art integration

Classroom Assessment in Art Integration

I am an art teacher and have found it difficult to assess students in a traditional sense. I relate to students through creative expression in their artwork and dramatic presentations. This makes it difficult to define a grade based on the students’ interpretation of their feelings. Through the Classroom Assessment course I have learned how to assess students using various methods and incorporated my love of teaching art into various core subject areas.
I think, like other creative teachers, that arts can only enhance the learning environment. A textbook is visual and doesn’t interact with the student. The arts, like dance, music, theater and art, pull in the student’s feelings, attitudes, various perceptions, and give them a role in self esteem. This works as a group, like interpretive dance, or can be solo as in an art piece. I learned this way as a student and continue as an adult to open up new pathways that only the arts can give.
I am excited to be able to connect my love of art and my love of teaching kids into one world. As an art teacher I felt limited to art and now with emphasis on integration I feel I can broaden the scope of art instruction. I often think….how can a history lesson become a play, how can poetry be painted, or how can music teach patterns like those found in math. Arts integration is a way to reach those that feel like traditional methods are too difficult. It opens new pathways and brings creativity to the front. Our children are lacking in imagination and creativity and this is the way we can bring it to them. I love being a part of the progressive approach to teaching and will continue to learn how to become a better teacher through the arts.
Recognizing famous artwork is a skill that involves advanced critical thinking. The artwork is not only beautiful but tells a story of the times in which the artists lived. Clues to the time period can be found in the artwork itself. Students can be taught to look for the visual cues in an artwork to help analyze the mood of the painting as well.
I developed the following lesson to help link art and history. The written reflection paper (in the expanded and continued version) links Language Arts skills as well. The lesson has facts sheets on each artist that will be read by the teacher to show the historical background behind each work of art. The main points will be highlighted and used due to shortage of time. There is an expanded version which can easily fill another 30 minute class period and continued lesson can be used as thematic unit. I concentrated on the first part of the lesson as each assignment would have its own assessment and need further explanation.