The Art and Design Teacher's Handbook

177 Pages·2010·1.01 MB·english

by  Susie Hodge

The Art and Design
Teacher’s Handbook
Also available from Continuum
Art Education 11-18 2nd Edition, Richard Hickman
Sounds Like a Good Idea, Mike Kinnaird
The Art and
Design
Teacher’s
Handbook
Susie Hodge
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Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedortransmittedinanyform
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any
information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the
publishers.
SusieHodgehasassertedherrightundertheCopyright,DesignsandPatentsAct,1988,tobe
identifiedasAuthorofthiswork.
BritishLibraryCataloguing-in-PublicationData
AcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary.
ISBN:9781847061508(paperback)
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Hodge,Susie,1960–
Artanddesignteacher’shandbook/SusieHodge.
p.cm.
ISBN978-1-84706-150-8(pbk.)
1.Art–Studyandteaching(Secondary)2.Design–Studyandteaching
(Secondary) I.Title.
N363.H632010
707.1’2–dc22
2009037862
TypesetbyBookEns,Royston,Herts.
PrintedandboundinGreatBritainbyAntonyRowe
Contents
Introduction: A Positive Start 1
1
The aims and purposes of art at this age 5
2
Expectations and progression 21
3
Planning 40
4
Practical projects and lesson plans 56
5
Strategies to deliver lessons 64
6
Organization 75
7
Sketchbooks and work journals 84
8
Motivating and inspiring, developing creativity
and imagination 100
9
Teaching and learning 111
10
Educational visits 128
11
Homework and worksheets (out of Art room.
extension, gifted and talented, teacher absent) 138
12
GCSE, AS and A2 (Exam Board content, comparison
and expectations, Assessment Objectives,
Assessment Guidance, Coursework and Terminal
Exams, exemplar work) 151
Index 169
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Introduction: A positive
start
Art education is unlike any other subject. While this could be
said of any subject taught in schools today, art and design is
particularlydiverse.Mostartteachersarepractisingartists–they
have either worked in some kind of art and design profession
before training as teachers or they continue to work as artists or
designerswhileteaching.Thisisoneofthemanyuniqueaspects
ofartteaching–andaparticularlypositiveone.Artpractitioners
are fully equipped to impart informed knowledge about their
skills and current practices. They frequently enter teaching to
share their passion for art and to inspire others to feel the same
enthusiasm for the subject. Another unusual aspect of the
subjectinschoolsisthatthecontentisnotlaiddownspecifically,
yet it relies on the coverage of a broad range of aims and
objectives in order to justify its purpose and to guide pupils
through an essential range of skills and knowledge.
Art and design teaches young people visual literacy, critical
and creative thinking and, of course, the essential skills,
techniques and theories connected with the subject. It helps
students to develop abilities in reflection, intuition and articu-
lacy. It enhances emotional intelligence and cultural and
aesthetic awareness. It encourages both creative and critical
thinking and although most students will not become artists,
many will become consumers of art, craft and design.
Finally, the creative industries are vast and expanding.
Creative people are desperately needed in the workforce – more
than ever before. Unfortunately, for some though, art retains a
reputation as a ‘soft’ subject – perhaps because unlike many
others, there are no right or wrong answers. Anyone who has
taught art and design, however, knows that it can be one of the
most challenging yet rewarding subjects in the school curricu-
lum. Art teachers continually have to keep lessons relevant and
1
2
The Art and Design Teacher’s Handbook
engagingwhileembracingnewtechnologiesandmedia.Lessons
have to incorporate these new developments along with new
directions given by curriculum authorities, exam boards and
senior management teams.
Most schoolsrightlyand proudly display theproducts of their
artdepartments on corridorwalls and indisplay cabinets.This is
often the first visual sign to visitors of what is going on in an
establishment and of how it perceives itself; the showcase of the
entire school. Yet although the quality of art produced is a good
indication of the effectiveness of a department, it is not always
enoughtoprovethesuccessofartanddesignwithin theschool.
Further evidence is needed and although most art teachers are
