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The Teacher – A Master Artist

By Kelly Thomas Mango

In the Dark Ages, artists were often called upon by the elite to create a work. The guidelines and outcome were usually specified by the elite and were expected to be followed meticulously. Artwork was uniform and often drab, but met the goal that it was intended to achieve. While the master artist successfully completed the task, there was not much room for creativity and expression. By the time the Renaissance Period emerged, artists were allowed and even expected to show more expression and creativity in their artwork. The guidelines became less uniform. While the master artist still had a specific goal, they were given more freedom to decide how that goal would be achieved.

An important analogy can be drawn between a master artist and a master teacher. Traditionally, administrators were the sole "leaders" and made all of the major decisions regarding a school's policy and procedure. Those ideas were then passed down to the teachers and were expected to be followed to achieve the school's goals. Teachers did not have much say in the manner in which the goal was reached. As the role and responsibility of the administrator expands, it seems that administrators have become more distant (although, not by choice). Often the school begins to run more like a business environment than a living community. They are forced to decentralize and redistribute authority to site leaders and teachers (Lashway and colleagues).

Presently, teachers are more involved at the outset of vision development because they are the ones who must transform abstract "visions" or ideas into practical classroom applications (Conley and colleagues). With this comes a unique opportunity for a master teacher to become an effective leader and agent of change.

In 1420, an architect named Filippo Brunelleschi had an idea for a new cathedral being built in Italy as a sign of artistic superiority. While architects agonized over how to put a roof on this massive structure, Brunelleschi came up with a solution which was unprecedented for that time period. He was told that his dome shaped ceiling was impossible to construct. Despite the discouragement, Brunelleschi went on to construct the top of the Dome of Florence Cathedral (Chambers and colleagues). This structure is the hallmark of the Renaissance Florence. Brunelleschi was a master artist, an innovator and an agent of change who was willing to break barriers and push forward to reach new heights.

Imagine for a moment what kind of opposition this man faced. Brunelleschi was both an innovator and a motivator in every sense of the word. Not only was he able to overcome ridicule by others in his profession, he also had to find a team of workers willing to ignore ridicule and put their faith and trust in his ideas and abilities. He succeeded in doing these things and will always be remembered for his groundbreaking accomplishments.

It is much the same with innovative master teachers. With most new and radically different ideas, there is much opposition from other teachers, parents, and administrators. For example, children who had disabilities such as mental retardation and behavior disorders in the early 1900's were labeled "idiotic" and "insane" and were place in institutions or kept home to "protect them from the cruel world" (Hallahan, 1997). Fortunately, leaders in the medical and educational fields began to push for the public education of these children. Currently, students with disabilities are making significant advances academically and socially in public school settings side by side with their typically functioning peers. These strides reach far beyond the expectations held for students with these disabilities in that time period. It took innovative teachers and other professionals working as a team to buck the "norm" and ignore the criticism of others to help those with disabilities have the rights and opportunities that they do today.

Master teachers and master artists share many of the same qualities. Coincidentally, these same characteristics define the leadership qualities necessary to help students realize their full potential and become leaders themselves. Like artists, teachers are given raw materials to work with and expected to create masterpieces. This requires the ability to see the "vision" or long-term goal, rather than the present situation.

Patience and persistence are also essential components of both artists and master teachers. Overnight changes are not an option, but diligence will produce results over time. This was and is a hard pill to swallow when one puts so much effort into a student only to feel like your repeatedly being pushed back to square one on a daily or weekly basis. To sculpt raw materials into a work of art, the artist must use his or her creative energy and flexibility. So must the teacher adapt to the materials that they are working with in order to be successful. Similarly, teachers must adapt to each student's individual needs.

Teachers must also express a genuine interest in their students, as well as in the coworkers that they collaborate with. Dale Carnegie, in his book, The Leader In You, comments, "You can make more friends in two months by becoming genuinely interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get others interested in you.” He continues, “People are not interested in you. They are not interested in me. They are interested in themselves -- morning, noon, and after dinner" (Carnegie, 1993). He goes on to mention that there is nothing more effective and rewarding than genuine interest in others. This particular quality is paramount in the teaching profession, because collaboration with parents, fellow teachers, community members and administrators is unavoidable.

Perhaps most importantly, teachers must love and value their work. In other words, they must love their students. Love is a key leadership principle. Major General John Stanford, Superintendent of the Seattle Public Schools, states "Love is what the most famous military commanders use to inspire their troops to risk their lives in battle...it's what the best parents use to encourage their children to learn and grow. It's certainly what teachers must use to get academic performance from their students" (Stanford, 1999). Teachers can show their love for students by celebrating even small victories, by helping students boost self-image, by challenging students to exceed plateaus, by holding students accountable for their actions, and always by giving positive reinforcement for a job well done. Teachers can also facilitate valuable opportunities for students to take on leadership roles in the classroom and be role models themselves.

Just as a master artist agonizes over his or her work in progress, so does a teacher. However, the end result can be a masterpiece that will have a positive impact on a great many people. Teachers have the ability, now more than ever, to exhibit leadership qualities and instill them in their students. To all of the Brunelleschis' of the world, you are the agents of change -- the innovators who can silence critics and rise above the status quo to raise your students, your school and your community to new heights.

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About the author:

Kelly Thomas Mango is an Intervention Specialist for students with moderate to intensive needs for the Berea City School District in Berea, Ohio. Kelly has worked in various educational settings for the past five years. She specializes in working with adolescents and young adults who have multiple disabilities. She is also a Youth Respite provider for Catholic Charities Services of Cleveland which enables youth who are at-risk to have a meaningful relationship with a positive role model. Additionally, Kelly is currently in charge of the Project Support Club in her school which is focused on integrating students with severe disabilities with their typically functioning peers. For more information on Project Support, please visit her website at www.midpark-projectsupport.cityslide.com. Kelly holds a B.S. in Education from the University of Akron with a licensure as an Intervention Specialist for Moderate to Intensive Educational Needs.

References:

Carnegie, Dale & Associates, Inc.; Stuart R. Levine; and Michael A. Crom.

The Leader In You. New York, New York. Simon & Schuster, 1993.

Chambers, Mortimer; Raymond Grew; David Herlihy; Theodore K. Rabb; and Isser Woloch. The Western Experience, Vol. 1 To the Eighteenth Century. McGraw-Hill, Inc. 1995.

Conley, David T.; Diane M. Dunlap; and Paul Goldman. "The 'Vision Thing' and School Restructuring." OSSC Report 32, 2 (Winter 1992): 1-8. Eugene, Oregon School Study Council.

Hallahan, Daniel P., James M. Kauffman. Exceptional Learners: Introduction to Special Education. Boston, Mass. Allyn and Bacon, 1997.

Lashway, Larry; JoAnn Mazzarella; and Thomas Grundy. "Portrait of a Leader." In School Leadership: Handbook for Excellence, third edition. Eugene, Oregon: ERIC Clearing house on Educational Management, 1997.

Stanford, Major General John; Victory in Our Schools. New York, New York. Bantam Books, 1999.