Graduate Work

purchase and use a 3Doodler pen and explore ways that could be used in art. I was also able to learn about other technology that my fellow CEP 811 classmate were using, such as, makey-makey’s, chibitronics and others, through their blog posts discussing their experiences and how the technology could be used in their curriculum. I was able to transfer this knowledge and imagine how it could be used in the art studio. While learning about making and personalized learning, I did more research into TAB connecting the importance to all three. Without learning about personalized learning in CEP 811, I might not have chosen personalized learning as my wicked problem focus in CEP 812.

 

In CEP 812, I learned about three structures of problems in education; well-structure, ill-structured and wicked. When it came time to learn about wicked problems, which are problems with more than one solution,  I knew that I wanted to work with a group focusing on personalized learning. Through this group, I was able to learn more about personalized learning, not only though my eyes, but through the eyes of a kindergarten teacher and a third and fourth grade teacher.  We learned just how wicked personalized learning is, and that there are not just many solutions, but many ways in which a teacher can implement personalized learning. For me, the solution was clearly TAB.

 

This year, I made the transition to a full TAB elementary art studio, and it has been the most rewarding change as an educator I could have made, both for me and my students. While, we still have a few “must-do” projects and “skill-builders”, where everyone is working on the same thing, the students are able to choose what they are creating and work at their own pace. I have had many students come to me this year and say this has been their favorite year in art, or that they now enjoy coming to art, and those students are creating amazing artworks. If it was not for CEP 811and CEP 812, I may not have ultimately made the decision to transition to a full TAB studio. 

 

Assessment in the Art Studio

 

This is a sticky subject among the visual art education world, especially at the elementary level. Should art be assessed at such a young age and how does such assessments affect the children? When I first began my MAET journey, my district also implemented common assessments among the special’s classes at the elementary level. There were a few in my team that assessment did not have a place in elementary art and that art is so subjective that how could we have a common assessment when we would all assess differently. Therefore, we decided to assess color theory as it was the only concrete art subject matter that could be commonly assessed across the district. In addition to the common assessments of Color Theory, we also look at student portfolios of artwork for their report card grade following our state standards and local curriculum.

 

While I had to take an assessment course for my teaching certificate, I was not in the art studio yet and had a hard time transferring the knowledge I was learning to my hypothetical students. Therefore, when it came to assessing student artwork, I was mainly using self-created rubrics, for each project, until I started teaching in Novi and used our portfolio and curriculum targets to assess student work. Therefore, when I started CEP 813 Electronic Assessment, I learned so much about assessment! This course really changed the way I think about assessments in art and how I use them. While the class was about electronic assessment, there are many things that I learned and have been able to implement in a non-electronic way, as well. 

 

The biggest way in which CEP 813 transformed me as a teacher is the use of feedback. Feedback has been used from the beginning of my MAET course work. It has really changed the way in which I talk to students about their artwork, making sure it is good feedback, it is intentional and specific. Due to the transition to TAB this school year, I am finding that feedback is more imperative then ever. All students are working on their own artwork and without good feedback, the students will not be able to grow as artists. It is funny, that at the beginning of the year, I would over hear students saying, “she is just going to tell you it is good.” They were talking about asking me about their artwork and they thought I was just going to give them poor generic feedback, which obviously in the past I must have. When I reflect on that, it was probably due to the fact that we were all working on the same projects and it was probably “good” for that student and I did not push their individuality. Not to be saying that you cannot give good feedback to students in a teacher-led, project driven art curriculum, I was just not educated in the importance of good feedback yet. Now the students know if they ask me about their artwork, I will give them feedback that is specific, pointing out things I like, things that I think they can improve on and I usually ask them a question or two about the artwork and  their thinking or decision-making process. Due to the importance of feedback and the fact that CEP 813, was one of my more recent courses, I made giving feedback to students as my professional growth goal this school year.

 

In addition to the use of feedback, CEP 813 also taught me the importance of assessment in the TAB art studio and a multitude of ways in which assessments can be given and their purposes. When reflecting on everything that I have learned about assessing students this quote really stands out to me and reinforces my belief that assessment is not one size fits all: “Education is for everyone, but the way we deliver education—and the way students receive it—is not the same for everyone” (Sams, & Bergmann, 2013, p. 20). While what Sams and Bergmann are stating is about education, the same is true for assessments, not everyone can show what they have learned in the same way. This year, in addition to our color theory assessment and portfolio review each trimester, I have implemented other ways in which I assess students. These ways not only help guide student learning, but they also help guide me in what students still need to learn or what I can do to help them advance. I have created some art games and activities to assess different skills, some of which I learned about in CEP 813 but also in CEP 818 Creativity in Teaching and Learning. I have had students participate in SeeSaw activities and createinteractive color wheels. I have also had them create artist statements on SeeSaw where not only can I hear them talk about their artwork and what they have learned, but their parents can too. From the artist statements, I have been able to pass on what I have learned to be a challenge from some students onto others. While the artist statements are a summative assessment of the student’s artwork, individual formative assessment practices take place every day in the art studio, from the games, small group conferences, SeeSaw activities and daily feedback. Since taking CEP 813 and learning about the different approaches to assessment, my students have been able to grow as artists, as well as, I have been able to grow as an art educator and advocate on the importance of assessment in art.

 

The Past, Present and Future

 

10 years ago, if you would have told me that I would be Teaching for Artistic Behavior, I would have been like, what’s that and no way. However, since the beginning of my MAET journey, I have been slowly transforming as an art educator. When I look back, I cannot believe how long it took me to make the leap and commit to TAB. I truly believe that CEP 811 and CEP 812, was the icing on the cake, that led to my ultimate decisions to transition into a full TAB elementary art studio. Due to the nature of TAB and all my students are learning at their own pace and creating their own artwork, assessment is of the utmost importance. Without, CEP 813, I am do not think I would be as confident as I currently am in my students learning. I can provide evidence of student learning, without all artworks looking the same, as in a project-based elementary art studio. In addition, through TAB and providing personal feedback to my students, I know more about my students than I have in the past 6 years. While I have good relationships with them, I feel like I truly know them better due to TAB and discussing their artworks with them at a personal level. As I finish the MAET degree program and finish my first full year of TAB, I am looking forward to the future and what it brings. TAB is a great space to implement student technology usage, I look forward to what new things I will be able to introduce my students too, in addition to improving what we already do on the iPads. I look forward to implementing a few more assessment strategies, especially more student self-assessments and peer feedback. 

 

Reference

 

Sams, A., & Bergmann, J. (2013). Flip your students’ learning. Educational Leadership, 70(6), 16-20.