Can Teaching Be Both an Art and a Science? Blog #2

Can teaching be both an art and a science? Some educators view teaching as primarily an art, while others consider teaching to be strictly a science.

In my opinion, teaching is a combination of both an art and a science. Effective classroom teachers integrate both in order to create positive student learning. Art and science may seem very different, but they are actually quite the same when used collaboratively. First, I will state reasons why some may view teaching as an art.

TEACHING AS AN ART

• Teaching involves emotions
• Teachers can not be taught how to understand and connect with kids and/or adults
• Teaching requires: dedication, creativity, and commitment
• Teachers build relationships with students, parents, and colleagues
• Teachers make a lasting impression on the students
• The artist side is remembered

As a teacher, I must be creative in my teaching styles in order for my students to maintain their motivation to learn. Teaching is therefore, an art. This article deals with extrinsic and intrinsic motivation which coincides with teaching as an art. Listed below are a few reasons in which some may view teaching as a science.

TEACHING AS A SCIENCE

• Students can be conditioned to learn
• Teachers adapt lesson plans when it failed the first time
• Learning by trial and error
• Teachers build the foundation through theory and research
• Teachers analyze observations and assess data
• Classroom management and procedures are clearly defined
• Fact-based material and information

While I am continually testing variables, researching and navigating information, the outcome constantly changes. The goal in our classroom is to learn. There's days where I learn just as much as my students. This scientific approach is through trial and error. This article explains when an example of teaching as a science is used through problem solving and a behavioral plan.

Can teaching be both an art and a science? Like I stated earlier, it is a combination of the two. A professional teacher could not be one without the other. Teaching is a science in which principles and rules are applied, and the art comes when those principles and rules don't follow through or don't work at all. An artist truly engages the students in the materials being taught and the scientist assesses the data to make sure learning is established. Effective teachers need the experience and skill that comes from the art of teaching whereas, order and proven procedures come from the scientific component of teaching. Quality, professional teachers are artists who incorporate the science of teaching.