Some Background...
In the world of elementary art lessons, you have these two ends of the teeter-totter:
In the world of elementary art lessons, you have these two ends of the teeter-totter:
And, you'll see art teachers and programs at both ends, as well as balancing somewhere in between. Cookie Cutter projects may look good on a bulletin board, but involve no creative thought by the student. It may have been a creative idea for the teacher who planned the lesson, but the student is simply following directions. Free for All projects may give the impression of students engaged in creative activity - and a few might be - but most students will just be churning out more of whatever is comfortable. (rainbows, hearts, & smiley faces) Neither end, on its own, is good art education.
My approach for the past 28 years has been teetering in the middle area. A cookie cutter lesson can have its place. When our youngest learners are introduced to new art media, they may need a lesson like this so they can focus on specific media skills. But, if the goal is making independent creative thinkers, then you simply cannot stay on the cookie cutter end. Once the media skill is practiced, students need opportunities to use those skills to express their own, original ideas. By the time students are in upper elementary, they can usually handle learning new media skills along with generating original ideas in the same lesson.
On the other end, Free for All activities are not successful unless students already know how artists get ideas and how to use strategies to generate original ideas themselves. We do have content to teach! The challenge is how to teach our content while leaving opportunity for students to make as many of the creative decisions as possible.
The TAB/Choice-based Approach
Several years ago I began reading about choice-based art education, and TAB (Teaching for Artistic Behaviors). There was a lot to like about it. It fit my goals as an art teacher. I saw some great examples of teachers implementing it at the high school level. Unfortunately, I was not seeing any solid examples at the elementary level. Every example I read about looked like a Kindergarten class set up for centers. The projects in the centers still had the same old problems; either they were cookie cutter lessons recorded on video or on posters, or they were "do whatever you want" centers. For many years I've been thinking, "There's got to be a way to make this work."
My approach for the past 28 years has been teetering in the middle area. A cookie cutter lesson can have its place. When our youngest learners are introduced to new art media, they may need a lesson like this so they can focus on specific media skills. But, if the goal is making independent creative thinkers, then you simply cannot stay on the cookie cutter end. Once the media skill is practiced, students need opportunities to use those skills to express their own, original ideas. By the time students are in upper elementary, they can usually handle learning new media skills along with generating original ideas in the same lesson.
On the other end, Free for All activities are not successful unless students already know how artists get ideas and how to use strategies to generate original ideas themselves. We do have content to teach! The challenge is how to teach our content while leaving opportunity for students to make as many of the creative decisions as possible.
The TAB/Choice-based Approach
Several years ago I began reading about choice-based art education, and TAB (Teaching for Artistic Behaviors). There was a lot to like about it. It fit my goals as an art teacher. I saw some great examples of teachers implementing it at the high school level. Unfortunately, I was not seeing any solid examples at the elementary level. Every example I read about looked like a Kindergarten class set up for centers. The projects in the centers still had the same old problems; either they were cookie cutter lessons recorded on video or on posters, or they were "do whatever you want" centers. For many years I've been thinking, "There's got to be a way to make this work."
Inspiration!
Last year inspiration & ideas started coming together...
I had read about a middle school art teacher that let students choose their work, but then would have break out "boot camps" to teach specific skills. I also thought about the format of many video games. You advance through levels while acquiring resources like weapons, tools, or powers. I had these things rolling around in my mind when, one night while watching The Great British Baking Show, it came together!
I had read about a middle school art teacher that let students choose their work, but then would have break out "boot camps" to teach specific skills. I also thought about the format of many video games. You advance through levels while acquiring resources like weapons, tools, or powers. I had these things rolling around in my mind when, one night while watching The Great British Baking Show, it came together!
Each week has a theme and 3 baking challenges. One of them is called the TECHNICAL challenge. This challenge is not creative. You are asked to make something very specific to demonstrate your skill. You follow directions. Many times it is a task that none of the bakers have done before.
Then, there is the SHOWSTOPPER challenge! This task requires the bakers to be creative and work within the theme. They use their own interests, style and experiences to turn original ideas into edible masterpieces.
I'm going for it!
Here's my plan for the elementary art room.
Right now there are two kinds of tasks: TECHNICAL challenges and LEVEL challenges.
Students will learn basic skills in the use of art media through the technical challenge. This is in the form of watching a video and following along with a short project to demonstrate skill. Once they have passed the technical, they can use that media any time.
The creative problems are the LEVEL challenges. Each level is based on a theme. There are Power Points (and notebooks) that guide students. Each level has students think about the theme, brainstorm/sketch, look at famous artworks featuring the theme, then create their own art inspired by the theme. They may use any media that they have passed the technical for.
When 4th and 5th graders come to class, they decide which task they will work on for the day. Some students want to knock out all the technicals, then work on the levels. Others are going back & forth. We are a month in, but I am very pleased with how it is going so far. As I explained to one student, you have been learning all these art-making parts over the years, now you are pulling them all together to create like an artist. Yes, we've had to stop & review some things, like brainstorming exercises, idea mining. But, they are catching on. Classes with severe behaviors are going surprisingly well, since everyone is engaged in their own work, which they are choosing. I get to spend the hour talking with individual students about their ideas! I have one counter set up for the 4th & 5th grade to access the materials they need, yet the room can still function for my 1st - 3rd graders.
I'm choosing 4th & 5th to implement this. I think that 1st & 2nd grade still have too many basic things to cover together, before they could be successful independently. I'm still thinking about 3rd grade. That may be the year that I transition them into this approach.
I'm certain I will find things that aren't working and will need to modify as we go through the year. Stay tuned! If you have specific questions, please ask.
Right now there are two kinds of tasks: TECHNICAL challenges and LEVEL challenges.
Students will learn basic skills in the use of art media through the technical challenge. This is in the form of watching a video and following along with a short project to demonstrate skill. Once they have passed the technical, they can use that media any time.
The creative problems are the LEVEL challenges. Each level is based on a theme. There are Power Points (and notebooks) that guide students. Each level has students think about the theme, brainstorm/sketch, look at famous artworks featuring the theme, then create their own art inspired by the theme. They may use any media that they have passed the technical for.
When 4th and 5th graders come to class, they decide which task they will work on for the day. Some students want to knock out all the technicals, then work on the levels. Others are going back & forth. We are a month in, but I am very pleased with how it is going so far. As I explained to one student, you have been learning all these art-making parts over the years, now you are pulling them all together to create like an artist. Yes, we've had to stop & review some things, like brainstorming exercises, idea mining. But, they are catching on. Classes with severe behaviors are going surprisingly well, since everyone is engaged in their own work, which they are choosing. I get to spend the hour talking with individual students about their ideas! I have one counter set up for the 4th & 5th grade to access the materials they need, yet the room can still function for my 1st - 3rd graders.
I'm choosing 4th & 5th to implement this. I think that 1st & 2nd grade still have too many basic things to cover together, before they could be successful independently. I'm still thinking about 3rd grade. That may be the year that I transition them into this approach.
I'm certain I will find things that aren't working and will need to modify as we go through the year. Stay tuned! If you have specific questions, please ask.