You have a stack of IEPs and 504 plans archived in your email and you’re not quite sure what to do with them. What exactly are they? What do they mean for you, the art teacher, in the art room? You may have these questions and more swirling in your brain. If so, know you’re not alone! The realm of adaptive art can be very confusing.

Keep reading to understand the basics of adaptive art and learn new ways to approach your art room and curriculum to meet the needs of all students.

Adaptive art is the practice of making meaningful art with students with cognitive, intellectual, and physical disabilities. This often includes using adapted materials and art tools, adapting lesson plans and/or delivery, and working with paraprofessionals in the art room. The goal is to make sure every student can be successful, no matter their art experience level.

To begin, let’s cover some foundational keywords to ensure we’re all on the same page:

• Individual Education Plan (IEP)
  A document crafted by a team of stakeholders that addresses the specific needs of a student with a disability so they can succeed. This document includes strategies teachers will implement to adapt the instruction, content, and environment.
• 504 Plan
  A 504 plan offers specific accommodations or services to students with disabilities who may not require a special classroom setting for their day-to-day education but would still benefit from extra support.
• Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
  This refers to a principle in the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) that states that children with disabilities have access to education with their peers as much as possible. It looks different for each student, but the idea is to make sure each student is able to thrive in an environment that has the fewest limitations possible.
• Hand Over Hand (HOH)
  This is a practice to help students who need physical assistance to hold or maintain hold with a variety of art supplies. It can be your hand on top of the student’s hand or the student’s hand on top of your hand. A variation is when the student just needs some light elbow support to maintain a lifted arm.
• Differentiate, Adapt, Modify, and Accommodate
  These words all refer to changing different pieces of your lesson, delivery system, philosophy, and materials to fit the individual needs of students. Differentiating a lesson proactively considers students’ varying interests, levels, and learning styles. Adaptations are further measures of support and include modifications and accommodations. Modifications are changes to the instruction or content, whereas accommodations are changes to the classroom environment and setup.
• Paraprofessionals
  Also known as teacher assistants, instructional aides, or TAs, they play a vital role in the day-to-day running of a special education classroom. They assist the lead teacher in instructional support and organization and can be a huge help with general supervision and behavior management.
• One-on-One (1:1) Aide
  This is an adult assigned to one specific student. They are typically paired with a student who needs more assistance.
• Inclusion
  Inclusion brings special education and general education students together in the same room for the same class. This approach aims to consider the needs of all students from the start. It’s important for social skills, peer relationships, and community building within schools.
• Self-Contained Art
  This is an art class that consists of students solely from a special education setting.

What does adaptive art look like in practice?

Adaptive art courses are becoming increasingly popular in many schools. You may be teaching one for the first time this year! Alternatively, you may wonder how to incorporate adaptive art practices into your existing art courses and classroom. Whichever route you are on, adapting your art room and curriculum doesn’t have to be complicated or consist of huge sweeping changes. Sometimes, the little things can make the biggest difference!

Get to know your students.

Start with a student-centered approach. Art teachers know first-hand that the best way to get to know a student is to spend time with them building rapport. The key to having a quicker and deeper understanding of your students in special education programs is to also cultivate a relationship with their special education team. This can include their homeroom special education teachers, paraprofessionals, and parents, guardians, or caretakers. These adults spend the most time with these students and can be an invaluable resource when it comes to interests, struggles, wins, and behavioral triggers. Make these perspectives a priority!

Make an early finisher station.

Consider creating an early finisher station in your classroom. Students can choose an activity from different bins when their work is complete or if they need a break. Sensory bins are always a win for all grade levels! Have a plastic tub with colored rice or water beads or a box with various types of paper for tearing or hole punching. Ensure your bin is on a low table for all students to access or provide smaller bins that students can bring back to their tables. Building blocks, plastic building bricks, and magnetic tiles are also great options that are tactile, strengthen fine motor skills and hand strength, and encourage students to be design-minded.

Create open spaces in your classroom.

It’s a good idea to consider your room setup for all students who may come through your door. Your setup may need to be flexible so students in wheelchairs can access everything. Create open spaces in the room so there are a lot of pathways to move around, as well as open spaces on countertops or tabletops for students to spread out and work on. Many students with wheelchairs have attachable work trays. Reach out to their homeroom teacher to see if they can bring their trays to art class with them.

Visit these students in their homeroom classroom to see what it looks like. Observe what works and think about how you can implement a similar setup in your space. Go one step further and invite the homeroom teacher to come to your studio and provide tweaks you can make to improve the space for all students. Their homeroom teachers will often have awesome ideas because they know these students better than anyone!

Start with the highest level of modifications. 

Instead of pulling modifications from IEPs and 504 plans and trying to make adjustments for each individual student, start by finding the highest level of modification needed in the class. This approach ensures you are meeting the needs of all students without re-writing your lesson plans multiple times. Students who need more of a challenge will often rise to the occasion. Plus, the rest of the class will never know who the original modifications are for so students won’t feel singled out.

Collect adaptive art materials and tools.

Once you have an understanding of student skill sets and levels, you can begin to collect adaptive materials and supplies. While there are many helpful specialized items out on the market, you don’t need anything expensive or fancy to support students. There are many cheap or free hacks and budget-friendly options. Get started with grips, adaptive scissors and paintbrushes, and button-adapted tools. These are all great for students with low muscle tone or limited movement.

Focus on the process.

While completed artworks are important, the artistic process is where so much learning, discovery, and reflection happens! Lean into the process and allow your students time to delight in artmaking—let them experiment with materials, play with tools, and enjoy art through a sensory lens. This may be a student’s first opportunity to take an art class and we want them to fall in love with visual art for the long haul!

Whether you are teaching an adaptive art course or incorporating adaptive art strategies into your art room and curriculum, your perspective is vital. The way you approach bringing art education and visual arts to your students is just as important as the special tools or fun art materials. The priority is to provide avenues for all students to experience art through age-appropriate and challenging lessons, explore art tools and materials, and engage in the artistic process. Celebrate all of the art opportunities you bring to your students, especially those with a disability. Remember, all art is magic, but adaptive art is a unique opportunity to equip students with new and creative ways to express themselves!

Share one thing you’ve learned from teaching adaptive art. 

How do you meet the unique needs of all of your students each class period? 

Which adaptive art strategy are you looking forward to trying this year?

To continue the conversation, join us in The Art of Ed Community!

The post Back to Basics: What Does Adaptive Art Look Like in Practice? appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Unlock WIDA levels to support ELL students, build language skills, and communicate complex ideas through powerful artist statements.

There are six categories of skill levels for English Language Learners. Educating yourself on the skills expected for each level can help you tailor your support for students when they read and write in your art room. WIDA is a consortium of state education departments that provide research-based tools and resources for K-12 multilingual learners. WIDA provides standardized frameworks so learning outcomes are consistent across adopting states, districts, and schools. Ask your administrator, mentor teacher, or professional counselor to show you where to access your students’ levels.

Understand the six levels below to unlock key strategies for helping your ELL students:

• Level 1: Entering
  Students at this level are beginning to use English in very basic ways. They may understand and use a few common words and phrases. They often rely on visual aids and gestures for comprehension. Focus on building foundational vocabulary and simple sentence structures.
• Level 2: Emerging
  Students in this category are starting to form simple sentences and understand basic English. They still struggle with complex language structures and vocabulary. They can participate in conversations but may need additional support to grasp content.
• Level 3: Developing
  These students can create more complex sentences and understand basic English. They may still struggle with academic language and more abstract concepts. They can engage in discussions and express ideas, but they may make errors when it comes to more sophisticated language.
• Level 4: Expanding
  Students at this level demonstrate a good command of English and can use it in various contexts. They may still need support with specialized academic language and idiomatic expressions. They can engage in detailed discussions and write more complex texts.
• Level 5/6: Bridging/Reaching
  These students are nearly proficient in English. They can perform most tasks and understand most content in English. They may still need occasional support with very specialized or advanced language but can function effectively in an English-speaking environment.

Even if you don’t know the specific levels of each of your students, knowing different ways to scaffold reading and writing is helpful. Plus, it can be beneficial for all students—even those who know English but struggle with literacy. We’ll look at some prompts and activities below and break them down by level with examples.

Another helpful tip when assessing reading and writing is to remember what’s most important. Are you assessing reading and writing, such as pronunciation, grammar, spelling, and sentence structure? Or, are you assessing the art content they are trying to communicate, such as vocabulary terms, art materials, techniques, processes, and ideas? Prioritize your learning objectives and ensure they match your assessment outcomes.

Focus on these five areas with your ELL students to write artist statements with ease!

