This week I taught a lesson centered around the visual art journal again. This second opportunity to teach a similar lesson provided several important opportunities: a chance for my students to deepen their knowledge and understanding of this lesson, the ability to make adjustments to my execution of the lesson plan last week, and the chance to engage in formative assessment. For my formative assessment I looked through each student’s sketches and wrote comments for myself based on the lesson objectives: making a personal connection to art and sketching is different than making a good copy. I then took my comments and wrote questions to each student on a sticky note rather than the statements. Writing the questions on a sticky note ensures that the artwork is not wrecked. By writing questions to the students this gives them something to think about to improve without making them feel insecure. Statements could make the students feel criticized whereas the questions bring the students into a conversation with me about their work. I can then use those questions to discuss their work with them. Next week the students will be sketching once again and checking for simple, specific criteria. They will then choose one or more of their sketches to upload to Fresh Grade. They will then self-reflect on their sketches thinking about the question on the sticky note as well as a few questions that we will brainstorm together. The art journals in combination with the use of technology will allow students to look back on their journey in improving on sketching and making personal connections to a picture. Already I can see improvements in some of the student’s sketches. I hope to use some of the student’s pictures who demonstrate a strong understanding of sketching to help other students understand how to sketch.
Hi Amanda, this was an excellent opportunity to assess whether objectives were being met. Well done. I appreciate that you not only made notes for your own records and to inform your teaching but also put the questions on stickies for the students to support their learning. This assessment for and of learning is valuable as is your consideration and respect for students artwork (by using stickies!).
When using exemplars, will you select from a variety of ‘levels’ so as to not set up unrealistic expectations for students with less developed fine motor or artistic ‘skill’?
I think that using various examples is an excellent idea and I will be certain to provide a variety. I think by showing some student work will help achieve this. Not all student’s work will necessarily demonstrate strong artistic skill but rather that they understand what sketching is.