• rigorous curriculum aligned to state visual arts standards

• engaging instruction 

• meaningful learner assessment

• highlighting students’ artworks for stakeholders

• quality equipment, facilities, instructional materials, and other resources

• appropriate and equitable allocation of budgets

• community advocacy and partnerships

• participation in interviewing and recommending visual arts educators for hire

• observations of visual arts educators with content specific feedback

• relevant professional development for visual art educators

• collaboration with school and district administration on policies impacting visual arts teachers and students

• communication with the Fine Arts Director at the Tennessee Department of Education

• development of teacher leaders

TAEA recognizes that while the visual arts shares characteristics with other arts disciplines (i.e. music, theatre, and dance), it stands as its own unique discipline within the arts. TAEA believes it is imperative that supervisors/administrators with experience in the field of visual arts education provide support for visual arts educators, as well as, implementation, maintenance, and growth of district programs.

TAEA asserts that meaningful, rigorous professional development targeted toward the visual arts and visual arts education is essential to the lifelong learning of art educators. TAEA believes that all art educators should have access to ongoing professional development appropriate to their roles.

TAEA supports opportunities for building enriched relationships between theory and practice. Examples of professional development opportunities include: studio practices; engagement with contemporary and traditional art forms; visual art pedagogy, curriculum design, and instructional methods; leadership development; emerging and ever-changing technologies and their relationship to art and education; and theories related to lifelong learning, cognition, and human development. 

TAEA recognizes that these opportunities can take place in a variety of contexts and supports peer to peer learning among professionals. TAEA believes that optimal professional development can take place through self-study and self-initiated outreach, participatory learning communities, mentoring relationships, formal presentations, and events.

TAEA believes that dynamic professional development takes place when visual arts educators and organizations partner toward shared professional goals. These opportunities can take place among colleagues, as well as with universities, museums, galleries, cultural organizations, community groups, government agencies, and philanthropic organizations; between TAEA divisions; as well as with non-visual arts professionals. Meaningful professional development can also take place between the visual arts and other artistic disciplines, as well as between the visual arts and other subject areas.

TAEA promotes professional development and learning through local, state, and national conferences, web-based platforms, institutes, in-services, workshops, and retreats that share a variety of perspectives.