My own early education and my time working with school-age children as an education student and

parent inform my belief that art can be as important as any academic discipline in the development of a
student. Art provides students with an opportunity to apply their own knowledge and developing skills
in an environment which mimics the settings encountered in higher education and as an adult. An
effective visual arts program requires the student to make decisions and to adapt and to the
consequences of those choices. It allows the student to make mistakes and missteps as a process of
learning rather than as a mark of failure. The ability to think abstractly; to communicate and to evaluate
concepts visually; and the capacity to present information to others effectively are all competencies that
are cultivated in the art classroom. These are also among the skills that allow our students to synthesize
the fruits of their education and to become the innovators and leaders of tomorrow. However, visual art
must be taught deliberately and effectively for it to reach its enormous potential. This begins with
thoughtful instruction, meaningful and consistent assessment, and high expectations for performance.

Instruction:

The very nature of visual arts learning demands that my instruction be both effective and situational in
nature. Students must understand the objectives of their work and learning. However, I also permit and
encourage my learners to conduct their own explorations. As a teacher, I endeavor to push each student
to extend his or her learning and ability while avoiding the temptation to assert my own views too
strongly. I create a learning environment in which students receive necessary direction and yet enjoy the
freedom to chart their own course when appropriate. Unfortunately, the fluid nature of art learning
makes evaluation of student proficiency and achievement challenging and somewhat subjective at
times. I employ a number of strategies and tools in order to make my assessment consistent,
meaningful, well-understood, authentic, and fair.

Assessment:

The practice of assessing student achievement and growth in visual art is complicated by several factors.
Every student comes to the classroom with his or her own level of cultivated competency and innate
ability. Therefore, the quality of completed student work is not necessarily indicative of a student’s
academic development and advancement. This fact alone necessitates that students be assessed
through formative measures as well as summative. Much of my evaluation is conducted during daily
interactions with the learner. It occurs during discussions with the artist and while observing the student
at work independently and as a member of a classroom community. I observe achievement and growth
in the work each of my student produces, but also in the way he or she reflects on their own work and
that of other students and artists. I accomplish this in the classroom during a nearly constant circulation
and through frequent interaction with my students as they work. Not only does this direct interaction
with each of my students help me develop an understanding of development but it also provides an
ongoing opportunity to exploit teachable moments with individual students or the entire class to ensure
greater comprehension and instructional success.

Summative assessment is more readily observable and by its nature, easier to quantify. I review student
portfolios, digital or physical, to provide a chronological window into the evolution of student
understanding and ability. I communicate openly and repeatedly with my students so that each student
fully grasps my expectations and the learning objectives. I examine written student reflections and self-
evaluations in the form of a rubric to evaluate student understanding and engagement while creating
art. My own knowledge and understanding of the individual student often make the art product itself an
effective indicator of engagement in the art process. I make every effort to ensure that I am consistently
cultivating and not squelching student engagement during my instruction and in the process of
assessment. In addition, I also assess my own instruction, practices, preconceptions, and biases as a
participant in the growth or stagnation of my students’ development and accomplishment. Overall, my
assessments must be fair and thoughtful in nature. I cannot insist that my students extend and push
their ideas and abilities to the point of failure and then penalize them for their efforts.

Formative Assessment:

Direct Observation

Checklists

Sketchbooks and Journals

Classroom and Individual Discussion

Quick Assessment Devices and Games

Asking Authentic Questions and Listening Openly

Summative Assessment:

Rubrics

Student Portfolio

Written and Oral Self-Assessment

Self-Directed Projects

Formal Interviews