The Art Teachers Survival Guide for Elementary and Middle Schools, Third Edition features many exciting new components! This book is beautifully enhanced with full-color museum photos as well as full-color student artworks. It also includes many reproducible copyright-free handouts for teachers to use such as Safety in the Art Room, Public Relations, Elements and Principles of Design, and current up-to-date information from the National Art Education Association.
Written by two art educators with experience at elementary and middle school, high school and university, it offers fully updated projects for today's students. Ten chapters offer a spectrum of projects in two- and three-dimensional art, using a wide variety of media.
In discussion with teachers at all levels, we find that elementary teachers introduce basic art materials to students and the classroom routine from day one. Many students who enter kindergarten may have already been using crayons at home and in pre-schools. By now, they may be somewhat tired of crayons, markers, and Play-Doh. It is up to you to introduce them to the potential in these and other materials. What a privilege! Delightful work from lower elementary students may be a result of just turning them loose to experiment and finding what they can do with paint. Young students may not yet know how to create art on the computer or research, but count on it, they will be learning.
Research has shown that creating art increases right-brain (intuitive) thinking and helps develop problem-solving ability. We also mustn't lose sight of teaching “art for art's sake.” Children still deserve to experience one of the joys of childhood, the feeling of accomplishment when creating something beautiful. And all children's art is beautiful! Perhaps it could be better with a little more time spent on it, and the next effort could be an improvement, but children deserve the opportunity to create and have their efforts appreciated.
Eventually you have the opportunity to introduce them to what is happening in today's art world. Help them learn about artists and art created in other times and cultures. Unlike the arts, most state assessment systems require the annual testing of students in reading/language arts, mathematics, and science. Some also require this in each of the fine arts departments. Although fine arts are not always required to be tested, check to see if yours is one of many states in the USA that has elected to write its own Grade Level Expectations in Fine Arts. Up-to-date information and planning sheets from the National Art Education Association are included in Chapter 2.
This book emphasizes the importance of teaching all the students coming into the art room, with specific suggestions for teaching students with special needs, including those with autism, visual and hearing impairment, developmental disabilities, motor impairment, social/emotional needs, and gifted students. Benchmarks for student skills at each grade level are given to help the art teacher with student assessment.
The authors include a look at TAB (Teaching Artistic Behavior), sometimes referred to as Choice-Based Art Education. Many projects are written to encourage individual creativity. Curriculum connections, adaptations for younger students, and alternative projects are often included with a lesson. Rich historical and cultural information is woven into every lesson with background information for the teacher. Many practical tips are offered to set the art teacher up for success, ranging from displaying student artwork to setting up technology in the art room.