1-Teaching & Art

[ Originally published on 05 Sep 2007, the day India celebrates Teacher’s Day]

What is Art ?

Art is a skilled exercise of human faculties… It refers to the creation of something aesthetically satisfying. According to an idealistic view, art is only completely expressed when material  is re-formed, re-created, re-fused, by divine afflatus.(Everymans Encyclopaedia)

In the broadest sense art refers to expressions of spiritual as opposed to material, consciousness of perception… deals with what is beyond , or outside the possibility of demonstrating by mechanical or scientific testing… being concerned with the expression of imagination and the translation of emotion.(Practical Knowledge of Art)

 There are , I believe, several things to be considered  before classifying  something as art. Mainly there  are  two  implications of calling something an art- only a few people possesses the skills required to be called ‘artists’, and even the artists find it difficult to describe their artistry and pass it on only by acting as models to imitate.

 Teaching  & Art

In ordinary conversation it is not uncommon for teaching  to be referred to as  art.  Some arrive at this view  after considerable thought and it will invariably be based on a carefully developed  concept of teaching .

 If teaching is considered an art , it goes without saying that it requires long practice for its perfection . Teaching is  complex, if we consider the fact that  the object  in teaching is never static; it is a living process that is coloured by the past experience as well as the present mood of the learner.

In many ways the teacher is a craftsman. But a   true craftsman   must be free to express himself within  the principles which govern his work. Just as the most original painter is governed by laws of perspective, by laws of colour mixture add by laws of colour perception, so the teacher  is governed by the nature of the human material  with which he works, by the nature of the material he teaches, and by the ultimate aim which he accepts  as the goal of his efforts.

What does an artist working on clay or wood do?

He handles dead material and imparts life to it through his work . He gives the shape he likes, expresses his own ideas and makes  the object as he likes. He imposes his will on the material with which he works, and creates an object.

Is  teacher an artist?

Well… the teacher doesn’t use the chisel and hammer…yet he makes an impact felt. He creates learning situations ,motivates, arranges  conditions for the mind and body to grow, introduces changes in the behaviour pattern, and  inspires noble thoughts and feelings.

So… don’t you , dear reader, agree that the teacher is an artist  too…???

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