B.

Instructional Strategies in Teaching Visual Arts

Learning Outcomes:

• Distinguish between a directed-drawing approach versus

the artistic-creative approach.
• Describe the characteristics of different instructional
strategies in art.
• Apply direct instruction, exploratory learning, and inquiry-
based approach in creating a lesson plan.
-Pablo Picasso
“Learn the rules like a pro, so
you can break them like an
artist”
• When teaching a technique for the first time, most art
teachers, especially in a large class tend to do a direct
instruction through a demonstration. Direct instructions
give clear and precise steps to equip the students with the
concept and technique that they can follow. Time in an
art class is limited and there won’t always be
enough time to do an inquiry-based approach or
exploratory learning unless you are teaching in
a workshop or at home.
Direct instruction and modeling allow
teachers to relay information, teach
principles, demonstrate technique,
provide feedback, and guide
students directly based in their
needs.
If a teacher is introducing a material or
technique for the first time, the teacher
explains how to use it, how it works,
how artists do it, and reasons why it is
used. Direct instruction also allows teachers to
quickly and clearly explain the safety
precautions, cleanup process, and
expected behaviors.
• Theseactivities are excellent methods to develop
mastery of specific skills through explicit
instruction and modeling of behavior. Students
can also practice independently, however direct
instruction limits the use of exploration
and creativity that is why, in teaching art to
children, the teacher has to strategize when to use
direct instruction, which is usually done only at
the beginning of the lesson.
•Once the students are familiar with
the materials and techniques, they
can start exploring, envisioning,
and creating work through an
inquiry-based or cooperative
learning approach.
Teaching strategies
commonly used in art
class
 Step-by-step
Approach(direct
instruction)
Description Teacher demonstrates one step at a
time, then students follow each
step.
Illustration
Approach Direct Instruction/ Modeling
Guided Practice Think-aloud
Psychomotor Perception Set Guided response
Eight Studio Habits of Mind Observe, Engage, Express,
Reflect, Develop Craft,
Understand Art World
One Demo
Approach(Direct
Instruction, Exploratory
Learning)
Teacher demonstrates all steps,
then students try to imitate from
memory. In the process, students
also have an opportunity to
explore.
Direct Instruction/Modeling
Guided Exploration Think-aloud
Mechanism Complex Overt
Response
Observe, Engage, Explore,
Express, Envision, Reflect,
Develop Craft, Understand Art
World
Artistic creative
process(inquiry-based,
exploratory learning)
Teacher poses a challenge, then
students explore, envision, and
solve.
Investigative Free Exploration
Visualization
Mechanism Complex Overt
Response Adaptation Origination
Observe, Engage, Explore, Express,
Envision, Reflect, Develop Craft,
Understand Art World
When to Use • For classes that can
follow simple series of
• For classes that can
follow simple series of
• For students who are
engaging and up for the
performance tasks or performance tasks or challenge
are already familiar are already familiar • Upper grade levels or
with the skill with the skill students with an
• Teaching a complect • For less complicated inclination in art
procedure (5+ Steps) procedures (2-4 steps), • For students who were
That requires caution such as cutting a shape able to show mastery in
(techniques that are and then pasting or previous skills (e.g. The
irreversible such as coloring a background students already know
water color) • Using equipment such how to paint a
• For activities that have as a press for landscape by copying.
two or three parts, such printmaking, electric This time, the teacher
as mixed-media tools, or craft knife asks them to paint their
painting • For more flexible art own landscape with
• When doing one-on-one activities that are fictional elements that
mentoring reversible and do not tell a story without
require accuracy copying from a
reference)
Advantages • Easy for • Efficient use • Enhances all
students to of time since eight studio
understand a faster habits
and follow • Challenges
• All work and demonstratio students to be
finish at the n creative
same time • There’s room • The teacher can
• Develops skill for learn a lot from
through exploration the students
repetition and reflection
Disadvantages • Works on the • Sometimes • May require
students with students ask to more time,
sometimes more
slowest pace repeat if they
than one session
• More time- forget a step or • Some students
consuming cannot make it might get
• Does not work frustrated.
promote • Prone to • Teachers must
exploration student strategically
facilitate learning
and mistakes by planning
envisioning carefully.
Example • 8-step origami • Clay modeling • Games and Challenges
(Highest tower)
• Watercolor blow • Drawing with a
Activities painting or mixed- pencil
•
•
Collaboration projects
Student art competitions
media • Cutting and making • Quarterly or yea-tend final
• Directed-drawing a collage project
• Directed-painting • Draw a self-portrait • Situational questioning or
limiting materials (e.g. If
• First time to use showing emotions you were living in a
paints (e.g. Students already prehistoric era, and there
• First time to draw a know how to draw a are no art materials
self-portrait (e.g. face. This time, the available, how would you
make a self-portrait)
Teacher teaches teacher demonstrates • Test of independent skill
different types of how different facial (e.g. Think of a story, then
lines. Teacher parts change create a comic strip
demonstrates how to emotions. The showing different facial
expressions.)
draw each part of the student tries to mix
face one step at a and match on his
time.) own to create facial
expressions)
Step-by-step Approach
•In this approach, the teacher
demonstrates how to draw a face one
step at a time. Each student is expected
to do as per teacher’s instruction and
the teacher can only move on to the
next step once students say that they
are done.
One Demo Approach
• Inthis approach, the teacher demonstrates how to
make a human clay figure stand on its own. The
student uses a visual guide to try to do it
independently. The teacher provides guidance if
needed. This is also okay if the process is
reversible, that it allows the student to correct
himself or herself without much consequences,
such as molding with clay or drawing with a
pencil and eraser.
 Artistic Creative Process
• This
process involves more input from the artist and requires envisioning
(imagining the final artwork and picturing how to do it).
• Thisenables the artist to apply the concepts and techniques learned from
the previous lessons. The artist can also have an input on what his or
her artwork wants to express to the world. In typical art class, students
can learn concepts and skills from direct instruction as well before
conducting artistic approach. It is basically a combination of different
approaches wherein the end goal is for the artist to practice the Eight
Studio Habits of Mind(Hetland et al. 2015). Take note that all the
mentioned strategies can be used in one lesson depending on the
complexity of the activity, student’s skill, and set objectives .