Studio Thinking from the Start Chapter 4 | Portraits of Planning

For this assignment we read chapter 4 in our artist educator handbook called Studio Thinking From the Start which was all about how teachers plan.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Planning

There are so many things to consider when planning as an art educator (national and state standards, districtwide curriculum, Studio Habits of Mind, Studio Structures, thematic content, or classroom integration). I find that these considerations are essential in my beginning stages of planning. My plan, long-term, needs to make sense. And by that I mean everything I do needs to fit together and relate to other lessons/themes as well as other disciplines and districtwide curriculum so that my students are being able to make connections with everything they've learned. In the first story of Chapter 4: Portraits of planning, we learn about Art Educator, Nicole , who had set up a "year long trajectory," or a planned out path for her students to follow. She came up with one bigger essential question that she would relate back to all year and that was, "how can art help us tell a story?" I thought it was interesting that she planned her year-long essential lesson month by month each having their own sub-essential question, studio habit focus, and storytelling connection. Prioritizing these considerations will be very beneficial in the long run.

Accommodations

Nicole makes systematic accommodations for some of her learners, as every teacher should to ensure the success of each individual student. I really liked Nicole's method of focusing on the students' strengths rather than their weaknesses. I would definitely like to incorporate that strategy in my classroom and have it become a habit.

Flexibility

Wynita, another art teacher mentioned in the chapter, leaves flexibility in her planning to account for trends in student interests and popular culture. It is definitely important to stay up to date with what is trending right now so I can create more relevance and meaningful connections within my lessons for my students.

Planning makes perfect!

Planning is the number one most essential aspect for being an effective and successful art teacher. Planning structured lessons that relate to not only other aspects of class but also other disciplines in the students' lives, while still having the ability to be flexible and accommodate for different learning styles and needs is the core of teaching art!