1. Push college. Push portfolio
If you teach art in Michigan keep in mind in the Detroit area most Art schools are not recieving the same level of students they did in the past. College of Creative Studys hands out Half and Part time Scholarships to any students that can show them 5 good traditional art pieces.
2. Schools love to shut down art classes. Reason being schools make little money off the fact that the student are good in art. There is no standardize testing method to show art skills. So mainly the arts are treated as an expensive humanities class. Seal the deal on a few of the tip #1 and the parents will rally the streets if the art program came up missing. Parents are a powerful tool to keep your program alive!!!
3. Curiciulm is the most important part of Art classes!! Why? because its that organization that helps show the people in the seats of power that you are not a flakey art teacher. Here is an exsample of a lesson module I now use to keep track of standards and lessons. Located Here
4. People don't understand the inportance of art in schools. I work in a CTE school so we have 14 schools that come to us to have there students be taught art as a career. I can count 4 schools that do not have art programs. I see the impact this has on the students. Its a horrid site. Hang up posters of art colleges.. Hang up stuff in your classroom that shows the students how art relates to them. Hang up a job list of what they can do if they set their mind on a career in art. And never tell them their is starving artists.That is an old term!!
5. You are probally the most non authority figure to a student in the school system. This means you are also the most influential person in a students life. Why cause students hate math english and science. Just remember that.
6. Learn to write grants for stuff. I see alot of under funded art classes but I also see some savy art teachers that use grants to fund everthing. I laugh when I see an art class that has better stuff than academic class.