by Marvin Bartel, Ed.D. © October 9, 2008 update LINKS to other art education sites How to GET LINKED from these pages CONTACT the author | Author BIO HOME bartelart.com questions, ideas, innovation, and inspiration for art teachers and parents are listed below

My Question of Art Teachers

Could our teaching methods be weakening our students' minds?
Based on tallies done by my college students while visiting art classes, we find that it is common for art teachers to offer suggestions when students ask for assistance on their artwork. How bad could this be? (this article is continued on the How to Produce Better Minds page)

- Table of Contents - links to essays & lessons -

Classrooms to Teach Thinking and Emotional Intelligence Creativity Killers in the classroom Teaching Transfer of Learning Teaching with Questions 2007 edit Creative Thinking vs Imitation Idea Generation as Art Curriculum new in 2006 Rituals in the Art Classroom on-task as they enter the room © 1993 Rituals - a list of ideas Bird Ritual - multisensory warm up Teaching Thinking & Feeling Conversation Game to get ideas for artwork and learn to make friends    Sources of Authentic Inspiration where artists get ideas Ideas for Art Content and Topics Teaching with Questions for thinking strategies and how to set up experiments Lessons to Teach Thinking How to Plan Art Lessons that teach Thinking, Feeling, Creativity, including Practice, Art History, Aesthetics, and Art Criticism Sources of Ideas for Art Lessons Idea generation as art curriculum Lesson Idea Development Art and Word First Day of Art Class Kids and Clay reprinted from Studio Potter Thinking With Clay Learning from the Clay - 2008 Personal Box using Clay Surreal Animals using Clay Sculpture: Gargoyles using Clay Abstract Expression using Clay Dominic's Egg using clay     contributed by Lisa Blackburn Learning to Throw a free potter's wheel tutorial Art Lessons in Drawing Teaching Blind Contour posted in 2008 Using a large bear named Ralph Teaching Drawing to Children --ideas for Parents and Teachers Observation Shading Rabbit Drawing  using blinders Nature Drawing  using viewfinders Ink wash Drawings: Developing     contributed by Rebekah Short Dramatic Mood Using Value      contributed by Rebekah Short Cubism as Experience vs Examples How to Draw an Orchid at age 4 Sculpture and Collage Thinking Cut Paper Self Portraits Wire Sculpture Montage Self Portrait Lesson Teaching with Artwork from the Internet Art History Web Quest  Drawing as Visual Thinking NOT "how to draw" Why NOT Draw on Kid's Work new in 2006 Learning to Draw Made Easier Drawing Portraits and Figures Learning Skills to Learn to Draw The Blinder Drawing Game Drawing Lesson with viewfinders All the Skills Needed to Draw Teaching Observation Drawing   Teaching Shading in Drawing Drawing is Basic by Unsworth Drawing for the "untalented" Learning to Learn to Draw Practice Shading in drawing Cubism Lesson process centered Sixth Grade Sketches Drawing at age 5 How to Draw an Orchid at age 4 Design and Composition Thinking Elements and Principles Creatively Teaching Elements and Principles 2007 Percy Principles of Composition Teaching Creativity (how to) Creative Thinking vs Imitation Idea Generation as Art Curriculum Generating Ideas for art Lessons - More Sources of Ideas for Art Lessons 2007 Creativity Killers in the classroom Creatively Teaching Multicultural Art Creativity Links Learning to Learn - 2008 Teaching with Questions Conversation Game Teaching for Transfer of Learning Critical & Empathic Thinking Critique in the Art Class  Critique Notes printable  Critique Form   printable Assessing Thinking & Feeling How to write art tests requiring creativity Rubric - Assessing Artwork printable Rubric - Assessing Art Talk printable Teamwork Rubric A one-page printable PDF file. 2007 Sketchbook Evaluation SmartArt Exhibition Awards new in 2006   Contact top of table of contents^^^

