Art

Careers in art education

Don Ruleaux helps Tania Bad Moccasin-Szewczyk with a painting

Instructor Don Ruleaux helps Tania Bad Moccasin-Szewczyk, an art major with an art education option, with a painting question. Don Ruleaux, a CSC alumnus, also has a BA in art education and an MA in education from Arizona State University. He has been a professional artist and art educator for over 40 years, teaching in South Dakota and Nebraska.

Drawing is not what one sees but what one makes other see.
—Edgar Degas

The same might be said of art education. A good teacher opens doors, lights up the mind and helps a student see wondrous things they have not seen before. An art teacher has the special job of introducing young minds to the world of visual art, that human need to create and leave a mark with us since the beginning of the human species.

Cave Hand

“Always among the highest expression of every culture, the arts teach us much about every historical period through its literature, visual arts, music, dance, and drama. Today it is recognized that to be truly well-educated one must not only learn to appreciate the arts, but must have rich opportunities to actively participate in creative work. The arts are languages that most people speak, cutting through individual differences in culture, educational background, and ability. They can bring every subject to life and turn abstractions into concrete reality. Learning through the arts often results in greater academic achievement and higher test scores.”

—from the New Horizons in Learning website, Arts in Education section.

Chadron State College has a long history of educating teachers as it started out in 1911 as a teacher’s college. That tradition continues today. Chadron State College is well-known for its education program, turning out excellent, award-winning teachers.

Art teachers working with Jaune Smith

Art teachers from around the state of Nebraska work with internationally-renowned visiting artist Jaune Quick-to-See Smith in a printmaking workshop during the Nebraska Art Teachers Association Fall Conference in October of 2007, co-sponsored by Chadron State College and the Art Department.

The demand for art teachers remains high, as school districts maintain a strong emphasis in the arts.The Chadron State College Art Department offers the following art education programs:

The Degree of Bachelor of Science in Education with a Field Endorsement in Art (K-12)
The Degree of Bachelor of Science in Education with a Middle Grades Content Area of Specialization in Art (4-9)
Minor in Art (K-6)

The Art Department at Chadron State College will open doors, light up minds and help you see wondrous things. So you, in turn, can go out and do the same for your students.

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