Backwards By Design

Understanding by Design (Jay McTighe), has given me a template to use for the way that I already teach. Art teachers are truly at the core of the best teaching/learning practice, as we begin with the Performance Task in mind and move backwards from there. Art is hands on, reflective, engaging, and personally relevant already. For example: we want our students to understand the style of the Australian Aboriginal artists, we want each student to learn about this style through personal connection(History and Culture and Self Expression), we want our learners to be able to talk about this type of painting and reflect upon their own and their peers' finished painting (Critique). We want the "performance task" to show proof of all of this learning. But, more than all of this, we want the students to really get "the big idea", which for me, is "Personal connection, through symbolism, creates a more meaningful piece of art." Do the students, at the end of this lesson really get this?
I think they not only understood this, I can see this from their art work, but they have been able to apply their knowledge to other world art. While I listen to their discussion about this essential question, the connections they make are astounding. Understanding by Design has allowed me to really think about what it is I want the students to take away with them each day. It has forced me to think deeply about the connections that I hope students make when they go out in the world. It has taken my teaching to another level because it doesn't let me get away with a simple lesson plan and superficial goal.
Art is already, in my opinion, highest order thinking as it involves creating, evaluating, and analysing first and foremost and then applying, uynderstanding, and remembering. Bloom would be so proud!
Please see my art website or blog for examples of unit planners and the Australian Aboriginal Project that I'm speaking of.

Parent-Teacher Conference

You know, we all complain, they are too long, we are all in this crowded room together...I had to talk for six straight hours...this is parent teacher conference: Arena style. I have to say though although I lost my voice and my bum is numb....I've had some amazing moments here tonight.
The first moment being a mother, who, of course has had nothing but frustrating and negative meetings with other teachers...and when I say to her.... (genuinely) my GOD your son is inovative and intuitive, she starts to cry!  How about the second moment when I say to a couple, who obviously hasn't spoken a word to each other in a long time, where did your son learn to be so EMPATHETIC? And the mom says, "What do you mean?" and I say he is so helpful to others and always trying to teach what he knows and wow, what a leader....she says, "no one has ever said that before?"
What about the couple, who, with sad faces, say...how is our son doing? And I say, let me tell you a story, "An essential question that I ask the students is : what is good art? At first Juji (change of name) said "well art is something that shows a full range of value." I say, no that is just what we are studying and you think I want to hear, I really want to know what you think good art is.... he thought about it. I said Juji, what about Rothko who has these rectangles of colour with little range of value and people love it and buy it for millions of dollars...and he says.... "Well, I guess.. good art is art that poses a question."  Seriously folks, is that not the best moment of my teaching career?
I love my job and although it is such a long day, I really find such value in meeting parents....they need to meet the art teacher. They need to have a unique perspective on their child's learning.

Have the Elements and Principles lost their importance?

Today in our department meeting, we discussed the possibility that the elements and principles need not carry as much weight in our lessons and lesson planning. Perhaps they are no longer the "building blocks" of art?
I've never seen the elements of art and principles of design as the building blocks of all art projects. I've seen them as a little collection of tools and language that, as artists, we can draw from to help us. They can help us improve our own art and ideas. They can help us discuss our art and the art of others. They can offer inspiration when we are stuck. They can be a way of breaking down art in to smaller parts.
Its best to teach these, in my opinion, almost as a side conversation. Sneak them in without students knowing. Get students to really SEE them in historical pieces and in works of today. Encourage them to use them to discuss, inspire, and make sense of more complicated concepts such as; layering, juxtaposition, and metamorphosis.
Its always more important to get the students to ask WHY, then WHATt? It pushes them further. Why did this artist limit their palette? Not, what colours did she use? Do you see the difference? Do you hear the difference in the richness of this conversation?
Improving art teaching does not need to start with more complicated words, but with a deeper understanding of why we are teaching the lessons we teach and HOW do we engage and motivate all students in the process.