This year there will be some great new things happening in Studio 306. Over the past few years I have been researching and slowly transitioning into a Choice Based teaching method. This teaching style is also referred to as "Teaching for Artistic Behavior" or "TAB". In short, I will be giving my students more freedom in class to explore their interests and strengths.
So why the switch?
For the past 8 years I have really struggled with whether or not I am actually teaching my students creative thinking skills or if I am just teaching them how to follow directions and compare themselves to each other. At the end of every project I am faced with anywhere from 25-50 of the same project. I have become bored with Discipline Based lessons and the constraints that it puts on my students. The results are mediocre at best and they are just learning how to regurgitate the information I give them. This is not a marketable skill in the real world. I have decided that I am not interested in cranking out art but in creating ARTISTS! I am hopeful that the 'structured' freedom I will be giving my classes will give them more pride and confidence in themselves, their choices, and their accomplishments. Giving them the freedom to choose their materials and subject matter will allow them the opportunity to connect with their work on a level that they have not been able to do in the "Product" focused teaching methods I have used in the past.
I am really excited about this shift and I can't wait to get started! Just so you know that this teaching style is backed by research and that I didn't just make it up, I have included some links to reputable websites. There is also a lot of information on these sites about how this looks in the classroom.
Teachingforartisticbehavior.org
The Art of Education
Engaging-Learners-Through-Artmaking-Choice-Based
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
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