Alright I’m doing it. Here’s a thread on how to be a NOT TERRIBLE art teacher at degree level. Yes UK and US art schools are different, but these can and should apply to both. I’m a bit angry.

1. Remind yourself that you work for the students. This is not about you, this is not about the institution that pays your wages — it’s about them.

2. You are on the same team. At every opportunity, you should be fighting for things to be better for them (most of this will happen outside the studio).

3. Don’t try to make students cry? Should I even have to say this? For fucks sake — crits can and sometimes should be places for difficult discussions and discoveries, but if they’re not an actual opportunity for learning, THERE IS NO POINT

3. cont. Yes, people cry for lots of different reasons. I’ve had conversations with students who have cried after crits that were positive just because they felt a bit overwhelmed. This is ok — talk to them about it. Let yourself learn if you could do something better.

4. Your students aren’t sexual prospects. It IS as simple as that. Miss me with the “we’re all human” shit. If it affects your teaching even a little bit: quit. You’ve had enough.

5. With great power comes great responsibility — your students will (likely) look up to and respect you. You have a responsibility to them — they may model the way they approach their practice for YEARS on the way you teach them. Do it with kindness, lead by example.

6. While you’re at it, it might be worth reminding yourself who’s teaching you’re being influenced by. You don’t have to be like your former teachers, especially if they were horrible. Leave that baggage behind, be better. This isn’t the way things have to be.

7. Many of your students will be lovely people who you like a lot — this is ok! But it cannot come at the cost of your objectivity when assessing, in crits etc. Part of the job is maintaining appropriate distance. Caring for your cohort should be motivation to make things better.

8. Your students’ success IS your success, you idiot! If you feel like you need to see your students fail or not get as far as you what the fuck is wrong with you? Ask yourself why, right now. You should be teaching your students to steal your jobs and be fucking proud of it.

9. Remind yourself that, much like your students, this should be a continual learning experience for you. You can and should be making adjustments and changes CONSTANTLY based on what is best for them. This might sometimes mean confronting uncomfortable things in yourself.

10. I don’t care how long you’ve been teaching for, you can still be shit at it. The “untouchable” old-boy complex needs to be dismantled. IT IS NOT ABOUT YOU. ITS ABOUT THEM.

11. Lastly: if your students don’t feel comfortable talking to you when they’re upset, or disagreeing with you about feedback, or even talking to you about something completely irrelevant — ask yourself why you think that is.