The BC Art Teachers Association

 Shanaaz Mackay

1. What is the name of your professional associations or specialist organization?    The professional association that is relevant to my future career as a teacher is The BC Art Teachers Association (BCATA).

How did you find out about it (provide details such as urls)

I found out about it by googling BC art teachers. I wanted to keep it to something local so that it would be something that I can actually be a part of. The url is http://bcata.wikispaces.com/ .

What is their mandate?

Their mandate is to encourage members to maintain their dedication to promoting and supporting quality art education to all BC students.

What kinds of projects is your association currently working on?

They produce several resources annually including                                                  -twelve e-newsletters                                                                                          -quarterly newsletters -two journals -workshops -lesson plans -a conference once a year for the past 56 years.

Who are its funders?

The BCATA is self-funded by its members who pay an annual fee ($35 BCTF members; $20 Retired/TTOC/Pre-Service Teachers, $56 Non-BCFT Member).

How would you describe the possible link of this group to your teaching?

This organization is an absolute requirement for me to be a part of as a future Art educator, it is a great all encompassing Fine Arts resource that will connect me to other art educators k-12 as well as post-secondary, countrywide.

What other organizations does it work with?

The BCATA is a network uniting the arts community including schools, afterschool programs, museums, galleries, and supply stores.  It promotes the artwork of both students and teachers in galleries, public buildings and special events. They are also closely affiliated with: The Canadian Society for Education through Art (CSEA) National Art Education Association (NAEA) International Society for Education through Art (InSEA) ArtStarts BC The Canadian Art Gallery/Art Museaum Educators (CAGE) Saskatechwan Society for Education through Art Manitoba Association for Art Education Ontario Society for Education through Art (OSEA)

Quebec-L’Association Quebecoise des Educatrices et Educateurs specialises en arts

plastiques (AQESAP)

Nova Scotia Art Teachers Association

New Brunswick Visual Art Education Association (NBVEA)

2. A central issue that is continuously addressed is the need to reform public opinion about the relevance and importance of the art class throughout the primary, intermediate, secondary and post-secondary levels.  In a 2005 conference the central theme was focussed on how Government cuts are primarily directed toward the art program and negative public opinion of the arts further relegates it to an after school pastime. The BCATA were focussed on courting the media to get some exposure to their association and their cause in an attempt to give life and voice to the work these students produce within the program, in order to gain support in their fight against these cutbacks. On the totem pole of educational importance and significance the sciences are on top and the arts remain firmly planted at the bottom. Therefore their primary goal is to increase public exposure and in turn reverse negative connotations people associate with an arts program-primarily solely a “finger painting” and crafts activity.  By highlighting the beneficial aspects that the arts provide to troubled, at risk youth as well as nurturing inherent artistic ability that exists within everyone, art should no longer be relegated to nonessential electives but rather an integral aspect in a students development. This conference elaborated on the fact that the arts school program was in great danger and an incessant need to reform public opinion was required.  By introducing creative and innovative teaching methods in the workshops at the conference, teachers would in essence, have the ability to connect to the students in a unique way and allow their own abilities to be fostered, while courting community participation and involvement.

3.One pedagogical strategy that I would employ, to deal with the issue that art is being relegated to a useless pastime and as a result being underfunded, might be to introduce a gallery at school, in which all students within the arts program submit a sample of their work. This “gallery” will then be open to be viewed by all students and then voted on. The artwork that receives the most votes would then be donated and auctioned off in a community event. There are two benefits from this, one being that the money raised in the auction would go directly to funding the arts program to be able to purchase more supplies and equipment, and second is establishing art as a valuable object.  Once a monetary amount is associated with an object, public perception of it changes. Instead of swimming against the tide, we have to swim with it and play along with the societal constraints and redefine what is valuable according to our own interests.