“When you think about the purposes of education, there are three. We’re preparing kids for jobs. We’re preparing them to be citizens. And we’re teaching them to be human beings who can enjoy the deeper forms of beauty. The third is as important as the other two.” – Tom Horne, Arizona’s state superintendent of public instruction.
K-12 Teaching Categories
There is A LOT of information about K-12 teaching online; Public, Private and Charter schools are listed state by state, including job requirements and salary. To teach K-12 in a public school, teachers need a specific certification that can vary in each state: However teaching in private or charter schools often do not require a certification, though often a MFA or MA. Check out these links for certification info by state.
- https://www.teachercertificationdegrees.com/#cert.
- https://www2.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/regprivschl/regprivschl.pdf
Public Schools
Those that teach in a public school will have a higher level of diversity among students and abilities throughout the school year. Those in the public-school system are most likely to work in middle or high school. Public schools are free to attend for all students and are subject to state standards and testing. This is usually not much of a concern for art teachers who do not teach an area that is tested.
Private Schools
Those that teach in private school will have students who are paying to attend classes. These classes may have a stricter curriculum and have required topics to cover. Private schools may also have a religious or group affiliation that affects the type of teaching that can take place. Licenses are not required for art teachers working in private institutions but some private schools may prefer teachers with a state license or certification.
Charter Schools
Those who choose to teach at a charter or magnet school may find success as some programs focus on the arts. This means that the students will be well versed in the arts and need a diverse curriculum. Charter schools are free to attend, but because they are not state funded, the curriculum is controlled by the school and a bit more variation can exist.
- Information on substitute teaching: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/middle-school-teachers.htm
General information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
(pay, requirements, job availability etc.):
- Middle school: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/middle-school-teachers.htm
- High School: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/middle-school-teachers.htm
Job Placement
- Job placement for private schools: https://www.carneysandoe.com
- Job placement for Private and charter schools: https://www.indeed.com
- Career Center, an association for Independent Schools (NAIS): https://careers.nais.org/jobs
- Head Hunters for K-12 teachers: https://southernteachers.com
- Overseas placement: https://teachoverseas.uni.edu/fair
*In addition – word of mouth and visiting the school where you would like to be employed is often very successful!
“If they’re worried about their test scores and want a way to get them higher, they need to give kids more arts, not less … There’s lots of evidence that kids immersed in the arts do better on their academic tests.” – Tom Horne, Arizona’s state superintendent of public instruction.
Additional Information/Opportunities
There are a lot of resources for K-12 teachers, these often vary from state to state, so googling your state will be helpful, Use key words “Arts Council” or “Art Commission”.
- Artist in Residency program for K-12 teachers: https://www.arrowmont.org/support/fellowship/
- Continuing education – fantastic program in Minnesota: https://www.northernclaycenter.org/education/educator-resources/educator-workshops
- NOAA working with teachers: https://www.noaa.gov/education
- Teachers tool kits: https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/professional-development/
- A magazine for 7-12 teachers: https://art.scholastic.com
- “iteach” – for online certification: https://www.iteach.net
- How, why, when, and where of being an art teacher. Also includes a job search function: teacher.org
Grants/support for K-12 teachers
Here are some national places to find support:
- National Art Education Association (NAEA): https://www.arteducators.org
- Wingate: https://www.windgatefoundation.org/what-we-fund.html
- Paint donation program https://www.goldenpaints.com/seconds-program
- AMACO resource page: https://www.amaco.com/projects – *Note – AMACO if more than 25 teachers come together, AMACO will give a free workshop
- Grants for teachers: https://teach.com/what/teachers-change-lives/grants-for-teachers/
- K-12 Research grants: https://charleskochfoundation.org/focus-areas/education/
- Resources for K-12 grants for teachers (mostly regional): https://www.grantwatch.com/cat/42/teachers-grants.html
- United States Department of Education (USDE) Grants: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/find/title/index.html?src=apply-page
- Internet Frontier https://internet.frontier.com/resources/education/teacher-grant/
“Art does not solve problems, but makes us aware of their existence,” sculptor Magdalena Abakanowicz has said. Arts education, on the other hand, does solve problems. Years of research show that it’s closely linked to almost everything that we as a nation say we want for our children and demand from our schools: academic achievement, social and emotional development, civic engagement, and equitable opportunity.” Fran Smith, Eutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation
Layce Nichols Tips for Your First Year
Lacye Nichols is a first year high school teacher who has quickly learned that it is easier to apologize than ask for permission. Originally from Alabama, she has somehow found her way up north and has quickly learned how to master driving and biking in the snow. She has been working in clay for the past 10 years, mastering decals and covering her work in gold glitter.
