Using Your Master’s Degree to Move Into the Art Room (Ep. 472)

Sarah Colvin is joining me now. Sarah, how are you?

I’m doing well. How are you doing?

I am also doing well. Excited for this conversation. I know we have a lot to talk about. With all of our new guests, I love to have them start with an introduction. So can you tell us about yourself, about your teaching, anything else that you want to share?

Yeah. My name’s Sarah Colvin. I live in Michigan, so I know it’s a little far from you guys. I currently teach special education, so I’ll be done with that in June. So, our year is almost up, and then moving into the fall, I’ll be teaching art at the same school, which is a K-4 building.

Okay.

Yeah, I’m really, really excited for that. And so, yeah, I’m really excited to share what I’ve been doing and how this transition is going to be happening, and then another little fun fact about me is I’m a twin, and she is also a special education teacher.

Oh. Nice. I love it.

It’s really fun.

So let me ask you, what made you want to switch from the classroom to the art room? What made you want to go into the art room, and when did you, I guess, first start considering making that move?

Yeah. So I first started considering it when I heard rumors that the current art teacher who’s been here for a long time was kind of planning on retiring in the next couple years. And so, it kind of sparked my interest and I was like, oh, I could actually see myself in that position. I’ve always absolutely loved art and I love working with students. And so that piece… Right now, I only work with about 14 kiddos. And so, being able to work with now almost 500 is a really exciting change for me.

It’ll definitely look different than my current position where I have a lot of closeness with my students, and that connection is a really big piece for me. But yeah. That change, I’m really excited for. The main thing that was kind of the driving factor in that switch was in my current position. I’m in meetings all the time. I have to spend a lot of time doing paperwork, and I feel like I can’t be with my students all the time. And so, I’m excited to move into an art position where that isn’t such a big factor, and I can be really intentional with my students and build that connection with a larger group of people.

Yeah. I really love that. I feel like, yeah, you got all the right reasons there, and having hundreds of kids will be a different challenge for sure.

One hundred percent.

But I love what you say about just trying to connect with more kiddos, and like you said, trying to be intentional about everything that you’re doing. And I think that’s very cool.

And I love that fact of giving the students at the school a comfort person, and I want to be that for them, and I want to build an environment where they feel safe and accepted and just loved.

Oh my goodness. I love that.

So, I’m excited to take that from my current position to the art room and build that up.

Yeah. That’s very cool. Now, I know in order to make that transition from special education to art, you went through the Art of Education University master’s degree program to kind of get you ready, get you qualified for that. So, can you tell me just all about the experience with AOEU? Like, do you feel like it has helped you prepare for the move into the art room?

Yeah. So with my current special education degree, I can technically teach art, but you only take one to two classes through that. And so, moving into that position, I wanted to get that experience and that knowledge so that I’m able to make that transition a lot smoother and make me a more desirable candidate too. And so when I found out that the art teacher was retiring, I think it was the next week, I ended up signing up. I worked with my advisor to like… If I knew he was going to be retiring this fall, I want to have it done by then, right, to have all that knowledge and experience to bring them into that position. And so, it was kind of expedited.

So, I’ve been taking two to three classes every eight weeks.

Oh my goodness.

And so, it’s definitely been a busy time.

You have been busy.

It’s only been about a year and a half. Yeah. So, I’ll be done in July with that fully. Yeah. And it was just such a nice way to gain insight on assessments and curriculum and planning all of that, because that’s something I do right now with academics, but then moving that into an art standpoint was something I was nervous about and wanted to be able to give my students my best. And so, that was a really big piece for me, and I feel like the program has been super helpful with that and just so understanding of like this is when I want to have it done. I did have to take two extra classes because I didn’t have the same experience most of the other teachers getting this master’s.

Right. Right.

And so, yeah, it was all just really wonderful. And because I love art, it was something I really felt connected to and really enjoyed.

I love to hear that. Now, I’m guessing that the program’s kind of been a blur for you, that quickly, but can you talk about some things from the courses or just your overall experience that have been either most helpful to you or most interesting to you?

Yeah, for sure. So yeah. I’m in my last class right now, so I’m only taking that one currently. And so, you’re right. It has been such a blur. It all just went by so, so fast. And like you said, with taking two to three classes every couple eight weeks, it goes by fast. But I feel like some of the most helpful classes were choice-based art, which is one of my elective courses, because that’s something I really believe in and want to implement in the art room moving forward. And then, also designing my art curriculum was another really important class, like I said, for that piece of bringing in that to my students with that choice-based art, but then designing it so that I can start off the year really strong because there isn’t that set curriculum and I want to best meet the needs of all my learners. So, yeah. That’s something I really enjoyed through this program.

No, I think that’s good, and I am glad that you’re being thoughtful about just kind of the pedagogy, but also how you’re going to structure things, how you’re going to implement those things. And I think that can really, I don’t know, help you hit the ground running. Yeah. And as you make that transition, hopefully all of those skills are going to be helpful. Now, I would also love to know, we’ve talked about this a little bit, but what are you most looking forward to as you transition into the art room? And I guess on the flip side of that too, what are you apprehensive about? What are you nervous about as you make the change?

