Assessment

Assessment in the art educators classroom is very important in order to evaluate student success.  I think a good way to assess learning in the art classroom is to begin with a basic assignment in a specific area, that way there a basis with which to judge how much a student already knows about that area as well as something to compare later work with. While growth in techniques is important I think growth in a content shows a higher level of success.  After all it always seems that beginning level art courses begin teaching students about techniques, and the latter deal more in creating a conceptual cohesive body of work.  However, I feel it would be infinitely beneficial for students to create conceptual art work while learning techniques.  I feel that if it had been instilled in me from the beginning that my work need be cohesive I would have been putting a lot more thought into my art making.  Last year when I was taking a portfolio painting class, my grade depended upon my success creating a content cohesive body of work.  We were able to do the content of our choice, and I struggled because I felt the project was just too open ended and I wasn't ready to pick one area to deal in.  This year I'm taking a more assignment oriented painting class, but directed around a content area chosen for us.  I've never agreed with the saying "You don't know what you have until it's gone" so much.  My grade, or my success, this semester is based upon how far I can advance the content I was given and I've come to believe that it's not really a fair way to judge success.  I believe success in the art classroom comes from surprises and discovery.  It's important to not rule anything out in the art classroom, it's important for students to know that in art there aren't mistakes but rather opportunities.  It's okay for a student to start out making projects about one thing and later decide through their experiences that they'd rather work in a different area.  It's okay to try out different media and techniques and see how far you can get.  I think success is not based on how well a student can render something, but rather the discoveries they make while attempting to render something.  Like I said last week (and i genuinely believe), without surprise there can be no discoveries and without discovery there can be no progress.  And progress is success in my future classroom.