1. Home Language Expression

You are most comfortable when you’re in your own home—and so are your students! Make your classroom feel like their “home away from home” by allowing them to speak in their home language. This can be a great first step in writing an artist statement. Much like a “brain dump,” it provides a crucial foundation for processing and articulating their raw, honest thoughts. From here, students can take key information and incorporate it into their final statement, either in their home language or in English.

Prompt: I made… 

• Level 1: Entering
  Students use simple phrases or words in their home language. For example, they may say, “I made a house” in their home language while pointing to their drawing.
• Level 2: Emerging
  Students compose 1-2 basic sentences in their home language. They may share, “I made a tree because I like nature.”
• Level 3: Developing
  Students write a few basic sentences in their home language. For instance, “I made a painting of a sunset. I used bright colors to show how happy I feel when the sun sets.”
• Level 4: Expanding
  Students provide a short paragraph in their home language and emerging English. They may write, “I made different shades of blue and orange to represent the transition from day to night.”
• Level 5/6: Bridging/Reaching
  Students compare and contrast their artwork with other works in their home language and in English. They may share, “I made abstract shapes like Picasso but I used a different color palette of blue and orange.”

2. Vocabulary

Vocabulary acquisition is an important building block in forming and comprehending sentences. Just like with all of your students, it is your job to teach key art vocabulary, like the Elements and Principles. In addition, students will need to learn other art terms most students already know, such as pencil, scissors, fold, and sculpture. Introduce vocabulary and repeatedly reinforce it with a variety of visual aids.

Activity: Show me an example of…

• Level 1: Entering
  Use labeled pictures with key vocabulary words, such as the colors yellow, orange, and red with the text “warm colors.” Students match a label to the correct corresponding spot on their artwork and practice saying the words aloud.
• Level 2: Emerging
  Provide cards with images, vocabulary words, and simple definitions. Students match cards to the correct corresponding spot on their artwork and practice reading the cards aloud.
• Level 3: Developing
  Introduce vocabulary with a word bank and encourage students to use them in sentences. For example, for Show me an example of warm colors, the student may write, “My clothes are warm colors to match the sun.”
  
• Level 4: Expanding
  Continue to provide a word bank with more complex terms and descriptive language. They may write, “I used warm colors for my outfit to match the sun. It contrasts with the cool colors in the background. It helps me stand out!”
  
• Level 5/6: Bridging/Reaching
  Students use advanced vocabulary and art terminology in their statements. For example, “I used warm colors on the subject matter to contrast with the cool, dark background. I wanted the person to stand out and look like they were running away from the background which is eerie and moody.”

3. Sentence Structure

Take the bulk of the guesswork out of writing so students can focus on the content. Set up sentence stems and prompts so all students have to do is fill in the blank. These also help students organize their thoughts and provide immediate structure for final artist statements.

Activity: Pick a prompt and fill in the blank.

• Level 1: Entering
  I drew a… or This is a…
• Level 2: Emerging
  I used… colors to show…
• Level 3: Developing
  The… in my artwork represents… because…
• Level 4: Expanding
  In my artwork, I used… materials to illustrate… or I used… technique to create…
  
• Level 5/6: Bridging/Reaching
  In this piece, I used… technique because… and It supports my concept of… by… 
  

4. Sharing & Labels

Sharing artwork is scary, especially in front of the whole class and especially when you aren’t confident with speaking the same language as everyone else. Build up to sharing in front of the whole class by starting small. Allow students to select their partner or assign partners based on who you see students comfortable with. Provide labels with key vocabulary words and blank sticky notes to support communication.

Activity: Select a partner and share your artwork with them using labels.

• Level 1: Entering
  Students share their artwork with a partner using gestures and simple words. They can label their artwork with sticky notes that have pictures and basic words.
• Level 2: Emerging
  Students can share their artwork with a partner using short sentences. They label their work with sticky notes that include pictures, vocabulary words, and simple phrases.
• Level 3: Developing
  Students describe their artwork to a partner using complete sentences and labels. Encourage them to write a few sentences on sticky notes about specific elements of their work.
• Level 4: Expanding
  Students provide detailed explanations to their peers and use sticky notes to label their artwork with more complex terms and descriptions.
• Level 5/6: Bridging/Reaching
  Encourage students to engage in in-depth discussions about their artwork with peers, using sticky notes for detailed labels and explanations that reflect their advanced understanding.

5. Scaffolding

You can also scaffold support by breaking down the artist statement structure. Take sections of the artist statement and do each of them together as a class or group. Within each of the five steps below, provide prompts based on each skill level for students to expand on. Feel free to tie in other previously mentioned tips, such as word banks, labels, and sticky notes, to maximize student success.

Activity: Write an artist statement step-by-step.

1. Identify the subject matter.

• Level 1: Students match images with words.
• Level 2: My art is…
• Level 3: My artwork is about…
• Level 4: My painting captures…
• Level 5/6: The… represents…
  

2. Describe the inspiration.

• Level 1: Students select and name picture cards that illustrate their sources of inspiration. 
• Level 2: My idea is from… 
• Level 3: I was inspired by… 
• Level 4: The… inspired me because…
• Level 5/6: The… inspired me and it evokes… 
  

3. Explain the meaning.

• Level 1: My art is about…
• Level 2: My art means…
• Level 3: The… in my artwork shows…
• Level 4: The use of… in my artwork symbolizes…
• Level 5/6: The… in this piece represents… 

4. Discuss art techniques.

• Level 1: Students point to or name materials, techniques, or processes used.
• Level 2: I used… 
• Level 3: I used… to make…
• Level 4: I used… to create…
• Level 5: The use of… emphasizes…

5. Reflect on the artistic process.

• Level 1: It was easy/hard to…
• Level 2: I learned…
• Level 3: It was hard to… but I learned…
  
• Level 4: When making my artwork, I struggled with… but I learned…
• Level 5/6: Through this process, I faced challenges such as… and successes such as…

Tackling reading and writing in the art room with English Language Learners doesn’t have to be scary for anyone! Use this toolkit of strategies and prompts to best support your students at any level of language acquisition. Understanding what to expect from each WIDA level will help you manage your expectations for learning so all students can succeed. Plus, having a repertoire of ways to break down the artist statement process will benefit all budding artists. Before you know it, students will feel safe and confident to discuss, read, and write about their artwork in no time!

Discover more resources to support your English Language Learners in the art room:

1. How to Support ELL Students to Thrive in the Classroom
2. 5 Strategies to Help Your English Langauge Learners
3. Strategies to Help ELL Students (Ep. 234)
4. What You Need to Know About ELLs in the Art Room

How do you support ELL students with writing artist statements?

What are some challenges you’ve faced when helping ELL students articulate their artistic ideas?

The post How to Support English Language Learners In Writing Powerful Artist Statements appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Perspective drawings can feel cold and mechanical, but they can also be magical and empowering. As students gain skills in creating a realistic sense of space, they quickly realize drawing can enable them to create the world they imagine in their minds. However, the process of creating a three-dimensional image on a two-dimensional surface can be challenging and frustrating. There are precise rules to follow and each line and angle requires accuracy. The learning curve can be steep but once it “clicks” for students, the excitement is palpable! 

Try the strategies below to help students understand perspective and make those epiphanies a little easier.

1. Do a quick and easy master study.

Many of us show slides highlighting orthogonal lines and the vanishing point(s). Help your students not only see the lines but feel how they construct an image. Print examples from art history that have a strong use of linear perspective. Raphael’s The School of Athens or Gustave Caillebotte’s Paris Street, Rainy Day are great examples. Make a reusable set by laminating printed images or sliding them into plastic sleeve protectors. Students love to trace the lines with dry-erase markers and then wipe the image clean for their peers.

2. Encourage students to find their own digital examples.

A photography scavenger hunt challenges students to discover the artistic principles they’ve learned in class in the real world. Show your students varied examples of one-point, two-point, and three-point perspective. Give them a checklist of prompts to photograph and then upload the photos to your favorite drawing app. Students trace the orthogonal lines and make arrows pointing to the vanishing points. 

3. Let FLEX Curriculum allow you to focus on fun lessons with student-friendly resources while making your workload vanish!

Most students understand that things closer to us will look bigger and things farther away will appear smaller. What is difficult is keeping track of which lines are horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. FLEX Curriculum includes a handy four-and-a-half-minute student-facing What Is Perspective? video with concise explanations and clear animations. FLEX also includes several worksheets including step-by-step drawing guides and practice sheets. Check out the Perspective Collection in FLEX Curriculum for six lesson plans and every supplemental support you’ll need!

4. Engage kinesthetic learners with a physical encounter of linear perspective.

Set up a simple scene in the classroom with objects at varying distances. Stretch string taut from a fixed point (representing the viewer’s eye level) to the corners of each object.  Students can look down the length of the string to see how the lines converge at a vanishing point on the horizon line.