Yeah. So starting with that what I’m looking forward to, like I said, I’m really looking forward to working with all the students in the school. I’ve been trying to be really intentional about, now that I know I’m going to be in that position, starting to connect with some of them and build that relationship with some of them, trying to learn all their names, which is so hard with that many kids. And yeah. I’m really excited too. So right now, I only work with grades kindergarten and third and fourth. And so, I’m excited to now work with junior, kindergarten, and first, so with different grades and different kiddos and get to share my love of art with them as well. And then, I am really excited too to share that love of choice and building that connection piece with them, because right now they don’t have a lot of choice in the art room.

I think it’ll be a big change and I’m hoping to really grow that love of art with them.

Yeah. That will be really cool.

Yeah. And then, what I’m apprehensive about, I think the big thing is just leaving my current students. A lot of them, I’ve been their resource room teacher for three years now.

Oh, wow. Yeah.

And so, I know it’s going to be a big change for them, just like it is me. And so, working with them every single day for hours on end, I’m nervous for that change for them. But I do know the person who’s going to be coming into my role, and she’s someone I trust and I know she’s going to do a great job.

That’s good. That’s good. It always feels better if you know that your kids will be in good hands.

Exactly. And I’ll still get to see them just in a different capacity as well.

Yeah. For sure. For sure. And then, I guess I’m curious too, with the experience that you do have, I would love to know what parts of your experience already, your own years in the classroom so far, what do you think is going to transition into the art room? What do you feel like you’re already good at or already have experience with that is universal, that can be used in any teaching setting?

Yeah, I love that. It’s something too, that teaching is one of those things that, once you have those really good skills, they transition so well. And so, implementing that student choice is something I do currently in my current position where the students have a lot of choice with the work that they get to do because I see in them that it really builds up that connection for them. And so, I encourage them to take ownership of their learning, which is something I feel translates beautifully in the art room.

And then, that differentiation piece is something I do all day every day. It’s the core of my work. And so, that transitions perfectly in the art room because, grade to grade, it’s going to look different. Student to student, it’s going to look different. So, having that as an element in my art classroom I feel will be really beneficial. And then obviously, there’s going to be behavioral struggles that happen in the art room. Just in a everyday classroom, those occur. And so, I feel like I have some really strong experience in managing behavior with those proactive strategies.

And so, I can recognize when a student needs a break. And so, I feel like that will really build up that safe art classroom that will benefit most learners. And then, that last piece I had mentioned too is just that building relationships and connections and that trust with my student has always been the key of my teaching, I feel like, and it’s something I really focus on every day. And so, that is something that is so beneficial in the art room as well, and I’m excited to translate that into a safe and supportive environment in the art classroom where they can just thrive and grow.

Yeah. That all sounds amazing.

Yeah.

Yeah. Like you said, so many of those skills are universal. And just once you’re good at teaching, you can teach almost anywhere. And so, I think just kind of putting the structure and getting the art specific knowledge, like you said, through the Master’s program, is really going to be helpful.

Exactly.

But you have that experience, you have that knowledge, you have those skills, and that should make the transition a lot easier. And then I guess just as a final question for you, I would love to know if you have any other advice for people who are thinking about making the move to the art room. We’ve seen so many people recently move from special ed to art, from a classroom to the art room or from different subjects to art. What have you learned through the program that you think will help with that? And then, is this a move that you would encourage other people to look into?

Yeah. So that first piece of advice, although I haven’t transitioned into the art room yet, I’ve been doing all of the things that will get me ready for that element. And so, I feel like really relying on your people at school. I have the most supportive friends and team and principal who have made this transition so easy because it’s still at the same school, that I just feel so supported. And so, there are already people I collaborate with on a daily basis because of my current position. And so, moving then into the art position, I’ll still get to collaborate with them. And they’ve been so supportive. And I’ve been trying to be intentional about planning the curriculum, for example.

And so, keeping elements that they’re working on in the classroom and then transitioning that to the art room. I want to be really intentional about those decisions too, so that they see it in multiple places. And so, that preparation and being ready for it is definitely something I’d recommend. And this art, Masters in Art, education has definitely really helped with that. I feel so prepared and so ready to take on this role. But then also, their support has made me feel so prepared and ready for it as well. And then, the last piece is just using your strengths and taking those pieces that you feel so supported or so secure in your current position and then transitioning that into this new role, I feel like, is going to really take it to the next level. And I’m really excited to both use that art skills as well as my current skills I already have.

Yeah, it sounds like you are ready to go. It sounds like you are set up for success.

Yeah. I’m so excited.

Yeah. Cool. Well, Sarah, thank you for joining us. Thank you for sharing your story. And best of luck to you in the fall as you move into the art room.

Yes. Thank you so, so much. I appreciate it.