I strongly believe that when assessing students in art, the whole student should be considered, including their previous knowledge and skills, processes, growth and learning. I believe it is important to build a relationship with each student in order to be able to do so. I believe that students should not be assessed solely on their final artwork, but on their whole process. It is important to look at the final art piece in conjunction with how the student has shown growth and learning. This comes from building relationships with students, discussions about their findings, looking at pre-assessment data, and asking them to reflect on their own experiences through discussion or artist statements.
Knowing my students allows me to create lessons that I believe will have the potential to be passionate, personal and pertinent for my students. It also allows me to know what skill level they are all at as a group and individuals to help create lessons and also assess progress. I also make sure to check in with my students throughout their process to see the steps that went into it, and how they overcame challenges.
Some of the methods that help me to assess my students are:
Knowing my students allows me to create lessons that I believe will have the potential to be passionate, personal and pertinent for my students. It also allows me to know what skill level they are all at as a group and individuals to help create lessons and also assess progress. I also make sure to check in with my students throughout their process to see the steps that went into it, and how they overcame challenges.
Some of the methods that help me to assess my students are:
- Opening and closing questions- These operate as pre-assessment tools so I know where students are at at the start of the lesson, and as exit-tickets or checks for understanding to see where they are at by the end of the lesson
- In progress check-ins- Throughout work time I try to check in with students one on one to see their progress and offer any feedback or answer questions, as well as get an idea of their thinking
- Artist statements- Having students reflect on their own artwork helps me to understand the deeper thinking behind their final, as well as give them a chance to explain the process, learnings, failures and successes
- Criteria for success- When introducing a project, I try to come up with 3 clear and concise criteria for success that I will be looking for in their final. This way, students know what is expected of them, and I know what to look for when grading something as subjective as art
- Formative Assessments
- Opening/closing questions
- Checks for understanding and exit tickets
- Technical/sketch practices
- Summative Assessments
- Final projects and criteria for success
- Artist statements
- Performance Assessments
- Process check-ins
- Sketchbooks
- Small group critiques
- Process check-ins