Teaching styles

I've come to appreciate the many different teaching styles for visual art classes. Here are a few styles:

Art Criticism 
This approach is appropriate for whole group learning. It consists of someone providing criticism on individual artworks. This approach could have different impacts since some students may not be comfortable with their artworks being criticized in front of others.

The steps of art criticism include: describing, analyzing, interpreting and judging.


Individual Studio Art Projects
This approach involves the teacher addressing the class as a whole, showing images or a video, teaching concepts and demonstrating techniques. The teacher can lead a class discussion and communicate expectations for the project and answer students' questions. Then students should work independently with the teacher circulating around the room to check for understanding and to offer support as needed. There are various flavours of this approach from coaching to simple oversight of the works. 

• In a coaching environment, the focus is on the development of skills. This approach is suited for students that are starting out and do not have knowledge of the basics.
• In a self directed class, participants work on their own projects and the instructor provides guidance when the students ask for it. This approach lends itself to students that are more advanced.

Center-based Learning

This approach is suited to those who like to experiment. It involves a well stocked centre with art material that participants are familar with and encourages experimentation and discussion.

I started teaching art classes last fall and I've discovered that my style leans towards coaching. It looks like my years of coaching sports have been transferred to art.

I continue to paint on my special project. In the past week, I completed my first three paintings and almost finished this fourth of crocuses. Five more to go...

Here is another painting completed this week.

Have a great week

Danielle