Career Advice for an Art Teacher

Art teachers help students learn how to create visual art pieces using various mediums. They teach the art of drawing, painting, sculpting, and other artistic methods. Art teachers take their students through art history to understand the meaning behind the work. They may work in a school or on a freelance basis.

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How to Become an Art Teacher

Choosing your career path and learning how to become the person you aspire to be is not always straight forward; getting a job in your chosen industry will take dedication, focus and the right qualifications.

When you have chosen the career path you wish to follow, you will need to learn how to become an Art Teacher

Should you wish to work as an Art Teacher you will need to evaluate what courses are required, their cost and what qualifications you need. It is important that you also assess whether you have the right credentials from a personality point of view, what the demands of the job are and whether they complement the lifestyle that you desire.

Another factor to consider, should you wish to fulfil your career aspirations, is the number of jobs you will need to have to reach your ultimate job, and the length of time it will take to reach this goal.

Common Qualifications for an Art Teacher

  • 2 or 3 A Levels
  • Degree in Education
  • Degree in Fine Arts or Art History

Key Responsibilities for an Art Teacher

  • Planning lessons according to curriculum guidelines
  • Adding elements of art history throughout the lesson plans
  • Preparing the class for each session by setting up relevant equipment
  • Helping students to develop their drawing and painting techniques
  • Providing guidance on using various drawing and painting mediums
  • Assigning projects
  • Evaluating student projects
  • Conducting and marking exams
  • Recording student progress
  • Maintaining classroom inventory

What to expect as an Art Teacher

As an art teacher, you will usually work in a school, provide instructions on various art techniques and help students develop their skills. You will also teach about art history and ensure pupils are following a set education plan. To succeed, you will need to encourage creativity in students and have extensive knowledge of various artistic methods.

Recommended Art Teacher Jobs

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How to get Art Teacher Jobs

Our advice on how to get an Art Teacher job is to focus on preparation and personalisation.

Preparation

This occurs before you write a CV cover letter or complete an Art Teacher application. If you have not held an Art Teacher position before, it will help to research the industry and review what a typical career path might look like. If you have held an Art Teacher role, focus your research on the company where you are seeking employment.

Valuable resources that will help you learn about the employer include the company’s career page, social media page, blog, job ad, and job description. Helpful information will consist of the company’s mission statement, values, and vision. You could also use an employer review site to gain insights on average salaries, what current employees say about the company culture, and what it is like to work for the organisation.

Personalisation

You are now in a position to use what you have learned in your Art Teacher CV, cover letter, and application. You should personalise each Art Teacher application, cover letter, and CV; prioritising job skills and relevant experience and providing examples that show you have similar values and goals.

This pre-application stage is a crucial step in how to become an Art Teacher in the UK. It puts you in a superbly informed state, ready for forthcoming telephone, video, or in-person interviews.

Students: How to Become an Art Teacher 

As with all professions, choose your study topics carefully. Review the qualifications needed to be an Art Teacher and the subjects you will need to enrol in certification courses, higher education, or online courses. 

Aligning your study subjects

The more closely you align your study subjects with your career path, the more likely you will be to have projects and modules that you can refer to and show a prospective employer that you have practical or theoretical Art Teacher experience.

How to get Art Teacher Experience

What does it take to be an Art Teacher? The best way to find out is to get work experience, which will be invaluable when applying for Art Teacher jobs. You can learn how to be a successful Art Teacher through internships, apprenticeships, or volunteering for a local business.

How to be an Art Teacher Part-Time 

If you are wondering how to get into Art Teacher part-time, there are several possibilities. You might find a new employer looking for a part-time Art Teacher or find your existing employer is amenable. Often companies recognise the value of flexible hours and having more staff at work during busy times of the day. 

Art Teacher freelance work

If you have impressive Art Teacher qualifications and experience, you could take on the challenges of working freelance with control over your schedule.

Making a Career Change

How to start a career in this profession if you work in another industry may require studying for qualifications online and focusing on transferable skills when writing your CV and attending job interviews.