5. Use a grid to simplify guided practice.

Keeping lines perfectly horizontal or vertical can be challenging for young learners. They see the orthogonal lines slope toward the vanishing point and intuitively slant other lines incorrectly. Forms appear to be leaning or falling over, which is frustrating! Create simple guided practice drawings on graph paper or a gridded dry-erase board. The grid will give students an easy guide to follow because they will only need to worry about angling lines for the orthogonal lines.

6. Build a two-point perspective machine with a rubber band and a paper clip.

Use a rubber band and a paper clip to make a simple device for students to see orthogonal lines. Tape the sides of the rubber band to the vanishing points. Attach a paper clip to the center of the rubber band to use as a handle. As the student pulls the paper clip to the corner of a form, the rubber band will become the orthogonal line. 

Turn this simple rubber band tool into a reusable perspective machine by mounting it onto a board. Students can slide their paper in place as they sketch. Once they’re done, they can remove their paper and return the board with mounted rubber bands in place for the next student.

7. Explore Op Art to give students room to experiment without the pressure of realism.

Students are awestruck when they look at works by Victor Vasarely and others from the Op Art movement. The artwork seems complex but is often composed using the repetition of simple ideas and shapes. Vasarely worked to build a “plastic alphabet” consisting of modular geometric designs. Vasarely was systematic in his approach which makes it easy for students to replicate. Draw a hexagon and then draw a “Y” in the middle to turn it into a cube. Repeat this simple drawing schema in a tessellation to fill a page with Vasarely-style cubes. Challenge students to increase the complexity by using vanishing points to add depth to the drawing.

8. Try a perspective relay race to make practicing basic forms fun.

Divide students into teams for a relay race with a bit of a twist! Each team will start with a sheet of paper, a pencil, and a ruler on one end of the room. On the other end, have a variety of small pre-cut shapes and glue sticks. When the race begins, the first player on the team runs and grabs a pre-cut shape and a glue stick. Then, they run to their paper and glue it down. The player uses the pencil and ruler to turn the pre-cut shape into a form. When the drawing is complete, they run back and tag the next teammate to repeat the process. 

Mastering perspective drawing can be challenging but extremely rewarding! While we wish there was one single solution that will work for all students, unfortunately, there is not. The good news is that there are many strategies and hands-on activities to try. Use laminated images or a photo scavenger hunt to help students identify orthogonal lines. Provide grids, rubber bands, and paper clips to assist students as they draw. Introduce Op Art to ease the pressure and encourage high levels of success for all students. Make your art room a safe place to explore perspective and you will transform student frustration into artistic breakthroughs! 

How do you help students understand linear perspective?

What are your favorite art history examples that use linear perspective?

The post Drawing from a Fresh Perspective: 8 Strategies to Encourage Drawing Epiphanies! appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Do you need to shake things up in the classroom? Below are 10 ways to group students in the art room for collaborative projects.

1. Team or Table

This is a go-to option if your classroom is table-based. This cuts down on students moving all over the room. Most likely, students will know each other because of proximity however, if they don’t, add in an icebreaker game for the day’s bellringer!

2. Interests

Play a game like Four Corners to get students out of their seats, active, and interested. Ask a question, such as “What is your favorite medium we’ve done so far this year?” Students will move to the corner that represents their answer. For example, Corner A is Paint, Corner B is Oil Pastel, Corner C is Graphite, and Corner D is Fibers. Keep the students in these four groups or break them down into smaller sections.

Another fun Four Corners question is, “What artwork would you like to spend a day inside?” Corner A is The Scream by Edvard Munch, Corner B is Infinity Mirror Room Fireflies on Water by Yayoi Kusama, Corner C is Guernica by Pablo Picasso, and Corner D is The Boating Party by Mary Cassatt.

3. Random Digital Generator

Use an online tool to assign groups of students randomly. This is a good opportunity to talk students through a real-world scenario. One day, they may end up in a group or on a team with someone they don’t know or like but they’ll need to make it work to complete the project.

4. Popsicle Sticks

Give each student a number based on an existing seating chart or roster. Label individual popsicle sticks with the same numbers. Decide how many students you would like to be in a group. Randomly draw popsicle stick numbers to assign teams.

5. Student Choice

This is definitely a wild card, but a highly sought-after option for students. As soon as the teacher says “Group,” many students give their friends “the look.” We know exactly what this means—they want to pair up with their buddy! Letting students choose their groups can be great for student morale. Set the expectations that if the teams are off-topic, they will have to work individually. Be mindful of students who may not have a friend in class. Consider how you can set up student choice so all students feel included and excited.

6. Teacher Choice

Teachers can pinpoint who is a strong leader and who is an intuitive helper. Harness your students’ strengths when determining groups. For example, if one classmate excels at patiently explaining instructions, group them with a student who has trouble focusing. Pair together a student who is peppy and encouraging with a student who is tentative and nervous.

7. Learning Style

Group students by their learning style. Basic learning modes are visual, aural, verbal, and kinesthetic. Visual learners learn best by reading or seeing images. Aural learners are most successful through listening, questioning, talking, and recalling. Verbal learners process well through reading or listening. Kinesthetic learners thrive with physical activity, getting hands-on, or watching a demonstration.

8. Prior Knowledge

Introduce the next unit’s topic to the class with a quick survey. Students respond by raising their hands, standing up, filling out a digital poll, or voting on slips of paper. Grouping students by what they currently know is a great tool to see what you need to pre-teach or skim.

9. Creative Pairs

Get creative and gamify working in teams through creative pairings, like food. Hand out slips of paper to each student with either a word or a word and an image. Students find the other person with the matching food pair to become a team. For example, one paper will have a salt shaker and the other will have a pepper shaker. The pair possibilities are endless! You can also do villains and heroes, complementary colors, sports teams and mascots, or famous artists’ first and last names.

10. Card Deck

Remove the two Jokers before distributing one card per student. Students find the other students who have the same number or face card. Each deck of cards contains four of each, so groups will be no more than four.

Now that you’ve grouped your students, here are some helpful tips and fun collaborative projects for them to work on:

• 4 Ways to Incorporate Collaboration in the Classroom
• Collaboration in the Art Room Pack in PRO Learning
• Looking at Ideas for Collaboration (Ep. 285)
• How to Help Your Students Collaborate on Big Projects
• Exploring Collaboration Through Writing

Group work can change the class dynamic for the better! Students are often in fresh seats, moving around to different parts of the classroom, and interacting with students outside of their norm. Switching things up in the art studio is necessary for a thriving classroom environment. Whether you group students by interests, randomly, or by teacher’s choice, working together is an exciting challenge that makes the period fly by. Keep exploring new ways to group your students and celebrate the collaborative pieces your students create this year!

What is your favorite way to group students together?

Share a student-favorite collaborative project.

The post 10 Neat Ways to Group Students in the Art Room for Collaborative Projects appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Since color is likely an integral part of your art room and curriculum, understanding color vision deficiency is crucial. Color vision deficiency affects around 300 million people worldwide. Chances are you have more than one artist with color blindness in your art classes. Once you know more about color vision deficiency, you can create a more inclusive art room environment.

The first step to support your students with color vision deficiency is to educate yourself and raise awareness.

How do we see color?

Before diving into color vision deficiency, it’s essential to understand how humans perceive color. The human eye contains special cells called cones that are sensitive to different wavelengths of light. There are three types of cones: those sensitive to short wavelengths (blue), middle wavelengths (green), and long wavelengths (red.) When these cones work together, they allow us to see the full-color spectrum: a wide range of colors and variations.

What causes color vision deficiency?

Color vision deficiency occurs when one or more types of cones are either missing or not functioning correctly. The most common forms of color blindness are usually inherited and are the result of genetic mutations on the X chromosome. Men and people assigned male at birth are more likely affected, as they have only one X chromosome. Color vision deficiency also can result from injuries to the retina, optic nerve, or brain. Diseases, certain medications, aging, and exposure to chemicals can contribute as well.

What types of color vision deficiency are there?

Everyone sees color a little differently, no matter the state of their cones. People diagnosed with color vision deficiency see color significantly differently from the average eye and slightly differently from each other. 

The three main types of color vision deficiency are:

1. Red-Green Color Blindness (Deuteranopia and Protanopia)
   The most common type of color blindness affects the perception of red and green. These colors turn into murky greens with hints of yellow and blue. Browns are very hard to distinguish.
2. Blue-Yellow Color Blindness (Tritanopia)
   A more rare form of color blindness affects the ability to perceive blue and yellow colors. With this type, it’s hard to differentiate between blue and green, purple and red, and yellow and pink. Everything appears in shades of magenta and cyan.
3. Total Color Blindness (Monochromacy)
   Monochromacy is an extremely rare form of color blindness where individuals see the world in shades of gray, like a black-and-white movie. Only one in tens of thousands of people see no color at all.

