Hammersmith

Philosophy

INSTRUCTION&ASSESSMENT
CREATIVE OUTLOOK
Through assessing prior knowledge, teacher will educate students to further develop skills
of:
Critical thinking Creative thinkingReflectingCollaborationProblem
SolvingTime Management
Art is essential when it comes to learning, due to the fact that art is a visual language
that facilitates visual thinking strategies. In art, students do not typically learn through
instruction, lectures, and tests; students learn by becoming involved, interested, and
also engaged in each creative process. Not all students will become professional studio
artists through practicing art. Instead, art teaches students to work with their brains and
hands simultaneously; building hand eye coordination and important transferrable skills
that can be used everyday in life. Students will comprehend, create, and reflect on their
work in art to ensure they are learning to their fullest potential.

CHOICE
Choice allows students to become engaged in art projects, while also providing
differentiation. Choices can dictate outcomes, materials, themes, subject matter, meanings,
and much more. Choice also encourages students to take responsibilities for their decisions
by uncovering the reasoning behind decisions made.

UNDERSTAND, KNOW, DO
Instruction in art directly relates towards getting students to understand, know, and do.
Understand: concepts and relationships rules, laws, relationships, cause and effect, local
and global perspectives
Know: art content materials/techniques, inherent characteristics and expressive features
of art (forms of line, color systems, art history periods, movements, cultural art traditions)
Do: processes & skills planning and ideation, artistic problem solving, engaging,
collaborating, communicating, choice, decision making, critical thinking, reflecting and
critiquing

FORMATIVE & SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Through formative, summative, and authentic assessments, teachers can determine the
learning level of each student. Assessment is student-oriented and teacher directed.
Assessment supports rather than interferes with instruction, course objectives, and
standards,
-Formative assessment in the art room happens daily in the classroom Sketchbook
activities, in-progress critiques, exit slips, pre-assessments, checks for understanding, and
in-process critiques
-Formative assessment monitors student understanding in order to create further
instruction. Information and results from formative assessments can be used to alter and
create more effective lessons for future teaching.
-Summative assessment measures student learning and how well the teacher has taught
information, ultimately gaging if the teacher needs to reteach areas and content. Summative
assessment in the art room final portfolios, art exhibitions, final critiques, and formal
reflections.

AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT: SELF-ASSESSMENT

To ensure students are connected to their work, it is important to facilitate individual
involvement in each lesson and art project to confirm students are engaged. Involving
students in their own specific grading criteria through a self-assessment guarantees the
teacher and the student are on the same page. For example, if a student grades themselves

Hammersmith

Philosophy

with A quality work and the teacher grades C work, the student and teacher must have a
conversation to ensure they are understanding the criteria correctly. Using student-centered
language in assessments and conversations ensures assessments are authentic for
students. Everything being done in the art room is assessment in action. By asking
questions, students make personal connections with what they are learning.

REFLECTION
In order for students to fully understand their work and the art making process reflecting
must be apart of the process. Pushing reflections and critical thinking in each art lesson
allows students to think from multiple perspectives. Through reflections, both teachers
and students can track and discuss the students developmental progress in art. Reflections
also allow the teacher to evaluate information and establish the next step in teaching.
Students can determine what they need to dive into further, and also what concepts they
feel they have mastered.

INSTRUCTION & MANAGEMENT

CHOICE
Choice is a key component in the art classroom management due to the results of
facilitating student learning while also keeping students engaged in what they are learning.
When students are interested in what they are learning, they ultimately make personal
connections and think deeper about the concepts and content they are learning. By
allowing individual choice in projects students become motivated, pushing themselves
deeper and further into their artwork. Changing per art assignment, components of choice
can include subject matter, materials and mediums, theme, composition, size, and type of
product.

DIFFERENTIATION
Differentiation happens instinctively in the classroom when the teacher understands the
learning style of each individual student. All students will be treated differently, which can
mean altering assignments for students. Choice allows differentiation to happen
naturally, engaging students and keeping them motivated per project. Choices in a variety
of materials, wide range of techniques, and different possible processes engage students in
effective art practices that reach each individual learners needs. Art, as a visual language,
correlates to other subjects and disciplinary areas allowing critical thinking, personal
connections, and problem solving for all learners.
Visual products, plans/ideation, compositions, sketchbook
Bodily Kinesthetic using tools & materials, creating art, building/constructing,
experimenting,
Musical communicating ideas with a variety of mediums
Intrapersonal developing craft, exploring, engaging, refining ideas, identifying personal
connections
Interpersonal sharing art tools and materials, connecting, explaining, collaborative
projects, peer critiques and discussions, in-progress critiques
Linguistictalking about art and ideas, discussing processes and decisions, explaining
techniques, reflections, artist statements
Logical Mathematicalsorting, planning, numbers, step-by-step processes, arranging,
measuring

Hammersmith

Philosophy

ENVIRONMENT & SAFETY

Environment is one of the largest factors when it comes to learning in a classroom. .
Materials and supplies are organized efficiently for use and production of work. Art space
must stay clean and organized for maximum productivity. Student seating is presented in
pods and clusters to push social skills while working and creating individually. A student
must feel safe, responsible, and respected in order too learn to fullest potential and
facilitate student working, learning, and creating. Teachers will encourage, support, and
facilitate student thinking and decision making in a positive manner.
Critiques and also reflections aid classroom culture by enabling students into discussions
about artistic ideas, decisions, and perspectives. The idea behind critiques is to have
formal discussions to benefit student thinking, creating, and talking in the art room. Respect
in class critiques allows students to open up about personal connections or ideas.