2008 Questions from Readers Learning to Learn in short time sessions Learning from the clay (has a video on experimentation) In process & coming soon --How do I convince colleagues & administrators? --How can we start with art when combining art with other disciplines? -- How can we use team learning & peer learning in art? --How can we begin an art lesson without showing an example (18 ways & counting)? --What are the strategies to learn the invention process in art class? --Where do the best art lesson ideas come from? Growing the Preschool Mind - Healthy Feeling and Thinking - Scribbling on the Wall How to Draw an Orchid at age 4 Preschool Art - letter to preschool teacher Preschool, Kindergarten, and Art Scribbling is a good thing Drawing at age 5 Typical Drawings Typical First Pictures Kids and Clay Clay for Toddlers Art Connections Everyday Life Art Choices Aesthetics and Ethics in Everyday Life   Art and National Tragedy  Art Teachers Observing an Art Teacher Good and Bad Art Teaching - student's paper Safety Hazards in Art Working Safely with Art Materials Hazards Working with Ceramics Working and Cleaning with less dust Art Education Advocacy Advocate Link Page A letter to an administrator To Whom it May Concern Letter 2008 Successful Third Grade Build Goodwill with Exhibitions of Student Work How to Tape Work to the Wall Practical Stuff How to mount temporary art displays with tape How to copy slides with a digital camera 2008 How to take images from the Internet to use in teaching art history Designing Art Classrooms What architects need to know Specific Art Courses Teaching Photography  list of links Teaching Ceramics  list of links   Art for Children course syllabus Teaching House Design Creative Computer Drafting Sponsorship Goshen College Goshen IN - USA Art Department at Goshen College Art Gallery Exhibit Schedules   biographical information All rights reserved. top of page   Photos and text of this page © Marvin Bartel. Also see © notes on linked pages top of table of contents^^^ Goshen College Art Department - TOP of page^^^ Credits Many of the ideas that have guided my thinking over the last 35 years of teaching art were inspired in the classes of Dr. Phil Rueschhoff at the University of Kansas during my graduate work there.  Rueshhoff studied with Viktor Lowenfeld, author of Creative and Mental Growth. Lowenfeld was often discussed.  Rueschhoff's ideas are recorded in a text still available in some libraries and in the used book market. We reviewed hundreds of studies of creativity and studies of the ways in which a variety of art education methods changed thinking, feeling, and expression. Rueschhoff, Phil H. , Swartz, M. Evelyn.   Teaching Art in the Elementary School: Enhancing Visual Perception. 1969.  The Ronald Press Company, New York, 339 pgs. ^^^ About this web site? Teaching is an art. Teaching is a practice. As such, we keep reflecting on it and imagining ways to form minds for out time. My ideas about teaching art have emerged over many years of teaching art and during supervision of apprentice art teachers.  Being an art teacher is a journey of daily experiences carefully examined and reconsidered. Art projects, lessons, and assignments are not finished when the work is turned in. No matter how successful, teaching, like an oil painting that never dries, never becomes fixed. Creative teachers always imagine alternative approaches. Even when we have a winner, the best lesson or assignment is always the next one. The ideas in this web site represent a point in my journey, not a destination. Reader comments, ideas and questions are welcome. When you respond, please include the title or the URL of the page(s) you are referring to. Contact -- Marvin Bartel to discuss issues or to schedule a workshop Also see: My page of other art education sites and authors. top of page^^^ top of table of contents^^^

One way to begin an art lesson is to observe and practice. Here children are having direct experience and observation of a baby pig. Here I am showing a baby pig and asking them questions about the details of the pig's foot? They each made their own version of a clay pig using this experience and these observations. This image was copied with my digital camera from a slide taken during an art lesson about 30 years ago.

DESCRIPTIONS OF A FEW OF THE PAGES

How to Plan Art Lessons by Marvin Bartel, gives instructions on what comes first, last, and in the middle. It has suggestions on motivation, keeping on task, and what not to do.

Idea Generation methods are essential to the work of any artist. These can be taught, but they are too often ignored in favor of teaching techniques.

Teaching with Questions points out the difference between teaching to think and teaching to follow directions. It is the difference between education and training. It is the difference between slave training and leadership training.

How to Teach Drawing to Children This page was reprinted in the Canadian Homeschooling Horizons Magazine March, 2007. I was originally inspired to write it by an inquiry from an Australian mother whose son, age eight, was feeling discouraged and wanted help in learning to draw better. - to top of page

These are links to some assignment pages from my classes in teaching art methods.
Art Education Assignments  |  Readings  |   Planning the Parts of Creative Art Lessons
| Pass it On - practice teaching what we learned   (teaching is great way to learn)  |   One-on-one Teaching Assignment  |   Successful Art Class Critique Sessions   |  Art Rubric   |  Study Sheet for test 1   |   Study Sheet for test 2    |   An example essay answer 

CLASSROOM RESEARCH TOPICS IN ART EDUCATION
1. Compare methods to teach children how to learn to come up with their own ideas for art.
2. Compare ways to help children learn to design experiments in art.
3. Compare ways to teach observation drawing and observation clay modeling.
4. Compare methods of motivation for media work.
5. Comparing ways to increase the imaginative power of children.
6. Comparing ways develop children's inventive powers through art.
7. Comparing ways that art teachers develop and assess new art assignments.
8. Compare types of teacher responses to art student requests for help.
CONTACT ME if interested in more elaboration.

Good EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS are in short supply
Are you an art teacher interested documenting creative teaching techniques so that others can see and consider what you are doing? Should college and university classes in art education see how you are teaching creativity? Other teachers who are less informed or more frustrated may benefit by seeing how you teach. You no longer need a camcorder. I get some great video with my digital camera. It will put 30 minutes on a 4GB memory card.
CONTACT ME if interested.
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All rights reserved. © Marvin Bartel.   Last update date shown at top of page.
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You are invited make a link to this page. If you have related topics, you may want to have your page linked from this web site. Please do not send a request to exchange links unless you have already linked to at least one of my pages. You may link to any of my pages that seems to relate directly to the topic of your page. Once your link to my page works, send me a note showing me the URL to the page that has a link to my page. If your link works, I will review your site for appropriateness and consider making a link from this page to your page. I am most interested in art, in ideas, and in education. In general I do link to very few pages that are marketing a product, books, service, or merchandise of any kind. CONTACT ME
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This page is frequently updated.
        If you have looked at this page before, pick the RELOAD or REFRESH button at the top of your screen to be sure you are reading the most recent posting of this page ~~~~ end ^^^

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