Abstract:
The visual arts hold an unclear and sometimes contentious position within pre- and primary school settings and classrooms. While some teachers are enthusiastic supporters of art as a discipline within education, others are less so. The ‘crowded curriculum’ has been frequently cited in generalist teachers’ rationalizations of why the arts might succumb to the dominance of literacy and STEM subjects. Less voluble have been some teachers’ aversion to teaching art due to their own inexperience and lack of confidence in the discipline. While the welcomed 2015 endorsement of The Arts within the Australian Curriculum mandates inclusion of the discipline, without teachers who see purpose in art and art education, meaningful learning opportunities for children may continue to be lost. Existing Australian and international research has identified negative or deficit feelings about the arts and art education by a significant number of generalist pre-service teachers. However to date, little research has explored such pre-service teachers’ feelings in response to visual arts education during initial teacher education programs. This paper will discuss findings from one component of a doctoral research project that explores the question: What is the nature of pre-service teachers’ visual arts experiences that may shape attitudes, beliefs and perceptions of self-concept? Data analysed in this paper was collected from six generalist pre-service teachers, who self-selected as being inexperienced in the visual arts. The pre-service teachers were enrolled in a compulsory visual arts and media arts course of study at one Brisbane university at the time of data collection. Drawing on the theoretical framework of ‘the hero’s journey’ (Campbell, 1949/2008), the pre-service teachers involved are considered to have the potential to be heroes (gallant, reluctant or anti) of their own journeys into and through the visual arts. Analysis of the pre-service teachers’ visual arts journeys, recorded through journaling and interviews, will explore the nature of experiences these early teachers reported either encouraged or discouraged their further art engagement. This paper will start to set the scene, introducing the beginnings of the pre-service teachers’ visual arts journeys, as explored during initial interviews. This study is significant as it allows for exploration of the nature of visual arts experiences that may positively transform future teachers’ views on their own capacities in the visual arts and on the role of visual arts in pre- and primary education. Campbell, J. (1949/2008). The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Bollingen Series XVII. Novato, CA: New World Library.