The Art teacher certification program’s mission is to prepare art teacher degree candidates for a successful future as educators who motivate and inspire their students. The program encourages academic investigation through multiculturalism and aesthetic literacy, and helps candidates develop classroom learning and management skills to guide their future practice. As an art major, candidates learn to facilitate development of the creative ability inside of them while also developing content skills in a variety of media, creating original works of art that enrich the aesthetic environment of the university and community. The art certification program designs and implements assessments to teach art teacher majors how to engage students in analysis, critical thinking, and reflection.
The purpose of the art educator degree program at University of the Cumberlands is to prepare candidates in the use of research-based pedagogical practice, enabling them to address the diverse needs of P-12 students throughout Kentucky and beyond. Art educator candidates learn to apply are content knowledge in a manner consistent with state and national expectations. Through the program, candidates learn to exemplify the dispositions of communication, critical/creative thinking, and professionalism.
To accomplish this purpose, the School of Education implements rigorous coursework aligned to state/national standards. The School also prescribes field/clinical experiences aligned to coursework, creating meaningful connections between educational theory and practice. Finally, art teacher majors are required to demonstrate proficiency in knowledge, skills, and dispositions at various formative and summative checkpoints throughout the program.