Philosophy of Instruction and Assessment
 
Why Teach Art?
           
Art is important to the success of future generations because students who learn about art and participate in the art making process are more likely to adapt skills of creative thinking, design planning, and problem making to find better solutions.
 
Art processes also teach learners a growth mindset, through the studio habits of mind.

• Develop Craft- Learning tools, materials and practices of art forms.
• Engage and Persist- Learning to take up subjects of personal interest and learning to focus and carry through those visions and ideas.
• Envision- Learning to picture mentally what cannot directly be observed.
• Express- Learning to create works that convey an idea, feeling or personal meaning.
• Observe- Learning to notice things that might not otherwise be noticed.
• Reflect- Learning to think and talk with others about one's work and the processes of making it.
• Stretch and Explore- Learning to reach beyond one's supposed limitations, Explore playfully without a preconceived plan.
• Understand the Art World- Learning about the history and practice of an art form.
  

There is an important relationship between understanding, knowing and doing in art.

• Understanding is formed through essential questions- such as in what ways can visual art communicate?
• Knowing is formed through content specific activities- such as learning painting techniques.
• Doing is the how, the vehicle in which drives every learner to the state of understanding and knowing. It is the application of technique and understanding.

For example, when teaching contour line drawing the learner is encouraged to slowly and fully observe the object to draw. Drawing from observation teaches the learner to really see what they are looking at- to become more observant. Practicing this technique (knowing) leads to the understanding, Artists observe, in application observation is a transferable skill.
 
Assessment- Formative and Summative

• Learners benefit from self-assessment opportunities. Assessments are not the finale of learning but a time to reflect upon their learning and make plans for the future.
• My part as educator is to facilitate learning. Provide a safe learning environment for students to freely express, converse and explore their methods of communication.
• Summative assessments can be student centered, teacher centered or a combination of both.