Art teachers have a unique set of goals when it comes to teaching. Whether they are focused on developing skills in their students or providing engaging activities, they have a wide scope of objectives to strive for.
Fortunately, SMART goals can help structure those ambitions and make them more achievable. This post will discuss 13 examples of SMART goals for art teachers.
While there are numerous SMART goals that art teachers may want to incorporate into their planning, it’s important to understand what the SMART method is and how it can frame your overall objectives.
What is a SMART Goal?
Regarding goal setting in art education, the SMART framework is your secret weapon. Let’s break down this handy acronym and see how it can transform your teaching practice.
Specific
Broad goals can muddy your path to success, but a well-defined objective brings clarity. In art education, specificity could mean outlining clear learning outcomes for your students or designing a detailed syllabus.
The specificity helps you and everyone else involved understand the steps to take, making the journey toward your goals more efficient and less daunting.
Measurable
Without a yardstick to measure your progress, knowing if your teaching strategies are effective is almost impossible. By setting measurable goals, like improved student grades or increased class participation, you can track your achievements and tweak your approach where necessary.
Attainable
Dream big, but plan realistically. While setting ambitious goals can be inspiring, they should also be within your reach, given your resources and class size. Striking the right balance between aspiration and feasibility keeps you motivated without setting you up for disappointment.
Relevant
Goals aligning with your values and passions will keep you engaged. As an art teacher, these may include nurturing creativity, fostering a love for art, or enhancing student confidence. Relevancy serves as your compass, guiding your decisions and keeping you focused.
Time-Based
Just as an artist needs a deadline for his exhibition, you too need a timeline for your goals. A set endpoint encourages consistent effort and helps maintain focus amidst daily tasks and challenges.
13 SMART Goals Examples for Art Teachers
1. Facilitate Art-Related Workshops
“I’ll organize and facilitate 5 art-related workshops for my school’s student population to introduce them to new artistic techniques in three months. Each workshop must have an educational component discussing the history of the technique.”
Specific: The goal is explicit because it outlines what kind of workshops are being organized and who they are for.
Measurable: Track the number of workshops and measure how long it takes to complete each.
Attainable: Organizing 5 workshops in three months is feasible, so long as the art teacher dedicates enough time and resources to getting it done.
Relevant: This is pertinent because it seeks to introduce students to new artistic techniques that they may not have been exposed to before.
Time-based: Completion of this SMART statement requires three months.
2. Design Interactive Art Lessons
“I will design interactive art lessons to make the learning process more engaging for my students within two months. That way, my students can learn while having a fun and creative experience.”
Specific: This is specific because the focus is on creating interactive lessons instead of traditional ones.
Measurable: Track student engagement with the new interactive lessons to gauge if you’ve met the goal.
Attainable: It’s achievable if the teacher takes the time to research and design interactive activities that will spark creativity.
Relevant: This SMART goal relates to art teachers because students need engaging learning experiences.
Time-based: Goal attainment should occur over the two months ahead.
3. Improve Access to Visual Arts Resources
“The teacher will improve access to visual arts resources in the school by the end of the year. They will create a collection of resources, including digital and video content, to help enrich the learning experience for students.”
Specific: The art teacher has a clear objective and timeline to accomplish it.
Measurable: Assess the progress made in creating and collecting visual arts resources in one place.
Attainable: This statement is feasible as the individual can work promptly to provide resources.
Relevant: The goal is appropriate as the teacher aims to improve access to resources and enrich students’ learning experiences.
Time-based: There is an end date of one year for reaching success.
4. Develop Relationships With Arts Organizations
“Throughout the following two months, I’ll contact and visit at least three local arts organizations. This will allow me to establish relationships with other art teachers in my community and broaden my network of resources.”
Specific: This goal involves contacting and visiting three local arts organizations within two months.
Measurable: Success can be evaluated by the number of organizations contacted and visited.
Attainable: Contacting a few local arts organizations is possible within two months.
Relevant: Establishing relationships with other art teachers in the community will offer valuable resources and insights to benefit one’s teaching.
Time-based: You have two entire months for goal accomplishment.
5. Incorporate New Technologies Into Art Education
“I will research and evaluate the latest technologies available to teach art for 5 months. I’ll also learn how to use these new technologies, such as virtual reality, 3D printers, and digital drawing tablets, to incorporate them into art instruction effectively.”
Specific: The goal is clear. The person wants to research and evaluate the latest technology for teaching art.
Measurable: Make sure to evaluate the research and new technologies found.
Attainable: Learning these technologies and incorporating them into teaching is doable.
Relevant: Incorporating new technologies in art education is crucial for any educator.
Time-based: Five months is a reasonable time frame to meet the desired goal.
6. Enhance Portfolio Development for Students
“Within two months, I want to create a series of lessons and activities that will help my students develop their portfolios. I’ll do this by researching best practices for portfolio development in art education and creating lesson plans around those principles.”
Specific: The teacher aims to create a series of lessons and activities that will help students develop their portfolios.