dedicated, passionate and multi-faceted, even the most enthu-
siastic can baulk at some of the new initiatives, assessment and
syllabuschangesthatarefrequentlyintroduced.Newlyqualified
art teachers can be forgiven for wondering what they have let
themselves in for: combininga detailedand in depth knowledge
of theory with versatile and comprehensive practical skills.
Somewhere in there, job satisfaction and sanity have to be
preserved, without any sacrifices – and it can be done!
This handbook is intended to provide practical support for
secondary school art and design teachers across Key Stages (KS)
3, 4 and 5. You can know your subject well and be able to
balance a range of objectives, long and short term planning and
assessmentcriteria,butsometimesyoucanfeelabitisolatedand
overwhelmed. It is all too easy to lose your enthusiasm and
intentionsinanefforttokeepupwiththeworkload,sothisbook
is to try to help restore or maintain these. When things become
too frantic, stop for a moment and remember who inspired you
themostatschool–thedullanddrearyteacherwhotaughtyou
methodicallybutmonotonously,ortheinterestedteacherwitha
passionforthesubject?Holdthatthought!Althoughyouneedto
be organized and efficient, this is not the most effective way of
teaching. Your reasons for teaching in the first place – your zeal
for and interest in art – should remain at the forefront of your
teaching, whatever your responsibilities or new directives. This
book is here to give you new ideas and hopefully to help level
outyourworkload.Itexaminesdifferentwaysinwhichteachers
can respond to and take advantage of the many positive aspects
of the subject, while still addressing the required attainment
targets. It includes suggestions to help the development of skills
andimaginationthroughavarietyofdifferentcontentareasand
teaching situations. Each chapter aims to help you help your
3
Introduction: A positive start
pupils develop insight, fluency, analytical and critical abilities,
historical, cultural and aesthetic understanding, creativity and
practicality. It will help you to develop flexible approaches and
ideas to enhance your teaching. Focusing on many of the
challenging issues of secondary school art education, including
why and how we teach art to older children and teenagers, the
book gives suggestions for planning and delivering lessons, as
well as raising attainment at all stages – from Year 7 to Year 13.
Across the globe, art lessons in secondary schools give pupils
opportunities to explore visual, tactile and other sensory
experiences in order to communicate ideas and meanings. They
are encouraged to work with a variety of media, investigating
anddevelopingtheircreativity,practicalskills,manualdexterity,
aestheticawarenessandmanipulationofmaterials.Byreflecting
ontheirownandothers’work,evaluatingqualityandmeaning,
they learn to appreciate images and artefacts across times and
cultures and to understand the contexts in which they were
made.Youngpeoplewhohavevaluableexperiencesinschoolart
studies are disposed to become discriminating arts consumers
and contributors in later life. This book guides you through a
great deal of approaches and ideas to help you plan, create and
organize your teaching and hopefully, reduce or balance your
workload, while boosting your confidence and ideas.
Arteducationduringtheearlyteenyearsgivespupilswaysof
identifying themselves and the wider world that isnot taught in
other subjects. A good education can also enhance thinking,
personaldevelopment,confidenceandlearninginothersubjects.
In the Education Reform Act of 1988, art became one of the ten
compulsory subjects of the English National Curriculum at KS3.
In many other countries too, art is an essential part of the
curriculum for students during their adolescent years. Most
pupils enjoy working in a practical and creative environment,
with opportunities to express themselves in new and original
ways, exploring their identities and challenging assumptions.
Many art lessons also provide opportunities for investigating
personal concerns and emotions and developing structures for
values and beliefs. By collaborating with others, working in
groups and taking part in discussions, art students also develop
skills in communication, critical thinking and creative problem
solving. Health and safety is part of the process and the
understanding of safe practices in the working environment is
integral to students’ collection of skills learned in the art
department.