Now that you have a baseline understanding of color vision deficiency, adopt the best practices below to support your students so everyone can thrive!

1. Adopt a UDL in your art room.

For students with color vision deficiency, art class presents unique challenges. Meet the particular needs of your students by adopting a Universal Design for Learning in your art room. A UDL approach ensures your classroom and curriculum will be accessible to as many students as possible. This is a proactive approach, versus making accommodations and modifications after you design your lesson or room.

2. Adapt your teaching environment.

Light and contrast play a crucial role in recognizing color. Provide modified materials, such as color-corrected paper, pencils, and markers, to enhance the contrast between colors. Place students in the brightest spots in your art room or supply spotlights.

3. Differentiate material labels.

Clearly label all art supplies and materials with secondary indicators such as text, shapes, symbols, and patterns to help students quickly identify what they need. Organize materials and store them consistently in the same place to reduce confusion.

4. Provide visual references.

Offer students visual references for color schemes and palettes to look at while they work. Student-facing downloads like the Color Wheels and Color Schemes from FLEX Curriculum can help students select harmonious colors and make informed choices for their artwork.

5. Avoid red-green combos.

Color vision deficiency most often affects the perception of red and green hues. Avoid using color combinations that rely solely on these two colors. Opt for alternatives like blue and orange or purple and yellow when designing projects.

6. Assign a color buddy.

Pair students with a color buddy they can ask questions to when they are having trouble differentiating colors. Encourage collaborative projects where students experiencing color blindness work with peers to foster an environment of mutual learning and support.

7. Celebrate the difference!

Treat students experiencing color vision deficiency as the experts they are in their color world. Let students create a colorful composition that is pleasing to what their eye sees. Then, use it as the basis for a discussion on perspective and beauty.

8. Ditch color altogether.

Encourage students to explore the use of light and dark values and visual contrast through shading and line work. Introduce tactile elements like textured paper or relief printing to add depth and visual interest to projects. There are so many other elements and principles to focus on!

Reframe color vision deficiency as an opportunity to explore innovative ways of expression instead of approaching it as a limitation. Support your students by differentiating labels, assigning color buddies, or ditching color altogether! The strategies you employ can create an inclusive environment where all students, regardless of their color vision, can thrive artistically. Plus, students will feel seen, cared for, and welcomed which can encourage them to take more risks with their artmaking. Even if the rainbow may still look muddy, your students with color vision deficiency will have a much more colorful outlook when they walk into your room!

What best practices will you adopt to support your students with color vision deficiency?

How are you creating a more inclusive classroom for all of your students?

The post Unmuddy the Rainbow: Best Practices to Support Artists with Color Vision Deficiency appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Are you ready to explore the deliciously creative world of art? Get your appetite ready because we’re about to delve into the role of food in the art room! Art teachers often incorporate food into lessons in many ways. Food can be used as a subject for still-life drawings or as a plate for printmaking. Because of this, it’s important to be aware of the potential impact on students who may not have access to regular meals. 

Food is a key ingredient in historic and current artmaking. Let’s investigate the role of food in art history, the benefits and implications of bringing food into the classroom, and seven practices to consider as you plan.

Why is food significant in art history?

Understanding the significance of food in art and its impact on students is crucial. Food in art is not a new concept and has been the main subject matter since Prehistoric cave paintings. However, part of our job as art teachers is to be aware of broader contexts so we can aim to be as inclusive as possible. Continue reading to discover how deep food goes in art history, and therefore, the art classroom and curriculum.  

Historic Artwork

Food has left its tantalizing mark on the canvas of art history. Throughout time, people made art about what was most important to them. For the earliest group of people during Prehistoric times, each day was about survival. This is depicted in cave art with the primary subject matter being animals they hunted.

In ancient Egypt, food offerings in art were a way to honor deities and ensure their favor. In Japan, they used a fish as a printing plate for gyotaku prints to preserve the memory of a catch. Fast-forward to the Renaissance and Baroque periods where the development of still-life painting flourished. Artists captured the beauty and symbolism of various delicacies in meticulous detail. Giuseppe Arcimboldo pushed the boundaries by painting portraits composed entirely of fruits, vegetables, and other foods. 

Modern and Contemporary Artwork

Skipping ahead a few more centuries into the Pop Art movement, food was used as a symbol for consumer culture and mass production. Artists like Claes Oldenburg created larger-than-life sculptures of food. Wayne Thiebaud celebrated the simple pleasures of life through whimsical paintings of cakes and pastries.

Frida Kahlo incorporated food as a metaphor for personal struggles and cultural identity. Judy Chicago challenged societal norms around femininity with culinary imagery. Contemporary artists like Tisha Cherry or Lauren Purnell use snacks and leftover scraps of food to compose compelling collages and sculptures. Because food is so intertwined in art history, it’s natural for these artists, artworks, and techniques to make their way into the art curriculum. Before you start planning the next lesson, let’s touch on how food can impact our students.

What are the benefits and implications of bringing food into the art room?

Our students today are no different—food is just as important to them now as it was to the artists of the past. Unfortunately, for many of our students, food is a scarce commodity. Food insecurity is when students have limited amounts of finances or resources to access enough food. In the United States, more than 38 million Americans experienced food insecurity last year and 1 in 6 students come to school hungry. Full, hungry, or somewhere in between, there are educational benefits to bringing food into the art room. And, as the reflective art teacher you are, there are also a few things to be on the lookout for as you foster an inclusive art studio.

Benefits

Food provides a captivating subject matter to spark students’ imagination. The vibrant colors and intricate details found in food offer opportunities for experimentation. Students can work with composition, perspective, and color mixing. We saw examples above of artists who used food as inspiration in their own work. Using food in the art room creates dynamic and engaging exploratory studies and final artworks.

Here are some other benefits: 

• Develops observational skills and attention to detail.
• Promotes cultural awareness and appreciation.
• Relates art to students’ daily lives.
• Allows for sensory exploration.

Implications

To create a classroom where as many students as possible feel safe, consider the impact of food insecurity on students. AOEU Associate Professor and Curriculum Specialist, Theresa Haugen, explains there can be negative effects of hunger in art class. For example, she shared a story of a student who came up to her after class and asked if they could eat the fruit from the still life. 

Here are some other behaviors that may stem from food insecurity or hunger-related fatigue:

• Doesn’t seem interested in the lesson or working.
• Requests to stay in the art room during lunch instead of going to the cafeteria.
• Absent from school due to frequent illnesses.
• Inability to concentrate, especially on tasks requiring fine motor skills.
• Appears tired or lethargic.
• Acting out.
• Complains of a stomachache or being cold.
• Declining academic performance and lower grades.

What seven practices can art teachers consider?

When incorporating food in the art room, art teachers may find themselves at a crossroads. You can avoid the use of food altogether and offer alternative materials or subject matter. The other path involves embracing food in the art room and providing food or snacks for students who are hungry. But how do you determine which route to take?

Here are four pointers to reflect on before diving into the tips below:

1. Research the student demographic, including how many students receive free or reduced meals.
2. Chat with the school’s professional counselors to see what resources are available and when to refer students to them.
3. Start a dialogue with your department chair and administration to garner support.
4. Look at your lessons from different perspectives to ensure as many students as possible can access the content regardless of home life, background experience, and more.

1. Know your students and their backgrounds.

Building relationships with your students is always important. Part of relationship building can be understanding cultural, religious, and dietary backgrounds. Ask your students to share fun facts about themselves, rope in your administration for the data portion, and connect with the health office or school nurse for known allergies. This knowledge will help you avoid causing discomfort or offense when using food in the art room. For example, some students fast during certain months for religious reasons. They may choose to abstain from consuming food or drink from dawn to sunset. This can inform when you plan a food unit so as many students as possible can participate. 

2. Incorporate alternative subject matter.

There is nothing better than using real objects in a still life because it helps students capture more detail and it makes the experience more authentic. However, if there are students experiencing food insecurity, it can be very challenging for them to spend an entire period (or unit!) looking at food they are not allowed to eat. Theresa suggests using different organic objects such as flowers, acorns, or shells in lieu of food.

3. Make your own faux food.

Create a double unit where students sculpt their own faux food using clay or toilet paper. Then, use the food sculptures as your still life for a drawing or painting assignment. This shows connections between different mediums. Combining two- and three-dimensional art forms also hones artmaking skills and techniques.

4. Add a designated snack time and snack cupboard.

Some students may rely on school meals as a primary source of nutrition. As such, it can be insensitive to munch on a granola bar in front of them while they are trying to concentrate during studio time. At the secondary level, many students bring their own snacks to school and pull them out whenever they want.

To avoid making students who are hungry feel uncomfortable and left out, consider designating a five-minute snack time. Not only can this help break up longer periods, but it can also provide your students with the quick energy and social boost they need to get through the rest of the class. A designated snack time also fosters a sense of community as everyone chats and eats together. Be sure to adhere to your district and school’s food guidelines and ensure students wash their hands and tables before consuming anything.