Find Teaching at K-12 Schools
Jenny Hager – teaching K-12 online
Jennifer Hager teaches visual art and drawing online to high school students all over the state of Georgia. She earned her MFA in ceramics from Louisiana State University in 2014. Jennifer has a new baby daughter, Stella, and is choosing to teach online has allowed her to stay home with her child.
Jenny Hager - Teaching K-12 Online “As the needs of k-12 students change, more and more students are opting for online learning. A lot of my students say they or their parents chose online learning because they felt the brick and mortar schools did not meet their children’s needs for a variety of reasons. Some students prefer a “homeschooled” approach (although technically this isn’t homeschool—teachers teach the content to the students, not the parents). A lot of my students enjoy the freedom of online schooling—some are dual-enrolled in college and some work jobs during the day. To teach online with a public school, you will most likely need a teaching certificate. Some online private schools may accept an MFA instead, but most require teaching certification. I went the alternative route with iTeach to obtain my certificate—it was about $4000 and took me about 3 months in a self-paced online course to complete. This also includes “student teaching” (in my case, I was hired at a brick and mortar school as a full-time teacher, and an evaluator from my program popped in a few times to evaluate me. During this time (this portion of evaluation lasted a year), I had a provisional license—once I finished the student teaching I received full certification). There were a few factors that led me to teach online. I have taught in public brick-and-mortar schools and have had wonderful and not-so-wonderful experiences. The first school I taught at was a dream—it was an academy in Louisiana. We had talented, brilliant students and no behavior issues. When we moved to Georgia, I taught at a middle school with lots of behavior issues. I had 45+ students in all my classes, not enough chairs, and a lot of stressful experiences. Once my husband and I decided to have a baby, I wanted to stay home. I found a listing for an online teaching job, applied, and got the job! I currently teach in Georgia at a public online school. My school offers several art classes including visual arts, photography, and drawing. The school essentially functions the same way a brick and mortar would—we hold live synchronous classes at specific times, we take attendance, students submit work through dropboxes and take online quizzes, and students receive an art box with supplies each year to complete their projects. Teachers create videos to show techniques and hold live classes to discuss projects and show students how to model with clay or paint with acrylics. We can use webcams, document cameras, and video editing software to deliver the content effectively. I must say that I feel I make the same connections with students that I did in the physical classroom, and it’s always fun to meet them face to face when we have outing events. Pros for students: Cons for students: Pros for teachers: Cons for teachers: If you currently teach in a brick and mortar, and you want to teach online, I would check with your local school district—many districts offer online classes now. In my experience, many of my colleagues in brick-and-mortar moonlight as online teachers for other districts or private/charter online schools to earn extra income. Also check with your state’s department of education-they might also offer a public state online school. Different online schools pay teachers in different ways—some pay per student and some pay a salary (full-time). Some even pay more for AP classes! Also, lots of states offer reciprocity for teaching certificates, so you may be able to find online (part-time or full-time) work in other states.
Resources for teaching online:
www.K12.com. K12 has online schools in just about every state. “Tuition-free, K12-powered public schools feature rigorous online curriculum with hands-on materials delivered to your door.* Dedicated, state-certified teachers provide instruction and support for students in grades K–12.”
https://www.connectionsacademy.com/online-school. Connections Academy schools are tuition-free online public schools for students in grades K–12. Most Connections Academy-supported schools are accredited by one of the six regional accrediting agencies.
https://www.icademy.com. K12 International Academy is a fully accredited, U.S. diploma-granting, private online school for grades K–12.
https://www.thoughtco.com/free-online-public-schools-4148138. A state by state listing of online schools