Choice Based Art: The First 6 Weeks!

 Hey fellow art teachers! Ever wonder how to introduce to students to choice based art education?  I've gotten so many questions about just how do my students know what supply to choose?  How do they get that initial urge just to "play around" out of their systems?  

Well, here's an overview and glimpse into how I teach my students to choose wisely, and make educated choices that will ensure them success! 

The first six weeks:  Exploratory Learning through Material Exploration

Students enter the room and there are six "stations" set up.  I usually make these stations more complex and higher level supplies such as Charcoal, Chalk Pastel, Oil Pastel, Watercolor Crayons/Pencils, Watercolor Palettes, and Liquid Tempera.  

These centers also help students experiment and learn how to properly use and manipulate each supply.

Students fold a piece of paper into sixths, then have black markers at all tables so they can label each square with it's supply.  

Students then rotate through the tables(roughly 5 minutes per table) to experience each supply.  I usually do not limit them to what they must draw in each box, we stick to simple drawings because the purpose of this activity is to gain experience and knowledge on each supply.  

 So what are those papers labeled with the supply and the sticky notes?  This is how students share their tips, suggestions, and thoughts with other students throughout the school about each supply.  

By each supply in the classroom, we have a chart that has two columns.  One labeled "The Good" and "The Bad".  Students post sticky notes with challenges they encounter while using this supply, or things the supply works very well with/for. 

    Once the station day is over, the following class students review basic concepts such as using the elements of art within a piece as well as key genres of art such as portrait, landscape, still life, etc.  These next 4-5 weeks are when we practice the procedures of responsibly getting up, retrieving, cleaning, and putting away supplies while completing review projects.  It is crucial that students learn, understand, and demonstrate the ability to take care of their supplies and environment properly during these weeks.  During these weeks I also introduce them to the concept of tracking their own time by using a darkroom film developer timer.  It is color coded as follows: 

       Yellow: 10 minutes of Group Instruction

       Green: 27 minutes of Independent Work Time

       Orange: 3 minutes (Clean up begins for paint, charcoal, chalk pastel)

       Red: 5 minutes of all students cleaning up their materials and work space.

    After these initial 6 weeks I have found that students are able to make educated choices about the remainder of their projects throughout the school year.  I will admit, there are times that these procedures seem to be lost in the excitement of field trips, holiday breaks, or three day weekends.  So what do I do when that happens?  Well, we go back to the basics.  If students are not properly cleaning up their supplies and classroom, they lose that supply for a week.  If we have forgotten a simple procedure such as how we enter the classroom quietly, we stand up line up back outside, and try again until it is done correctly.  The visual timer is great at these moments because they are able to see the time which they are losing that day because of their behaviors.  

So, there you go, a brief but hopefully helpful introduction to the daily life in a choice based art room.  It may look like chaos when you walk into my room, but talk to any student, and you'll find inside, it's organized!