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What kind of volunteer and internship work should I do if I'm pursuing a career in childhood education focused in the arts?

I'm about to be a sophomore in college, and I am majoring in Childhood Education Arts BS. #college #education

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Jane’s Answer

Volunteer in your local elementary school. Tell the principal your interest in art and see what he suggests. Kindergarten classrooms typically have art activities daily.

Check in with the Education Department at your college and see if they have any internships available. Also, ask your professors if they know of any available internships in preschool or elementary school that might lend themselves to arts education. Often local elementary schools will receive special funding from the state or federal government for arts education.

With the coronavirus situation you may have to do this online. There may be helpful information out there. It seems some private schools or church related schools are trying to get something started for the summer. This would be a great opportunity to volunteer to lead an art activity.

Be ready to volunteer in the public schools in September as hopefully everyone will be going back to school.

Jane recommends the following next steps:

Check the local school district's website for information about their arts education.
Check your college's website for information from their school of education about opportunities in arts education
Check banners posted at private schools and church related schools for information about summer activities. Take down their phone # and call them about the possibility of volunteering to do art with the children.
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Ieong’s Answer

You can first go to the institution to find some art work, plus the current epidemic relationship, it is recommended to cooperate with some institutions to do online teaching.
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Merri’s Answer

A lot of great comments already in here! I just wanted to add to consider checking with your local community theaters. They sometimes run children's programs and/or summer camps!
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Katie’s Answer

It's a great time to get involved in education - specifically geared toward art. I considered going down this path for a while as well and you can create a ton of opportunities for yourself to practice teaching arts, gaining confidence in your presentation skills, and practicing flexibility and patience - especially if you're working with little ones! With any luck, students will be heading back to school in the fall. But if not - teachers without as much comfort in technology will be looking for some help ease the process, which is where you can really bring value.

Katie recommends the following next steps:

Talk to local schools (public and private) - many are looking for student teacher (even part time) especially elementary age.
Reach out to volunteer at local recovery homes as childcare worker - I volunteered at one of these by watching the children of moms and dads for an hour/ week so they could attend required activities. After you feel out the flexibilty of your role at the program, you can come to the table with art projects and activities to lead.
Get a job at a daycare/ nursery - While I was in college, I worked at a daycare with kids range 3-6. The kingerdarden age kids went to half day school, then daycare in the afternoons. Twice a week, myself and an art therapy major would get to take the older kids to a seperate classroom room and lead art projects with them for an hour. Great way to make money and practice your skills at the same time!
Check with your local art center - many are run on volunteer time and are open to hearing new program ideas.
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Jason’s Answer

In the current pandemic, many art institutions (museums, galleries, schools, etc.) are all exploring really interesting ways to expand their reach online. Most will be open to ideas about how to do so, and it could be a great opportunity to propose online community workshops and the likes.
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Luis’s Answer

Hi!

I would agree with Jane's suggestion, volunteering at your local elementary school for either during school and after school programs provides a lot of experience. Even in college, you get a lot of opportunities to volunteer and even while you do your practicum. But just as Jane said, with the COVID situation a lot of volunteer opportunities have been moved virtual but still effective. My partner is currently helping a school do research!
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Alison’s Answer

Good for you, Dayana! Education is a really important field, and we need passionate, educated people to join it. As you’re looking through internship/job postings, don’t forget to look at summer camps. Museums, local schools, daycare centers, or organizations like the Girl Scouts often run summer programs that focus on specialized topics, like art. They’ll allow you excellent practice not just in your chosen area of interest, but also in teaching skills like classroom management or objective setting.
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