Grand Rapids — Meg Johnson, who uses they/them pronouns, recently completed their first year as a full-time art teacher, but they are no stranger to art and education.
Born in Grand Rapids, Johnson grew up spending a lot of time on the shores of Lake Michigan, so it only made sense to attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago on the other side.
While working towards their bachelor’s of fine arts, Johnson completed their student teaching in Chicago Public Schools.
Fueled by a passion for creating art and social justice, they learned under the mentorship of artist and educator Valerie Xanos, who pioneered the ARTivism program within Chicago Public Schools, in collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary Art.
“You bring your passion for art into the classroom,” they said about teaching. Johnson’s personal artistry explores themes of mental health and social justice.
“My teaching and artistic practices are driven by my commitment to fostering change and building a more just, compassionate world.”
Following graduation, Johnson moved back to Michigan and began substituting in art classes at Kent ISD, West Ottawa, Grand Rapids and Kentwood public schools, before getting hired at Alger.
Why do you teach? “I really love seeing when kids can overcome struggles. There is so much learned helplessness that is imposed on them by society and when students say they’re not an artist, I ask them to shift their thinking. … I love seeing when they’re able to overcome their own barriers, especially when they are not into art.”
“It’s interesting being someone who is white and working in a school with a population mostly made up of minority groups; I’ve learned that artivism is a way that helps them feel seen and heard.”
Why did you decide to pursue art education? “I wanted to give kids a safe space and outlet to express themselves in a healthy way that they may not have been able to access without the guidance of a teacher. I teach students to use art as therapy and expression. I try to bring in things I was interested in at their age and introduce them to artists that aren’t just the old dead white guys.”
How do you meet your students’ abilities? “It’s still a work in progress for me. I have to address key foundations of art and it’s always this fine line to make it interesting for them while also meeting curriculum standards. I do my best to switch it up; we did a landscape project in pointillism, where we met the curriculum standards but made it quirky.”
What are some of the biggest challenges in your role and how do you strive to meet them? “I have mixed classes and mixed grade levels and there is such a big difference in kids’ developmental and maturity levels and technical skill level. It’s hard to manage them using certain materials and what’s appropriate for certain age groups. Honors students and intermediate levels have higher craftsmanship expectations.”
‘My teaching and artistic practices are driven by my commitment to fostering change and building a more just, compassionate world.’
— art teacher Meg Johnson
What’s the most amazing/notable/interesting thing about your students? “Some of them have this deep, deep creativity. They’re so young and their skill level is so advanced, like ‘woah, you are so much better than I was at your age.’ Sometimes it’s hit or miss, but a lot of them come in and they do this amazing work. My students deal so much on a personal level in their lives; there is so much resilience and they’re still showing up everyday. It’s hard to experience, but it’s also really amazing to see the things they persevere through on a daily basis and their imaginations.”
What would you say to someone considering teaching as a profession? “It’s exhausting, but you have to set boundaries and not lose your sense of self. (Teaching) is awesome and amazing but if you’re not taking care of yourself you’re going to burn out. You’re here all day but don’t always have the time to do your job. …The connections and impact you can make as a teacher is absolutely worth it if you don’t lose yourself in the job.”
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