My Art Class and How I Am Attempting to Create 21st Century Classes

Photo by Litandmore under a Creative Commons license.

While reading the articles/posts, etc., regarding 

21st Century Classrooms in our RWLD, adjectives like flexible, creative, and challenging , said "ART, ART, ART! to me!"

Art class is primarily as 21st Century Classroom because it is so student driven. Kids are grouped by their own choice (for the most part,) and make almost all decisions as to how they want their artwork to look. I do very little "stand and deliver", with the bulk of the class spent working on their projects.

Below is a class I am teaching about Faith Ringgold as an artist, author and storyteller. After much discussion about The Civil Rights Movement, we focus on "Tar Beach" with the students creating their own "place to fly to" as the culminating project. I used Principal Shawn Halloway's walk-through as my assessment tool.

¾ art class Faith Ringgold and Black History

Student-Centered Classroom

• Students at center of learning, teacher facilitating process
• Cooperative or collaborative learning taking place
• Teacher leading students to the answer not giving it out
• Students have choices
• Students are engaged in challenging work
• Teacher questions and probes
• Not visible during walkthrough

Specific comments about the Student-Centered Classroom:
Students sit where they want in the room at the tables .
Students answer open-ended questions from teacher like, “Why do you suppose she painted the black people in the ocean?”
Students share/look at artwork on their tables and discuss among themselves what they notice.

Assessment for Learning

• Formative assessment is used as a tool to adjust teaching
• Essential concept and skill is clear and evident to the students
• Teacher provides criteria of quality work
• Teacher provides examples of both high and low quality work
• Self or peer assessment is evident
• A collaborative classroom environment
• Assessment for learning takes place DURING instruction
• Variety of feeback to students (web, tapes, oral, written, video, etc)
• Not visible during walkthrough

Specific comments about Assessment for Learning:

Students share/look at artwork on their tables and discuss among themselves what they notice.
Teacher talks about what makes a good art project, “flying” to an important place not a silly one.

Teaching for Learner Differences

• Plans for variance in learning
• Assesses the interests and needs of individual students
• Learning goals are clearly stated
• Flexible grouping (supplemental and intensive)
• Engages students in self reflection, collaboration, and learning choices
• Works in variety of settings (large group, small group, individual)
• Engages students in self reflection
• Not visible during walkthrough

Specific comments about Teaching for Learner Differences
Teacher speaks and writes directions on overhead
Students choose where they want to sit
Teacher walks around asking students to reflect on their artwork

Teaching for Understanding:

• Problem or project based learning
• Hands on, minds on
• Students think and demonstrate understanding
• Visual learning (conceptual models, graphic organizers, webs, etc.)
• Factual knowledge is transferred to usable knowledge
• Students involved in designing, problem solving, decision making, and investigating
• Summarize targeted concepts and skills
• Multiple means of presenting information
• Not visible during walkthrough

Specific comments about Teaching for Understanding:
Teacher uses overhead and projector for demonstrating understanding
Students choose “where” they want to fly and “how” they will show the “where” on their project.

Technology Infusion

• Web 2.0 tools being used
• Technology used as a reference
• Technology used as a textbook
• Technology used to differentiate learning
• Technology used for collaboration or communication
• Using technology to create a "product" or "project"
• Technology was not being used during the walkthrough

Specific comments about Technology Infusion:
Used Tagxedo and a projector and internet to share books/videos about Faith Ringgold