courses at a specialised fine arts school or conservatory at a higher education level, including drawing, painting and sculpturing. They provide theoretical instruction in service of the practical skills and techniques the students must subsequently master in the fine arts. Fine arts instructors monitor the students' progress, assist individually when necessary, and evaluate their knowledge and performance on the fine arts through, often practical, assignments, tests and examinations.

Personality Type

• Social / Enterprising
• Social / Investigative
• Social / Artistic
• Social / Conventional
• Social / Realistic

Knowledge

• Art history

  The history of art and artists, the artistic trends throughout centuries and their contemporary evolutions.

• Curriculum objectives

  The goals identified in curricula and defined learning outcomes.

• Assessment processes

  Various evaluation techniques, theories, and tools applicable in the assessment of students, participants in a programme, and employees. Different assessment strategies such as initial, formative, summative and self- assessment are used for varying purposes.

Skills

• Guarantee students' safety

  Ensure all students falling under an instructor or other person’s supervision are safe and accounted for. Follow safety precautions in the learning situation.

• Manage student relationships

  Manage the relations between students and between student and teacher. Act as a just authority and create an environment of trust and stability.

• Supervise craft production

  Fabricate/prepare patterns or templates to guide the crafting production process.

• Perform classroom management

  Maintain discipline and engage students during instruction.

• Prepare lesson content

  Prepare content to be taught in class in accordance with curriculum objectives by drafting exercises, researching up-to-date examples etc.

• Teach arts principles

  Instruct students in the theory and practice of arts and crafts and the fine arts, whether recreationally, as part of their general education, or with the aim of assisting them in pursuing a future career in this field. Offer instruction in courses such as drawing, painting, sculpting and ceramics.

• Liaise with educational support staff

  Communicate with education management, such as the school principal and board members, and with the education support team such as the teaching assistant, school counsellor or academic advisor on issues relating the students' well-being.

• Assess students

  Evaluate the students' (academic) progress, achievements, course knowledge and skills through assignments, tests, and examinations. Diagnose their needs and track their progress, strengths, and weaknesses. Formulate a summative statement of the goals the student achieved.

• Select artistic materials to create artworks

  Select artistic materials based on strength, colour, texture, balance, weight, size, and other characteristics that should guarantee the feasibility of the artistic creation regarding the expected shape, color, etc. - even thought the result might vary from it. Artistic materials such as paint, ink, water colours, charcoal, oil, or computer software can be used as much as garbage, living products (fruits, etc) and any kind of material depending on the creative project.

• Give constructive feedback

  Provide founded feedback through both criticism and praise in a respectful, clear, and consistent manner. Highlight achievements as well as mistakes and set up methods of formative assessment to evaluate work.

• Apply teaching strategies

  Employ various approaches, learning styles, and channels to instruct students, such as communicating content in terms they can understand, organising talking points for clarity, and repeating arguments when necessary. Use a wide range of teaching devices and methodologies appropriate to the class content, the learners' level, goals, and priorities.

• Compile course material

  Write, select or recommend a syllabus of learning material for the students enrolled in the course.

• Assist students with equipment

  Provide assistance to students when working with (technical) equipment used in practice-based lessons and solve operational problems when necessary.

• Create craft prototypes

  Fabricate and prepare prototypes or models of objects to be crafted.

• Develop course outline

  Research and establish an outline of the course to be taught and calculate a time frame for the instructional plan in accordance with school regulations and curriculum objectives.

• Observe student's progress

  Follow up on students’ learning progress and assess their achievements and needs.

• Monitor developments in field of expertise

  Keep up with new research, regulations, and other significant changes, labour market related or otherwise, occurring within the field of specialisation.

• Demonstrate when teaching

  Present to others examples of your experience, skills, and competences that are appropriate to specific learning content to help students in their learning.

• Select subject matter

  Select subject matter based on personal or public interest, or ordered by a publisher or agent.

• Assess conservation needs

  Assess and list the needs for conservation/restoration, in relation to current use and planned future use.

• Adapt teaching to student's capabilities

  Identify the learning struggles and successes of students. Select teaching and learning strategies that support students’ individual learning needs and goals.

• Apply intercultural teaching strategies

  Ensure that the content, methods, materials and the general learning experience is inclusive for all students and takes into account the expectations and experiences of learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. Explore individual and social stereotypes and develop cross-cultural teaching strategies.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB