art education
Leslie Matz
Rachel Branyan wrote:
>Hi,
>
>I am a pre-service art teacher with a question for fellow teachers who are
>familiar with discipline based art education. I am wondering if you
>incorporate history, criticism, and aesthetics into your curriculum? So
>many teachers that I observe just cover production. Can anyone shed some
>light on this area for me?
>
>-Rachel
>
>Hi, Rachel,
>
I have been teaching art for 11 years. I think D.B.A.E. has a lot to
offer any art teacher, esp. those starting out. The idea is to balance
the learning activities in your art class so that art actually gets
taught. I'll bet that if you compared the national art ed standards to
your state and local school district you would find discipline based art
ed. alive and well. It may be called "inquirey-based art education" or
something equally obtuse, but it's the same concept. The Getty has
primarily funded the ways to promote the concept and is rightly
associated with it. Their efforts have produced substantial advances in
effective teaching strategies and have helped to make even
administrative types aware that art is a body of knowledge. It even
connects to other disciplines in a way that makes learning more
personalized and meaningful.
Does teaching art history cut into production? Not if it is relevant to
the materials, technique, or topic of the studio activity. It is merely
an opportunity to motivate and connect your students to the activity and
what is being taught in their other classes. Balance is the key to
success here. It is also a powerful demonstration of how reading about
art can expand one's ability to be more awesome as an artist. I don't
have to tell that kids don't read enough and can not get the same
information from TV. Making art is the most natural thing to do after
seeing it, reading about it, and discussing ideas about it. Everyone
benefits -- from the most talented to those with out a clue.
After doing a unit that involves several initial design exercises
(Aesthetics), it is great to have the students analyze what they have
accomplished (Criticism). The aesthetics exercises are the best way to
develop skills and ideas which can be used on extended projects. The
criticism activities that follow should reinforce what was stressed in
the introductory aesthetics activities. Grading the work is then more
fair when the students know what is expected and how their work stands
up to examples they have been exposed to. The criticism work can be as
simple as a worksheet that has them identify which elements where used,
how they were organized, what is being expressed, and what the technical
level of ability was.
I typically spend one class introducing a unit by reading about an
artist, showing slides of their work, then introducing the studio
assingment and showing slides or examples of student work. The next
class involves doing a short warm-up activity to learn a technique or a
design concept. The next day is either a continuation or another short
activity. On the third day or so we get going on the main project. It
doesn't matter if the unit is in drawing, painting, pritmaking,
scupture, metals, or clay. The students know what is expected of them,
they have general knowledge of what they are doing, they have tried out
a few ideas, and now they are into making art. When we are done the
students and I both know why something worked or didn't. The students
are usually more harsh on themselves than I am. Parents even understand
how I graded the project. Try it Rachel, you'll like it.
-Les, Anchorage AK
James N. Stewart
"Leslie Matz" <ma...@gci.net> wrote in message news:3CB008D...@gci.net...
>
>
> Rachel Branyan wrote:
>
> >Hi,
> >
> >I am a pre-service art teacher with a question for fellow teachers who
are
> >familiar with discipline based art education. I am wondering if you
> >incorporate history, criticism, and aesthetics into your curriculum? So
> >many teachers that I observe just cover production. Can anyone shed some
> >light on this area for me?
> >
> >-Rachel
> >
>
> >Hi, Rachel,
> >
> I have been teaching art for 11 years. I think D.B.A.E. has a lot to
> offer any art teacher, esp. those starting out. The idea is to balance
> the learning activities in your art class so that art actually gets
The key is, of course, to sort of slip it in. If you spend any noticable
amount of time having the kids learn about art history or the principles of
design, or talking about what they are looking at, or evaluating their
experience or some such thing, some idiot, probably a principal, is going to
come up to you and say something like, "People tell me that all you do in
art is talk. Is that right?" It happens every time. It is very important
in art education that nobody ever catches you teaching anything. They don't
like it.
That has been my experience since 1974. I can't think of an exception.
JustTina
"People tell me that all you do in
art is talk. Is that right?" It happens every time. It is very important
in art education that nobody ever catches you teaching anything. They don't
like it.
That has been my experience since 1974. I can't think of an exception."
Interesting. I would have to agree a little bit. My principal is very supportive and gives me lots of freedom to teach my JH kids (7th and 8th grades). And I do have a rather DBAE based program. But sometimes it seems rather pointless. Kids have to take art at the JH level here in Ohio, but they do NOT have to pass it in our school system. Many kids come into my classroom and will tell me point blank, "I don't care, because I don't have to pass this class anyway." It's like fighting an uphill battle everyday to get these kids to put some effort into their work. They see no point in it at all. And it doesn't matter a heck of a lot if I point out the creative thinking and problem-solving skills that they are using and honing....it's still all just a waste of their time. I feel like I am the baby-sitter in charge of their arts and crafts social hour! It's very discouraging. This is my 4th year of teaching, and I am hoping to transfer to our HS next year. At least there will be kids in the art classes who WANT to be there. Those kids are in the minority in my present classes. I used to wonder why so many teachers quit within their first five years of teaching. Over the last few years, I have figured it out. Take care all. Tina.
The Kaplans
want to be there. The County I taught in had an arts requirement for
graduation. Very often, I got kids who did not want art, did not sign up
for it, and got dumped there by their councilors. Art tends to be the
dumping ground for the non collage bound. It was very frustrating. I still
loved it, just wanted you to know before you got there.
Amy
"JustTina" <artc...@defnet.com> wrote in message
news:ubjmgcm...@corp.supernews.com...
Erica Lynn Witherell
>>"People tell me that all you do in
>>art is talk. Is that right?" It happens every time. It is very
important
>>in art education that nobody ever catches you teaching anything. They
don'tlike it.
>JustTina <artc...@defnet.com> wrote in message
news:ubjmgcm...@corp.supernews.com...
>That has been my experience since 1974. I can't think of an exception."
>Interesting. I would have to agree a little bit. My principal is very
supportive and gives me lots of freedom to teach my JH >kids (7th and 8th
grades). And I do have a rather DBAE based program. But sometimes it seems
rather pointless. Kids >have to take art at the JH level here in Ohio, but
they do NOT have to pass it in our school system. Many kids come into >my
classroom and will tell me point blank, "I don't care, because I don't have
to pass this class anyway." It's like fighting an >uphill battle everyday to
get these kids to put some effort into their work. They see no point in it
at all. And it doesn't matter >a heck of a lot if I point out the creative
thinking and problem-solving skills that they are using and honing....it's
still all just a >waste of their time. I feel like I am the baby-sitter in
charge of their arts and crafts social hour! It's very discouraging. This is
>my 4th year of teaching, and I am hoping to transfer to our HS next year.
At least there will be kids in the art classes who >WANT to be there. Those
kids are in the minority in my present classes. I used to wonder why so many
teachers quit within >their first five years of teaching. Over the last few
years, I have figured it out. Take care all. Tina.
I have run into the same situation in our Jr.High also. It is required by
state, but the district doesn't carry the grade to high school. In fact,
last year I had a student who was out for a month an half. I gave him an
incomplete. He never did finish. He will graduate from 8th grade this June
with an incomplete on his trancript and no one cares!
It seems that the only reason any of them might want to do well is so they
can get on the honor roll (thank God that I can hold that over them!)
Fortunately, most of the students do want to try hard enough to pass, but
they often don't "learn" art; they just do the minimum of what is required.
They do this even though I remind them that here in NY there is a Regents
exam that they have to pass to graduate high school and they need to know
how to write about art. (they need to pass one in any of the four arts -
visual, music, dance or theatre, however our district only has music and
art, so they have to pick). I often get "I gonna take the music test, so
art doesn't matter!" (Ugh. I hate that!) I have actually given tests in
my classes, just to make them learn the vocabulary! And don't get me
started on the fact that they forget the color wheel from year to year!
Take care ~Erica
JustTina
"Hate to burst your bubble, Tina, but in HS you will also get kids who don't
want to be there. The County I taught in had an arts requirement for
graduation. Very often, I got kids who did not want art, did not sign up
for it, and got dumped there by their councilors. Art tends to be the
dumping ground for the non collage bound. It was very frustrating. I still
loved it, just wanted you to know before you got there."
Hi, Amy! Don't worry...my bubble was burst long ago. I know that there will be kids at the HS who don't really want to be there, or who are just there for the art credit. Fortunately though, these kids will be in the minority. Our district does have an art requirement, but it can be filled with music, art, computer design, or even theater...so the number of kids being dumped into art classes is really very small here. And none are forced into the classes at all. I'm also fortunate that it is a friend of mine who currently teaches the HS art classes, and I have been able to spend the day with her on numerous occasions this year to get a feel for the job and the routines. The HS kids are angels compared to the ones I deal with daily at the JH. And it's a complete reversal there as far as the number of kids who WANT to be in art compared to those who HAVE to be (as it is at the JH). This alone will do a lot to help me survive as a teacher at the HS. I'm just the kind of person who has to be around kids who actually like art and who have some measure of intrinsic motivation. And I know there are way more of those kids at the HS than there are at my JH. Thanks for your reply! It was great to see some posts in here for a change! Take care. Tina.
JustTina
"It seems that the only reason any of them might want to do well is so they
can get on the honor roll (thank God that I can hold that over them!)
Fortunately, most of the students do want to try hard enough to pass, but
started on the fact that they forget the color wheel from year to year!"
Honor roll doesn't motivate my kids. I mean, sure, there are a lot of kids who work their butts off, no matter what their artistic ability level is. They work, try hard, and they don't give me constant attitude just because art isn't their favorite class. Those kids are great, and they are never a problem. And honor roll might be a motivating factor for them. But the ones who could really care less and who are constantly obnoxious, insubordinate, and destructive....they are the ones who make my job a nightmare. They take teaching time away from the kids who deserve the attention and they make it impossible to enjoy teaching. And I have yet to find a way to motivate them.
I have done quizzes, vocab. etc. too....and we do the color wheel every year as well. None of it seems to matter to those students who just really don't care. They aren't going to do anything more than they have to, and sometimes they're not even going to do that! I finally switched gears completely this year. I don't grade projects or work at all anymore. Now my kids get graded completely on attitude, behavior, and effort. The kids who work hard will get an A+. The kids who don't will get what they ultimately deserve. And my principal backs me completely. I just could see no sense in spending all that time with authentic assessment and grading project after project (sometimes 150+ at a time), all for a large number of kids who really just do not care and never will (and most of whom throw their artwork in the trash as soon as they get it back!). The kids who work hard every day deserve A's, and they will get them.
Thanks for your reply! Take care. Tina.
James N. Stewart
Erica wrote:
"It seems that the only reason any of them might want to do well is so they
Honor roll doesn't motivate my kids. ...
I have been teaching in a jock school (Brown County High) in rural Illinois
where, at the end of the year, i.e. from now on, passing is the only
motivation. I have had many students look hopeful about thier grades and,
upon learning that they got a D were entirely satisfied and happy. In this
place the library is the size of of a pantry and rearely open. The gymn is
large and well made. In the new addition that they wasted all their money
on (they arehavign to let six faculty go out of thirty) they originally
wanted to have two new gymns.
JustTina
"I have been teaching in a jock school ......."
Gosh, I could go on and on about my feelings on school athletics. That's a real sore spot with me. Somewhere along the line in education, sports became more important than LEARNING. That just drives me nuts. Our kids have to have a 1.5 GPA to be eligible for sports. 1.5? Isn't that like a D??? It's just unbelievable to me.
James N. Stewart
concert. Practice time, you know. . .
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