To make things even more fun, you may occasionally provide themed snacks to go with the unit at hand. A student-favorite activity is to create color wheels with frosting and food coloring on cookies or cupcakes. Whatever you decide, double-check with your administration and school nurse before your lesson to ensure you are following district and school guidelines when it comes to food and allergies. 

With administrative permission, make a designated space in your room where students can bring non-perishable items. Ensure the cupboard, drawer, or plastic tub is safe from any unwanted critters. Explain the purpose of the food cupboard to your students. This can be a good opportunity to bring awareness to food insecurity with sensitivity and intention while fostering empathy and social responsibility. Reach out to local organizations including grocery stores and your PTA/PTO to provide donations of cereal bars and granola bars. 

See secondary art teacher, Tasha Newton’s, snack drawer in the video below.

5. Design and create a community garden.

Engage students in a project where they design a community garden. You can do this on school grounds or elsewhere through a local organization. Consider collaborating with the science or horticulture teachers for interdisciplinary connections. Students can explore themes of food, sustainability, and the environment. Include students in the design of the garden layouts. Students can also create plant markers, signage, and murals.

6. Use food as an art medium.

Alternatively, explore using food as an art medium. Introduce students to artists who use food for art materials like Tisha Cherry, Lauren Purnell, and Daryna Kossar. Provide food items for each student so they can create unique artwork. Then, once you or the students photograph the artwork, they can eat their work! This can be a fun way to provide a snack for all students while incorporating unconventional contemporary artists. 

7. Collaborate with other departments and staff. 

Work with the cafeteria or food services staff, science department, or family and consumer science teachers to integrate food-related units into your curriculum. Explore the art of food styling, design a food truck, or examine the parts of fruits and vegetables with botanical illustrations. Food is a great way to create connections with other content areas and career choices. 

The role of food in the art room offers a delectable avenue for creativity and exploration. Take the time to step back and see how food is integral to art throughout history as both subject matter and art material. It’s a natural next step to bring it into the art classroom! In order to foster a considerate learning environment for as many students as possible, it’s important to recognize the pros and cons of doing so. Food can immediately hook students by creating relatable connections to art. But for students who have food insecurity, looking at food they can’t eat in the art room can be difficult. Get to know your student demographics and start conversations with your administration. Then, design a community garden focused on sustainability, designate a class snack time with provided snacks, or make faux food to use in lieu of real food. There are many thoughtful ways to include food in the art room that strikes a good balance between creativity and empathy.

How do you incorporate food into your art curriculum? 

Have you considered how food insecurity impacts your students?

What is one way you will be more inclusive around food insecurity this year?

The post Art and Appetite: 7 Ways to Explore the Significance of Food in the Art Room appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Keep reading to discover how we can teach using brain-based learning to make art connections that last.

While each student is unique, there are principles to keep in mind that are helpful when designing learning for all students across the board.

Here are four overarching principles to consider:

1. Emphasize meaning.
   Students are likely to care about their learning when they can relate the content to their own lives and apply the information to the real world.
2. Maintain a safe learning environment.
   When students’ physical, psychological, and emotional needs are met, they are able to focus on learning new things.
3. Create student-centered learning environments.
   Loosen control and allow students to have choice in what they’re learning. Try some of the techniques in the Choice-Based Art Education course for ways to make the transition.
4. Be flexible in your teaching approaches.
   It’s easy to default to teaching in ways we prefer to learn. Don’t be afraid to mix things up and provide instruction in more than one way or incorporate new methodologies. The more ways you can teach something, the more students you will reach.

These principles may sound great but you’re wondering how to implement them with your students. Sara Hileman breaks down educational approaches to brain-based learning with a helpful acronym, “BRAIN BASED,” which is deciphered below. For more information, check out Engaging Students with Brain-Based Learning.

Here’s the acronym:

Brain’s Time Clock: Keep rhythm by alternating between spatial and verbal tasks.
Repetition: Use previewing and reviewing strategies.
Active Learning: Increase blood flow with physical movement.
Images: Enrich the visual learning environment.
Novelty: Stimulate the brain with new approaches.

Be Colorful: Facilitate retention and motivation by color-coding.
Automatic Learning: Recognize the influence of nonverbal communication.
Social Brain: Exploit opportunities for cooperative learning.
Elicit Emotions: Create opportunities for emotional engagement.
Develop Thinking Skills: Engage learners in problem-solving.

Let’s break down the acronym and take a look at how to apply each of the 10 strategies in the art room.

1. Brain’s Time Clock

Students’ brains naturally fluctuate between preferring verbal tasks and spatial tasks. To mitigate this, break your class period up so students are communicating with each other about art and working on their art. Communicating about art can be about their own work, the work of a peer, a famous artwork, or a known technique.

Here are two ways to break up your class into short verbal and spatial activities:

1. Take a gallery walk.
   Halfway through the class period or when students are antsy, have students stand up and walk around the room to look at everyone’s artwork. Ask students to give verbal feedback to each other.
2. Do pop critiques.
   Display an artwork and ask students to analyze it. Discuss the artwork in groups and then share their findings with the class.

2. Repetition

Repetition is important for transitioning information from short-term to long-term memory—but it can be boring!

Make repetition more interesting by using these two techniques:

1. Create catchphrases for important concepts.
   Turn important concepts into short, easy-to-remember phrases. This makes them simple to repeat and will stick in students’ minds. Saying, “Lighter lights, darker darks” is catchier than saying, “You need more contrast.” You’ll know it’s working when you hear students repeating the catchphrases without prompting!
2. Display a “coming soon” poster.
   Giving students a glimpse of what’s coming next allows them to mentally prepare. It also prevents them from asking you a 100 times what their next project will be.

3. Active Learning

Many art forms require students to be sedentary. Although it will take conscious effort to incorporate movement, the payoff when it comes to learning and classroom management is well worth it. Kinesthetic art reinforces learning and is fun!

Here are three activities to try:

1. Play Simon Says.
   Compile a slideshow of famous sculptures. Tell students, “Simon Says act like Jeff Koons’ Balloon Dog!” Students pose as the sculpture. It’s a fun way to expose students to art history and introduce the design thinking required to ensure a sculpture has the balance to stand on its own.
2. Make students model for speed gesture drawings.
   Divide students into pairs. One student models different poses while the other student draws. Every 30 seconds, the model will change position. After five minutes, the two students will swap roles.
3. Create large-scale art.
   The bigger the art, the more students have to move to reach the different parts of the canvas. Just because it’s a large project doesn’t mean it has to be a long-term project. Students lie down on a piece of bulletin board paper with charcoal in each hand. Students make the same movements with both hands at the same time, stretching their arms and dragging the charcoal across the paper.

4. Images

By nature, most of us are visual learners so we usually have visuals down pat! It’s still helpful to take a peek at specific ways to showcase visuals in the classroom for optimal learning.

Here are two specific ways to include images to stimulate students’ brain-based learning:

1. Include visual information on the walls.
   Including anchor charts, word walls, and visually appealing pictures allows students to passively digest information when their minds wander from the task at hand.
2. Present information in different visual formats.
   In each presentation, use a variety of visuals like videos, charts, graphic organizers, images, and written information. This gives students many opportunities to process the content.

5. Novelty

Getting out of your default lesson format stimulates your students’ brains and gets their attention. It also stretches you as a teacher and keeps your instructional prowess fresh!

Mix up your traditional techniques by trying these three approaches:

1. Participate in a 5-Minute Museum.
   Students dress up as a famous artist or match a series of artworks to the correct art history time period. You can even host an Artist Roast where you divide students into groups and have them roast the other group’s chosen artist or famous artwork. These activities are fun alternatives to traditional art history presentations and encourage students to examine artworks without them even realizing it! Take AOEU’s Educating Through Art History course for more novel approaches to art history.
2. Use centers.
   Instead of having the whole class try the same technique at once, create centers focused on one material or technique at a time. This allows students to focus and build proficiency without distractions.
3. Play vocabulary games.
   When it comes to vocabulary, it’s natural to use a worksheet as a “go-to” activity. Instead, break out a game! Students still learn and practice vocabulary but in a way that will create fond memories of your class.

6. Be Colorful

As art teachers, many of us are already prone to color-coding everything. Luckily, this is a key aspect of brain-based learning! Color coding allows students to associate words, places, and objects with a particular color. So go ahead and color code to your heart’s content! For students who are color blind, include symbols so they can still make associations without color.

7. Automatic Learning

Automatic learning is all about how students learn without verbal communication. Non-verbal factors should promote learning instead of hinder it. For example, if you model positivity and excitement about the next assignment, students will be more likely to replicate your attitude. However, if you act like the next project is going to be a drag, your students will associate boredom and irritation with upcoming learning.

