art education

If I study art education at Montserrat College of Art is it considered a double major?
Technically, it is not a double major but you are required to meet the requirements for both your studio concentration and for the Art Education Program. Some of the required courses for art education can also be taken as electives for your BFA requirements. That is one of the reasons it is critical to plan your course selections carefully. For example, the course Women in Art can be taken for your art history elective and it also fulfils your diversity requirement for the AE Program.

In order to complete the Art Education Program, do I have to prolong my studies at Montserrat beyond four years?
Typically, one additional semester fulfils all studio concentration and art education requirements for your BFA degree. Most students return for one semester to complete the Practicum/ Practicum Seminar. This 9-credit commitment combines your student teaching experience with a weekly seminar at the college. In addition, one studio elective or an independent study is also completed during that last semester. This gives the art education student a total of 12 credits for the final semester.

Can I take AE courses as electives?
Yes, all Montserrat students can take Art Education I (liberal arts elective) and Media Forms and Ideas (studio elective). Therefore, all students who are interested in education can learn about the field. Some students may want to take one or both of the courses to investigate the field of teaching; others may become more serious about art education. Those who wish to complete the program and become licensed as art educators must meet all the prerequisites and earn passing scores on the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL), before they can enroll in Practicum/Practicum Seminar.

What are the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL)?
These tests (MTEL) are required for anyone who wishes to become a licensed educator in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

What are the observation requirements and are observations the same as fieldwork?
  • In Art Education I, all students are required to complete observations in three different settings. These visits are strictly for observation and information gathering purposes. You will be advised to observe in alternative schools or programs. Documentation is required for all observations.
  • In Media Forms and Ideas, all students are required to complete 15 hours in the field. Typically, students are in 3 different schools primarily for observation but in some cases, they may take part in teaching activities. Usually this is in the form of assisting the art teacher. In addition, students in this course participate in a series of art classes for children conducted under the supervision of their instructor. The Saturday classes are in collaboration with the Young Artists Program and allow art education students to design, teach and assess their work with children.
  • In Art Education II, students are required to spend one day a week (a minimum of 60 hours during the semester) in one school. At this level, students begin by observing, quickly moving into assisting and by the end of the semester, are usually teaching at least one lesson.
  • In Practicum/ Practicum Seminar, students begin their student teaching experience with observation and within a week or two, move into assistant teaching. Student teachers gradually take over more and more responsibility until they are teaching the entire schedule. Student teaching must include at least 300 hours on site.

How do I make the arrangements for my fieldwork?
In each course, your professor will give you a site list and explain the procedures to follow. You will be contacting the art teachers directly and making all of your appointments. Because this is a Department of Education (DOE) approved and regulated program, all of the observations and pre-practicum fieldwork must be officially documented. You will receive the appropriate forms in your classes. The department chair will keep your updated file in the art education office at 1 Knowlton Street.

What are the Massachusetts Arts Curriculum Frameworks?
Montserrat's teacher preparation program has integrated the Massachusetts Arts Curriculum Frameworks into our curriculum. We use the second edition of the Frameworks, which was adopted by the Board of Education in June 1999. The document covers the state guidelines for learning, teaching and assessment in dance, music, theater and the visual arts. It outlines knowledge requirements for PreK-12 learning. Every art education student is provided with a copy of the Massachusetts Arts Curriculum Frameworks to use in their methods work, which typically begins in the course, Media, Forms and Ideas.

How do I plan for my student teaching experience?
At Montserrat you receive a quality education in the visual arts and, therefore, all of your education prepares you for the student teaching experience. During the semester that you are enrolled in Art Education II, you will begin to gain the kind of practical, classroom experience that will help with your selection for student teaching. Of course, you will have the resources of your peer group and the faculty in the art education department to draw from.

Can I choose any school in Massachusetts?
No. There is a limited geographical area from which to choose a practicum site. During the time you are enrolled in Practicum/ Practicum Seminar, you will be working, day to day, with one primary person, the Supervising Practitioner. Your College Supervisor is the faculty member who will teach the seminar and make periodic evaluation visits to your school site. It is important that all the practicum sites are a relatively short distance from Montserrat to allow all parties the ability to schedule adequate evaluation visits.

Once I successfully complete this program, will I receive my Massachusetts teaching license?
Once you have successfully completed your practicum, you can apply for your initial teaching license in the state of Massachusetts.

If I move to another state will my Massachusetts license be honored?
We have reciprocity agreements with most states in the country. Therefore, your Massachusetts teaching license would be honored in those states where reciprocity agreements exist. However, each state has it's own testing requirements and you would have to meet the requirements of the state where you wish to teach.