What is Choice-Based Art?
Wondering what Choice-based Art means?
Allow me to explain...
In March 2017, I joined my fellow K-8 Art teachers at the NAEA convention in New York. I attended several workshops on Choice-based Art Education and could not get the idea out of my head. With permission from administration, I started to research ways to incorporate Choice into my classroom. I began with our art show projects last Spring, which were a wonderfully eclectic display of work and creativity. Each time I offered students more choice in Art, I was inspired to give them even more freedom. Their creativity inspired each other and pretty soon there were “trends” in some of our classes, like using felt in a collage or embellishing a painting with yarn and beads. I knew I was hooked on seeing my students’ creativity blossom with the space that “choice” was affording them.
So, what is choice? And, how do students continue to learn the elements of art? A choice-based art classroom has permanent centers of supplies that are opened gradually to establish procedures and routines, but then remain open to students each art class. This knowledge that supplies will always be available to them allows students to work at a relaxed pace, because they don’t have to rush to use certain materials. Students continue to learn what I want them to learn through “Mini Lessons” or “Demos” at the beginning of class. Demonstrations can include new techniques, new materials, or even the “5 minute museum” for some added Art History. A choice-based classroom allows the learners to be the players and the teacher to be the encouraging coach.
This summer at camp, I tested out my choice research on unsuspecting campers. Each week, students had a “menu” of projects & materials available to them. Some students tried all centers, others stayed at one center for a whole week, perfecting their craft. All students were engaged in art class because they were the ones who were choosing their projects.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I am so looking forward to seeing what your children bring to the art table this year!
***The Art Studio Recyles and Repurposes your trash!***
If you would like to donate clean items to our collection of “Fun Junk” for our Inventor’s Workshop (and other centers), please feel free to do so.
Items we collect include:
Allow me to explain...
In March 2017, I joined my fellow K-8 Art teachers at the NAEA convention in New York. I attended several workshops on Choice-based Art Education and could not get the idea out of my head. With permission from administration, I started to research ways to incorporate Choice into my classroom. I began with our art show projects last Spring, which were a wonderfully eclectic display of work and creativity. Each time I offered students more choice in Art, I was inspired to give them even more freedom. Their creativity inspired each other and pretty soon there were “trends” in some of our classes, like using felt in a collage or embellishing a painting with yarn and beads. I knew I was hooked on seeing my students’ creativity blossom with the space that “choice” was affording them.
So, what is choice? And, how do students continue to learn the elements of art? A choice-based art classroom has permanent centers of supplies that are opened gradually to establish procedures and routines, but then remain open to students each art class. This knowledge that supplies will always be available to them allows students to work at a relaxed pace, because they don’t have to rush to use certain materials. Students continue to learn what I want them to learn through “Mini Lessons” or “Demos” at the beginning of class. Demonstrations can include new techniques, new materials, or even the “5 minute museum” for some added Art History. A choice-based classroom allows the learners to be the players and the teacher to be the encouraging coach.
This summer at camp, I tested out my choice research on unsuspecting campers. Each week, students had a “menu” of projects & materials available to them. Some students tried all centers, others stayed at one center for a whole week, perfecting their craft. All students were engaged in art class because they were the ones who were choosing their projects.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I am so looking forward to seeing what your children bring to the art table this year!
***The Art Studio Recyles and Repurposes your trash!***
If you would like to donate clean items to our collection of “Fun Junk” for our Inventor’s Workshop (and other centers), please feel free to do so.
Items we collect include:
- paper towel rolls
- clean bottle caps or caps from squeezable food pouches
- buttons & beads
- springs
- corrugated paper
- bubble wrap
- fun papers
- clothes pins