Measurable: Determine the number of lesson plans created and track students’ progress in their portfolios.
Attainable: This is possible because the art teacher is taking the initiative to research and create lessons for their students.
Relevant: The SMART goal is suitable because it will help students develop their portfolios, a key element of art education.
Time-based: You have a two-month end date to complete the statement.
7. Organize Field Trips to Cultural Institutions
“I will start organizing field trips for my students to local cultural institutions. I’ll plan one field trip this school year to a museum, art gallery, or theater. I hope to also provide my students with the necessary resources and materials for each visit.”
Specific: The goal states the objective, what will be done to achieve it, and the timeline.
Measurable: After the field trip, you can assess whether students have increased knowledge of different art forms and styles.
Attainable: You can find nearby cultural institutions accessible for students and budget for the cost of entry.
Relevant: Organizing a field trip will allow students to appreciate art, culture, and history.
Time-based: This certain goal must be accomplished after a school year.
8. Improve Students’ Comfort Level With Criticism
“By the end of this school year, I will create a comfortable and safe environment in my classroom where students feel free to receive and give criticism. I’ll employ strategies like weekly mixers that encourage constructive critique among peers.”
Specific: You have precise actions available: create a safe environment in your classroom for constructive criticism.
Measurable: Take note of your students’ reactions when receiving and giving critiques.
Attainable: This is easily achievable if you are patient with your students and properly facilitate mixers that promote constructive peer critique.
Relevant: Improving students’ comfort level with criticism will help them grow as artists.
Time-based: Expect goal attainment over the course of one school year.
9. Encourage Students to Participate in Art Contests
“I want to create an environment encouraging and supporting student involvement in art contests for 9 months. I will provide resources such as mentorship, field trips, and materials to enable students to participate.”
Specific: This SMART goal is clear about what needs to be done (mentorship, field trips, and materials provision).
Measurable: You can count the number of students who have participated in the art contests and the resources provided to them.
Attainable: Providing mentorship, field trips, and materials is feasible for an art teacher.
Relevant: Encouraging students’ involvement in art competitions can help them refine their art skills.
Time-based: The statement should ideally be completed in 9 months.
10. Invite Artists to Lead Studio Sessions
“I want to bring professional artists into the classroom to lead studio sessions with our students for the next four months. This should broaden our students’ artistic horizons and give them a different perspective on art.”
Specific: The goal is well-defined, stating the objective and how it will be met.
Measurable: Count the number of studio sessions with professional artists and their impact on student learning.
Attainable: This can be done by reaching out to local artists and inviting them into the classroom.
Relevant: This pertains to providing students with a different perspective on art, which will broaden their artistic horizons.
Time-based: There is a four-month window for reaching excellence.
11. Push Students to Take Risks
“I’ll aim to encourage my students to take risks with their creative projects for three months. I plan to introduce a new weekly assignment asking students to explore a new artistic style or technique outside their comfort zone.”
Specific: This is detailed since the teacher has identified ways to encourage students to take risks with their projects.
Measurable: Observe how many students are taking risks with their creative assignments.
Attainable: Nurturing an environment to foster risk-taking is within the scope of the teacher’s abilities.
Relevant: Art teachers should help their students push the boundaries of creativity and explore new techniques.
Time-based: Goal attainment is anticipated by the end of three months.
12. Advocate for More Arts Funding Sources
“By the end of this quarter, I’ll contact three state-level organizations and ask for information about how they can help fund arts programs. I will also research at least 5 private funding sources available to art teachers.”
Specific: You have a clear action plan—contact three organizations and research up to 5 private sources.
Measurable: Track the time spent researching and contacting organizations.
Attainable: Assuming you’re willing to invest the time and energy needed for each step, this is a reasonable goal.
Relevant: Funding sources are essential for art teachers, which is highly relevant to your career.
Time-based: One quarter should be enough time for optimal success.
13. Inspire Students to Pursue Art-Related Careers
“The art teacher should aim to inspire students to pursue art-related careers within the next year. They should introduce the students to successful people in the field of art and guide them about different job opportunities in this domain.”
Specific: The teacher knows what to do (introduce students to successful people in the field of art, present career options) and how long they must do it (one year).
Measurable: You could quantify it by the number of students in art-related careers.
Attainable: Introducing the students to successful people in the field and presenting career options are achievable.
Relevant: This SMART goal is suitable as it inspires students, helping them pursue their dreams.
Time-based: The goal completion deadline is established for one year.
Final Thoughts
SMART goals are a powerful tool for any art teacher who wants to set and reach goals in their career. They help structure and foster a sense of urgency for art teachers to stay the course.
However, goal setting should not be a one-time event. It must become an ongoing practice to ensure that teachers continuously drive toward what they want to accomplish.
You could also talk to other art teachers who have successfully set SMART goals—they might provide invaluable advice for succeeding in art education.
Learning from the experiences of those who have gone before you can guide your journey and increase your chances of excellence in this profession. The rewards of reaching your goals will be well worth it.