8. Social Brain

Art class is naturally more social because it offers many opportunities for collaboration. Plus, we often have table setups that encourage both group work and conversation during individual studio time. Activate students’ social brains by doing collaborative projects, art-related games, artwork discussions, or brainstorming sessions.

9. Elicit Emotions

Students’ brains are more likely to retain information when it sparks an emotional response. They are able to tie new learning to a familiar feeling they have already experienced.

Here are three ways to elicit emotions in the art room:

• Speak passionately and share an emotional connection to the artwork, artist, or technique at hand.
• Integrate social-emotional learning.
• Create artwork expressing emotions.

10. Developing Thinking Skills

It’s easy to fall into a routine of demonstrating techniques before letting students work. However, students learn best when they figure something out for themselves. Provide the material and tools with safety instructions and let students loose to explore and problem-solve. Consider giving students a project-based learning assignment or open-ended prompt.

Lastly, as you consider incorporating brain-based learning into your classroom, take your students’ age into consideration. Brains are developmentally different at each age and it’s important to consider which brain-based learning techniques would work best for your students. While brain-based learning stretches your students to receive and retain more information, it’s most effective when adhering to developmentally appropriate activities. Check out this website for more insight into the best brain-based practices for each age group.

Brain-based learning is a fancy way of saying you teach in ways that allow students’ brains to optimally process information. Ensuring students are safe, making real-life applications, letting students have a say in their learning, and being flexible are important parts of brain-based learning concepts. For straightforward brain-based strategies in the art room, start by taking the brain’s clock into account, implementing repetition, and injecting active learning, images, and novelty into your curriculum. Be colorful, incorporate automatic learning, allow students to work together, engage students’ emotions, and ask them to problem solve. With a few intentional tweaks to your instructional methods, you’ll be pleased with students’ increased participation and retention!

How do you already use brain-based learning in the art room?

Which brain-based strategy will you implement this year?

The post 10 Easy Strategies to Apply Brain-Based Learning in the Art Room appeared first on The Art of Education University.

As art teachers, we want each student to feel welcome, included, and safe in our art room. We hope our students feel empowered and develop skills like collaboration. Both of these can create more meaningful artwork. Students can also develop an appreciation for groups of people, traditions, cultures, and lands different from their own.

Gloria Ladson-Billings is an American theorist and educator. She coined the term, culturally responsive pedagogy, in the early 1990s. This theory uses the “cultural knowledge, prior experiences, frames of reference and performance styles of ethnically diverse students to make learning encounters more relevant and effective for them.” She advocates that students are more likely to feel like they belong when they see themselves represented in the curriculum.

Let’s review some important terms so we can approach this article on the same page.

• Culturally Relevant Pedagogy: Acknowledges the strengths of people’s diverse cultures and empowers them to understand the cultural context in their learning.
• Culture: Specific traditions, art, and beliefs of a group of people or nations.
• Cultural Identity: Self-perception related to nationality, religion, or ethnicity that has its own culture.
• Diversity: Involving people from a range of social and ethnic backgrounds, gender, race, beliefs, countries of origin, sexual orientations, and ages.

In our interconnected world, culturally responsive teaching can bring great benefits to students. Here are four benefits of a culturally responsive art room:

1. Creates a welcoming environment.
2. Teaches inclusivity.
3. Cultivates critical thinking.
4. Strengthens students’ cultural identities.

How can we bring this information into the art room? Here are four strategies to help create a culturally responsive art room.

1. Teach global thinking.

When you teach your art lessons, include information from a variety of diverse artists from the past and present. Be sure to review all resources and preview all artists before determining if they are appropriate to share with your students.

For example, when teaching about mural painting, consider including a variety of artists such as:

• Diego Rivera
  Rivera emphasized the Mexican working class to honor his nation’s history and diverse population in the early 1900s. His murals established a movement in Mexican and international art.
• Sam Kirk
  Kirk is a multidisciplinary muralist from Chicago who explores culture and identity. She grew up in a mixed-race family and has always been interested in cultural communities. She was recently listed as one of the top 50 Artists of 2020 in Chicago by New City Magazine.
• Jaque Fragua
  Fragua is an indigenous artist from New Mexico who incorporates aspects of his Native American heritage into his murals. His murals focus on sharing information about native lands and misappropriation.

Share basic background information about each artist as well as their contributions to art history. In doing so, you will naturally highlight various parts of their lives that may resonate with your students. Incorporating a variety of artists and their backgrounds can also expose students to lives different from their own. A global mindset consisting of multiple perspectives and experiences can help students be more empathetic, accepting, and open to new ideas and ways of doing things, as well as boost confidence in who they are.

2. Bring aspects of your culture into the art room.

Share your own cultural identity with your students. Your cultural identity can include personal experiences, traditions, and memories. A big part of my own identity is my Norwegian heritage. My family celebrates our culture by preparing special foods, learning about our ancestors, and celebrating Scandinavian holidays. This special part of my life is important to me and I share that with my students. Sharing your own heritage and culture can create positive student-teacher relationships. When students see teachers speaking about things that are important to them, they may be inspired to share their own stories too.

3. Make the art room a safe space.

You can make your art room a welcoming place where students feel comfortable sharing and making art. A safe and welcoming art room does not happen overnight. Take the time now to build positive relationships with your students. When they like and trust you, they may be more likely to open up about who they are and what they value.

Build positive relationships with your students by implementing three strategies:

1. Mix up your classroom seating charts often.
   This allows students to get to know their peers throughout the year. After swapping seats, students can share something about themselves, such as their favorite food, to “break the ice” with their new elbow partner. This can encourage your students to learn more about each other and create a positive classroom community.
2. Promote respect.
   Some ways to model respect are to learn the correct pronunciation of your students’ names and demonstrate active listening versus listening to respond. When students share out, either as a whole class or in small groups, employ active listening skills such as looking at the speaker and withholding interruptions.
3. Foster curiosity.
   Encourage students to ask questions instead of responding with opinions. Some students may not feel comfortable sharing about their background or culture—and that’s okay! Make sure sharing is optional and start simply through fun topics like favorite movies, books, and animals.

Be mindful that sharing cultural backgrounds can bring up tough topics such as migration, politics, and/or religion. Adhere to all of your district and school guidelines and collaborate with your professional school counselor or an administrator if necessary.

4. Make real-world connections.

Before making real-world connections, you need to know what is in your students’ scope of the world. Ask your administration for data on your school’s demographics to better understand your students’ needs.

One simple way to make real-world connections is by discussing global celebrations and holidays. Highlight special cultural events your students participate in. For instance, if your school demographics revealed your school has a high population of Mexican students, you may choose to incorporate the Day of the Dead. Students who are new to this holiday may learn it centers around families and is a separate holiday from Halloween. Students who celebrate this holiday may want to share their personal stories and experiences with peers.

A teacher who is intentional about being culturally responsive can make learning personally meaningful for students. As teachers, we want our students to feel connected, be comfortable in new spaces, and embrace differences. A culturally responsive approach supports students by encouraging inclusivity, empathy, and compassion. Simple ways to do this in your classroom are to include diverse artists from all walks of life, share your own background and experiences when applicable, encourage active listening and asking questions, and relate learning to what your students are familiar with. Start small now for big results and powerful artmaking later!

Check out these resources to further your learning:

• How to be a Culturally Responsive Art Teacher
• 5 Ways to Help Create a Culturally Sensitive Classroom
• What is Critical Race Theory and What Might it Look Like in the Art Room?

What are parts of your own heritage and culture you can bring into your curriculum?

What are some ways you are already integrating a variety of cultures and diverse artists in your classroom?

The post 4 Strategies to Create a More Culturally Competent Art Room appeared first on The Art of Education University.

The first step in helping uninterested students succeed in art class is to find the root of the problem.

Before we can find the root of the problem, we need to identify our uninterested students. What can an uninterested student look like?

An uninterested student may:

• Chat with other students during instruction or studio time.
• Instigate and distract other students.
• Fiddle with art supplies.
• Rush through the activity or artwork.
• Refuse to participate.
• Scroll on their electronic device.
• Find excuses to walk around the room.
• Wiggle in their seat.
• Put their head down.
• Blurt out inappropriate responses.
• Avoid eye contact.

This list is by no means comprehensive but, it can help you identify students who have lost interest. They may be feeling bored, confused, or uncomfortable. Put yourself in their shoes and ask them one-on-one why they aren’t participating and what you can do to help them. Identifying the root issue will help you eliminate specific barriers that may be in the way.

