PHILOSOPHY OF ART 

EDUCATION
In every culture the arts reflect the finest achievement of the human spirit and are a means by which a
culture is defined, measured and recorded. Not only do the visual arts leave a vivid and compelling record
of civilization, the visual arts also provide an outlet for human creativity and self-expression, enabling
people of all ages to express their thoughts and feelings in a unique and personal way.

The study of art is important because it teaches us to observe and reflect on our natural and man-made
world. Whether observing a beautiful crimson sunset or a super highway, this focused concentration is an
essential skill and can be used in the study of math, science, history and writing, as well. Additionally, art
projects that are grounded in global perspectives expand intercultural awareness, which is easily evident
when teaching using the IB curriculum. My art students learn to closely observe, and respond, to the
world around them.

"The aim of art education in the public schools is not to make more
professional artists but to teach people to live happier, fuller lives; to
extract more out of their experience, whatever that experience may be."
~Grant Wood~
ART GRADES K-6 SCOPE and SEQUENCE All domains are taught and applied in each grade level. We build
on each one and use previous knowledge for each specific grade. Basic elements and principles are of
course taught at the beginning of each year and we use them consistently through- out the school year.
Below are the units of study for Grades K-6. ELEMENTS of DESIGN- line, shape, color, texture, space
PRINCIPLES of DESIGN- balance, pattern, focus, contrast, unity TECHNIQUES of DRAWING- basic drawing,
shading, proportion PAINTING- use of various brush strokes, mixed mediums PRINTING- lettering rules,
printing process, stamping TWO and THREE DIMENSIONAL- use of form, shows depth and width
CERAMICS- use of various types of clay, plaster work for “masks” CRAFTS- mixed materials( yarn, paint,
foils etc.) ART HISTORY- study of famous artists and their styles, incorporate into art projects ART for the
STAGE- basic set design, building and use of tools, drawing and painting on a larger scale ART can be
many things: abstract, still-life, portraits, landscapes, sculpture, collage etc

ASSESSMENT OF ART
The issue of assessment in art education will always be controversial due to the inevitably subjective
nature of art. However, assessment is an integral and essential element of teaching and learning as it
provides information about student learning that can help to shape further teaching and learning in a
variety of ways (Robinson, 2008).

Summative assessment plays a critical role in art education and can be defined as an assessment of
student learning that occurs at the end of some period of instruction and is used to determine proof of
learning (Gareis & Grant, 2015).

Types of Summative Assessment:

Performance Task
Written Product
Oral product
Standardized Test

Performance Assessment:

In art education, performance assessment is a commonly used method to determine what students
have learned. Performance assessment can be defined as “a measure of assessment based on authentic
tasks such as activities, exercises, or problems that require students to show what they can do”
(Robinson, 2008, p.22). Authentic assessment allows students’ progress and achievements to be
measured against their past achievements, rather than against traditional standardized norms or criteria
(Zimmerman, 1992). When assessing students through this method, a rubric, checklist, or other form of
scoring guide should accompany this type of assessment (DeLuca, 2010).

Types of Performance Assessment:

Exhibitions of student work
Portfolios of student work
Profiles of student behaviour
Student reflective journals
Student interviews and questionnaires
Samples of student writing
Teach-back methods
Video tapes of student behaviours
Immediate retrospective verbal reports

Importance of Rubrics:

Rubrics and checklists are valuable and effective tools for summative assessment. They allow the
teacher to set out the criteria before the task is given to students, thereby allowing students to know
what is expected of them. While they are useful, rubrics can be challenging to create. The key to an
effective rubric or checklist is to ensure all of the necessary and appropriate criteria are included, and
sufficient distinction is made between different levels of performance (i.e. beginner to advanced)
(Zimmerman, 2010).

Sample Assessment Techniques and Rubrics:

https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspxsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fulton.k12.ga.us%2FDEPT%2
Fcurriculum%2FArt%2Fdocuments%2FPerformanceAssessment-Rubrics.doc

http://kms.kapalama.ksbe.edu/art/rubrics.html

http://kms.kapalama.ksbe.edu/art/rubrics.html

gov/ciai/arts/pub/artsampvisual.pdf

http://www.incredibleart.org/files/Rubric.htm

References
DeLuca, C. (2010). The capacity of assessment in arts education. Encounters on Education, 11,
3-12. Retrieved from http://library.queensu.ca/ojs/index.php/encounters/ article/view /25 26/3157

Gareis, C.R. & Grant, L.W. (2015). Teacher-made Assessments: How to connect curriculum,
instruction, and student learning. (2nd Ed). New York: Routledge.

Robinson, S. (2008). Promising practices and core learnings in arts education: literature review
of K-12fine arts programs. Retrieved from http://education.alberta.ca/media /900551/ promising.pdf

Zimmerman, E. (1992). Assessing students’ progress and achievements in art. National Art
Education Association, 45(6), 14-24. doi: 142.66.3.42