Organizing Instruction for Engaging Artistic Children & Youth

1. Organizing Instruction for Engaging Artistic Children & Youth Tim Lowke Round Rock ISD Visual Art Curriculum Specialist Cedar Ridge High School Academy of Visual and Performing Arts Round Rock ISD

2. What is said about the arts…… “The Arts teach self-discipline, reinforce self-esteem, foster thinking skills and creativity, and promote teamwork. Most notably, the arts are important IN AND OF THEMSELVES, in that they are a vital and vibrant part our personal, social, and cultural environment.”Shirley J. Neeley, Ed.D.Texas Commissioner of Education

3. What is best practice? What is total student engagement?

4. Dr. Robert Marzano says that you increase learning by 7% by sharing what you are going to be learning. Workshop Objective: As an active learner I will critically look at how I can organize for instruction to significantly improve my teaching practice and positively improve my student’s learning and class experience.

5. How do you begin to organize for instruction?

6. Start with an objective that is written in kid-friendly language.

7. Example Today, we are going to learn to mix intermediate colors and create an abstract painting.

8. How do you begin instruction for engaged learning? • Have an activity ready – a warm-up. • Something easily organized with minimal instruction that gets students started in the artistic process. • Examples:SketchbooksPortfoliosMini-lessons • Always over plan lesson activities so if something runs shorter, you have something to do that ties to your lesson and expands on your objective.

9. What happens after you have the warm-up?

10. The “Main” course of instruction • Begin with a focal point for your lesson --- a book, an art print, history, a specific technique or media. • Build towards a teacher demonstration to give your students the information they need.(Group instruction) • Now begin roaming the room and work with students that need assistance or can be gently “pushed” to take their work to the next level. • Limit clean-up time to what is truly necessary and PLAN for it --- what does it “look” like?

11. Group instruction

13. One – to – one instruction

15. Don’t be afraid to show success --- students learn thorough the visual. Stop instruction and studio time at key points in order to clarify and refocus.

16. Be sure to roam the room constantly and look for ways to gently “push” students out of their comfort zone and take risks with their work --- this is where true learning occurs.

17. Work to be relevant to your students and make connections.

18. Keys to Relevancy / Connections • Work for total engagement – students desire to participate and want to gain the knowledge. • Balance between what you think needs to take place for curriculum and what students want to get out of your class. • Make lessons about personal response and move away from everyone’s art has the same “look.” • Listen to what students tell you and don’t make comments about you as the teacher. MAKE PERSONAL CONNECTIONS.

19. Take advantage of the site --- Laguna Gloria is a lovely setting for art-making. Designate at least one day to make work related to the site if it fits in your curriculum. Always have a plan “b” for weather and reserve the right to make changes to your lessons to meet student needs.

21. Student Samples

30. Planning Tips • Plan early. • Create a detailed outline and make a materials list. • Think about themes you can pull on throughout the week or day by day – give it a name. • Check for resources to use with your students – books, images, artists for inspiration. • Plan to adjust based on student need – that is what makes best practice instruction.

31. Sample Outline

32. See you around laguna this summer!

33. Find all workshop material at www.txmae.wordpress.com Tim Lowke Round Rock ISD Visual Art Curriculum SpecialistNational Board Certified Teacher – Art EAYA 512/464.5931 tim_lowke@roundrockisd.org