Some common barriers could include:

• Language
  If your student is having trouble understanding information and communicating, include visuals with your written instructions. For more information on meeting the needs of your ELL students, check out this article.
• Physical Disability
  Make your art lessons inclusive by creating adaptations from the start. You can purchase adaptive tools like loop spring scissors or special pencil grips. For more information on meeting the needs of your students with physical or cognitive barriers, check out this article.
• Behavior
  If your student has a hard time self-regulating, consider placing them close to where you stand and present. This way, you can redirect them quickly before they shut down. For more information on de-escalating strategies, see this article. 
• Cognitive Disability
  You can adjust the parameters of your art lesson and your instructional design approach for students who may be overwhelmed with information. Consider simplifying content and posting only one project step at a time on the board. See the article above under Physical Disability for more tips.

Here are four ways you can encourage uninterested students in the art room.

1. Provide specific praise.

Tailor praise to be very specific so students know you truly see their effort. For example, “I know you were hesitant about putting your idea on paper and then nervous about sharing it with the group. I appreciate how you pushed through your uncertainty. Now, look at your drawing and how your tablemates supported your vision!” Your students will know you value them and their contributions. This can help students gain positive experiences with art so they are excited to come back!

2. Prioritize time to collaborate.

Group art activities can help reel in reluctant students. Working with a partner or in a group can ease the stress of creating something alone. Partner students together to fill in a color wheel. Give your student groups a collection of abstract shapes to create animals out of as a team. Pair students up to create a short comic strip together. Working together can give students a successful experience with art. Plus, the social aspect can make the activity at hand more fun! For more ideas, check out the Pack, Finding Success With Collaboration at the Elementary Level in PRO Learning.

3. Switch it up.

Consider changing up your art class location. Sometimes uninterested students need a new environment. If you can’t leave your classroom, change the space inside to create interest. And if you are unable to transform your classroom, the simplest way to switch it up is to change seating arrangements.

Here are some fun, out-of-the-box ways to switch it up:

• Try hosting your next art class in front of paintings displayed in the school hallway. Students bring their sketchbooks and spend class time observing peer artwork or famous reproductions.
• Take the art class to the gymnasium and use the big space to practice figure drawing with expressive poses.
• Take your students outside to paint the snow on the sidewalks with watercolors.
• Host an environmental artmaking session on the school’s outdoor grounds.

4. Connect art to a purpose.

Students often feel uninterested because they see no point or purpose in art. Spark interest by sharing careers with an art element and showcasing a variety of contemporary artists they may recognize. Make real-world connections to create buy-in to art class. When students see a purpose in the art that is part of their world, they are more likely to be interested and participate.

Some students may be reluctant to dive into your art class for a variety of reasons. Identify your students who are not engaged and try to find the root of the problem. Differentiate your instructional strategies to reach as many of your students as you can and complete the feedback loop with specific praise. Consider lessons with collaboration and how you can change the art room environment. Find types of art your students are interested in and show how art can connect to their world. Give these strategies a try to encourage uninterested students to participate and build their confidence in art.

How do you encourage participation from uninterested students?

What engaging techniques have worked for your classroom?

The post How to Reach Uninterested Elementary Students in the Art Room appeared first on The Art of Education University.

While teaching art lessons, be aware of your students’ attention spans. This is the length of time they can focus on a task with undivided attention. For most students in kindergarten, their attention spans are around 8 to 12 minutes. There are many different strategies to keep your kindergarten students focused for that long.

These four strategies work well at every grade level and are especially helpful for our youngest learners.

For quick tips, watch the YouTube mini-series 1-2-3 A-R-T. Join veteran elementary art teacher Lindsey Moss as she addresses ways to anticipate kindergartners’ needs and meet them where they are.

For more strategies, check out the Pack Finding Success with Kindergarten in PRO Learning. This two-hour professional development is comprised of several short, teacher-facing videos and resources. It will provide you with specific ideas to plan, stay organized, and maintain engagement in your kindergarten classes to make them run as smoothly as possible. For more information about PRO, fill out a quick contact form.

For a deeper dive into the world of kindergarten art, enroll in Rethinking Kindergarten or Art and Early Childhood. Rethinking Kindergarten is an 8-week graduate course and will explore early childhood development, play-based learning, and a variety of progressive philosophies. Art and Early Childhood is designed for teachers who work with preschool through 2nd-grade learners. Gain strategies to balance play with structure and the confidence to teach your youngest artists. Connect with an admissions counselor about either of these courses.

1. Use an exciting hook.

Young students are not able to sit through long lectures and lengthy discussions. With only 8 to 12 minutes to keep their attention, you will need a short, exciting hook. Kindergarten students will be more intent on listening if the first few moments of class capture their attention. Consider reading a picture book, showing a quick video, or playing a catchy song to start the lesson.

I have kindergarten students gather on the rug at the front of the room. This makes it easier to focus their attention and manage behaviors. It also helps to make the lesson introduction interactive. If you are teaching the element of shape, draw a few shapes on the board and have students turn them into animals. If the lesson is on the rainbow, have students share what classroom items match each color.

2. Sprinkle fun rhymes into expectations.

Throughout the year, it’s important to communicate and reinforce art class expectations and rules with students. For kindergarten students, list your procedures in a more interactive way. If you list off rules in a monotonous tone, you will lose their attention. Consider saying the rules through rhyme or song—sprinkle in a little fun so students remember them better! For example, in my art class, we twist the glue stick down when putting the lid back on. To help my kindergarten students remember this, we say, “Bye, bye!” to the glue stick as it twists down.

If students need a more focused refresher, gather them in a central spot, such as the classroom rug, to watch you explain and demonstrate procedures. Say the expectation, model the correct procedure, and then pause for the information to sink in. You can even select a few students to model how to follow directions. Once they show the right way, have the audience give them a cheer! Here are other strategies for teaching how to use supplies to your students and fresh call and responses.

3. Plan ahead.

Be sure to plan ahead and prepare each art supply before the class begins. During a short class, each moment counts. If you are running around the room gathering supplies, you will lose your kindergarten students’ attention. Another tip is to only provide the needed tools for each activity, or step within an activity, on tables. We often find it’s easier to have all of the supplies in table caddies. However, this can provide too many options or temptations for younger artists. For example, if you are doing a simple drawing project in kindergarten, the only items that should be on the table are paper and pencils.

4. Use affirmations.

Oftentimes, kindergarten students are drawing everything for the very first time in their life. Since this may be their first artmaking experience, they could feel frustrated and discouraged about drawing. Affirmations teach students positive self-talk. Have kindergarten students repeat affirmations like “I can do this,” “I believe in myself,” “I am an artist,” or “I got this!” This strategy helps your younger students gain confidence, refocus, and follow your lesson.

Along the same lines, have students enthusiastically repeat each step to maintain their attention and energy levels. For example:

• Teacher: Pick up your pencil, please. Everyone, say “Pencil!”
• Students: Pencil!
• Teacher: Time for us to draw one square. Say, “One square!”
• Students: One square!

Young students are eager to learn and make art. For some kindergarten students, your class is their first introduction to creating their own personal artwork. Use the strategies above to manage behaviors and encourage creativity in your classroom. Set the stage for your kindergarten students to build confidence in their art skills. With clear and catchy procedures, helpful preparation, and affirmations, you will be ready to host successful kindergarten art classes in no time.

Here is more helpful kindergarten content:

• DITL of an Art Teacher: Plaster Tips and Kindergarten Art Shops (Ep. 7)
• 3 Fun Ways to Teach Kindergarteners About Primary Colors
• Bridging the Kindergarten Gap (Ep. 203)
• 7 Lesson Ideas to Engage Kindergarteners in SEL Through the Elements of Art
• Learning to Love Kindergarten (Ep. 006)

What is your favorite tip for maintaining kindergarteners’ attention?

How can you sprinkle fun into your rules and procedures?

The post 4 Strategies to Effectively Manage 30-Minute Kindergarten Art Classes  appeared first on The Art of Education University.

At its heart, choice-based art is simply adding choices to your art classroom. In the Increasing Choice at the Elementary Level Pack in PRO Learning, Suzie Belzer defines choice as “any opportunity for students to have input in what they are creating or how they are creating.” By this definition, choice-based instruction is not an all-or-nothing situation; instead, it exists on a continuum.

The Choice Spectrum included in the Planning For Choice at the High School Level Pack offers a look at the different levels of choice and corresponding instructional approaches. While studying this array, you are bound to discover that you include more choices in your art room than you realize.

Check out the other resources in the Increasing Choice at the Elementary Level and Planning for Choice at the High School Level Packs to start your relationship with choice today!

Rest assured, your students enjoy the trust and freedom you give them with the choices you already incorporate. The more you realize your students love choice, the more likely you will love it too.

As an art teacher, it is easy to fall in love with what your students love. Here are six reasons your students love choice in the art room.

1. Builds creative and intellective capacity.

Providing choice allows students to use their imagination to devise solutions to artistic challenges. The sky is the limit as they implement a new medium or respond with a unique spin on a specific prompt. Choice piques student curiosity, which leads to creativity!

