Finding Balance

I think that the beginning of the semester always starts off the same. No matter what degree you are seeking, what year you are in, or whether you think you are fully prepared for it or not - school can quickly become overwhelming. Balancing employment, social life, family, and education can be an incredibly challenging endevour.

School, in itself, has a list of demands that breaks down from large levels of requirements to small lists. To begin with, a student had better be making sure they are signed up for the correct classes, in the correct order, in the correct year. Once you are in the correct classes the lists of assignments and expectations piles up higher and higher as the semester goes on.

Art students in particular have a high level of stress in regards to their education. Not only is there a high demand for production, such as finished projects and assignments, there is also an expectation for quality. Conceptual thought, and the ability to convey ideas through art is a challenge to learn and to teach.

In everyday life, the stress of a student is not necessarily the most desirable way to live. However, I think that this experience is imperative to becoming a successful art educator. As a student, you develop skills such as time management, stress management and the ability to prioritize. More importantly, though, actually being a student gives you the ability to relate to what your students will be going through themselves. This understanding will allow you to have a richer relationship with your students that is based on empathy, but also on levels of expectations. If you made it through school yourself, you know how high to set the bar for your own students. You can push them to try new things and challenge themselves while still retaining a realistic set of expectations.