Try it in your art room!

Students complete the phrase, “Imagine if…” For example, imagine if pigs could fly, dinosaurs were real, or dogs could talk. Students illustrate the phrase of their choice.

2. Promotes intrinsic motivation and ownership.

Choice gives a place to explore and play in your art room. Students experiment with art materials and skills to produce different outcomes. They are proud of their creations because they know the process they went through to make them.

Try it in your art room!

Invite your students to explore and play with tempera cakes on 3″ x 5″ cards, like these artist trading cards. Allow them to create as many as they want. Then, share their creations with the class and collectively brainstorm applications for their discovered techniques.

3. Supports social-emotional learning and well-being.

Adding more choice to your lessons requires students to make decisions and take artistic risks. It develops the emotional resilience your students need to face new challenges by pushing them outside of their comfort zone one choice at a time.

Try it in your art room!

Students practice value by shading a sphere or a cube. Next, explore shading in a 3″ x 3″ drawing of an object of their choice. Finally, students set up their own still life and render it as a fully developed value drawing.

4. Enhances and refines technical and artistic abilities.

You don’t have to sacrifice technical and artistic skills in the name of choice. On the contrary, choice gives students an incentive to develop their abilities to execute a particular idea. In addition, the increased motivation gets students excited to learn essential art techniques.

Try it in your art room!

Run a sculpture-building boot camp where you teach students various ways to manipulate cardboard. Or challenge students to put their skills to work building an art city. Students reflect on what they accomplished and how they used what they learned.

5. Increases cultural responsiveness and inclusion.

Students from all walks of life deserve a platform for their experiences. You can create a welcoming and inclusive environment by offering curated options with the subject matter and intellectual content. As a result, students can learn from the experiences of others and become more culturally aware.

Try it in your art room!

Prompt students to create a painting of their life anthem. They can include lyrics, imagery, and colors that represent them. Then, facilitate a sharing circle where students present their artwork and answer questions.

6. Develops relevant and applicable real-world skills.

Creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking are essential 21st-century qualities that choice fosters. You can make your art experiences more meaningful and relevant by practicing skills students need long after they leave your class.

Try it in your art room!

Students draw a landscape in the medium of their choice. Then, pair them up to discuss how they can transform their landscapes into Surrealist-inspired imagery.

If you are not in love yet, here are some additional reasons why adding more choice in your art room benefits you as a teacher. When you incorporate choice into your art room, you:

• Have time to better meet your students’ needs.
• Increase your time to build relationships with students.
• Differentiate and diversify your instruction.
• Reduce your amount of prep time.
• Learn something new from your students every day.

You will experience a noticeable difference when your students buy into their projects. Committing to choice takes intentionality one day at a time. No matter what degree of choice you can add to your classroom, your students will thank you!

You are probably ready to write love poems to choice-based art now that you know all the benefits of adding choice to your art room. Providing choice builds your students’ technical, emotional, creative, and real-world skills. You have more time to meet your students’ needs, build relationships, and learn from your students when you allow choice. There is no need for more convincing. You are ready to give love a shot and try out choice-based art!

Are you still feeling hesitant or skeptical? Here are three resources to help you get better acquainted with choice before making a date in your art room with it:

1. Top 5 Myths to Teaching a Choice Curriculum
2. Exploring the Open Art Room (Ep. 080)
3. Transitioning from Traditional to Choice Curriculum Pack in PRO Learning

What do you love about choice-based art?

How do you incorporate choice in your classroom?

Which project will you try in order to bring more choice to your art room?

The post 6 Proven Reasons to Love Choice-Based Art and Try It in Your Art Room appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Many factors contribute to the length of a project, especially in the wake of COVID-19 and technology use. Students increased their tech time and decreased their physical activity. This has led to a noticeable change in attention span as well as motivation. A call to educators everywhere has been made to get students more physically active and emotionally and mentally stable and regulated. This means art can save the day! It is well-researched that artmaking has many physiological, mental, and social benefits. Art can lower blood pressure, decrease stress, promote brain development, and provide a sense of social togetherness.

All that being said, how do we deliver a lesson to our students in a timely manner that gives ample time for exploration and experimentation and is rigorous with enough content to “chew” on? How do we balance that with a lesson that doesn’t drag out and result in boredom and a loss of interest? The solution is to keep the following things in mind: the developmental age of your students, the type of project you are creating, your schedule, and any looming deadlines.

Let’s look at four key areas to consider when determining the length of a project.

1. Age and Development

The first major thing to consider is to know the developmental age of your students. Referencing Viktor Lowenfeld’s Stages of Creative Development is probably one of the best things you can use! Generally speaking, the younger the student, the shorter the time frame should be for a project. For example, students in the Scribble Stage may finish a project in 20 minutes and need another activity to do afterward. On the other hand, a student in the Pseudo-Realism Stage may need several days to finish a piece due to the level of detail and technique they need to pursue their artistic goals and meet the lesson’s objectives.

Here are the stages at a glance:

• Scribble Stage (ages 2–4)
• Preschematic Stage (ages 4–7)
• Schematic Stage (ages 7–9)
• Pre-Realism Stage (ages 9–11)
• Pseudo-Realism Stage (ages 11–13)
• Decision-Making Stage (ages 14 and up)

2. Type of Project

Once the developmental age of your students has been determined, think about the type of project students will create. Consider sitting down and making the project yourself first to determine the troublespots and the best approach for the lesson. Keep track of how long it takes you to finish an example. Keeping your students’ developmental age in mind, you can make the call on how long the project should take. This is a bit like backward design for lesson planning.

For example, if it took you 30 minutes as a professional artist to make a painting, a third grader in the Schematic Stage may need at least 60 minutes. Factor in getting students seated, teaching the lesson, handing out supplies, and cleaning up at the end of the period, and you may be looking at needing 90–120 minutes. If you are new to teaching, this can take some finesse and trial and error. But once you get the ball rolling and execute this design process a few times, predicting the timing of a new lesson will come more naturally.

3. Your Schedule

As art teachers, time is always of the essence, and there never seems to be enough of it. Hence, your schedule, period lengths, and class rotations greatly affect the length of your projects. Let’s say you see your elementary classes once a week for 50 minutes. If a paper sculpture lesson will take the students at least 120 minutes, you need to block out three art classes. In your once-a-week schedule, that is technically three weeks. This can look like one day for the introduction and partial build, the second day for the completion of the build, and the last day to add color or finishing touches and reflect. Analyze your specific schedule to break down the different parts of your lesson.

4. Deadlines

Sometimes, outside forces can determine how long a project is. Maybe the project is part of a bigger school event, like a school play. Perhaps your administrator requests a project with a limited deadline or you enter artwork into a school or statewide art show. Report cards and grade deadlines also play a factor. Therefore, have foresight for how long a project will take if you are trying to include it within a specific grading window. It is always best to give yourself a buffer for unexpected or unforeseen circumstances like getting sick, surprise assemblies, or calamity days.

What about students who still finish early?

Planning a project takes time, forward-thinking, projection, and other multifaceted considerations. But even the most strategic, methodical art teacher must be prepared for early finishers! You may have a situation where students finish early on the final day of a project, or whole classes are completing a projected three-day lesson in two days. Always be prepared with backup plans. This will look different depending on the structure of your class and situation.

Here is a list of ideas to help you with early finishers:

• Add embellishments to the work.
• Plan additional requirements. For example, if the project was puppets, students can make a background for the puppet using cardboard and then script and perform a class puppet show!
• Offer free choice stations like free draw, origami, how-to-draw books, coloring pages, or these “Finish the Picture” prompts.
• Provide age-appropriate games or toys such as plastic building bricks, blocks, puzzles, or play dough.
• Allow tech time with a list of appropriate websites for them to use. For example, students can create things using Canva, Tinkercad, or even Google Draw for some fun digital art time.
• Assign special jobs. Let’s face it—there is always a lot to do, and students love to help!
• Check out this Pack, Methods for Early Finishers in PRO Learning.
• Listen to this podcast, “What Do We Do with Those Early Finishers? (Ep. 015).”

Even though we face new challenges in our post-COVID world, we can still plan meaningful art lessons to help our students build up longer attention spans. Keep the age and development of your students in mind when designing your lessons. Put yourself in their shoes, use backward design, and make project examples before planning new material. Again, even if you execute your lesson plan perfectly, there will be times when flexibility is needed due to unforeseen circumstances or the needs of your little artists. Just like we tell our students, embrace the mistakes and use them to inform future growth!

What changes have you noticed in your classes pre- and post-COVID? 

How else do you determine how long a project should be? 

The post 4 Key Factors to Determine the Length of an Art Project appeared first on The Art of Education University.