Teaching and Learning in Art Education

Cultivating Students’ Potential from Pre-K Through High School

Debrah C. Sickler-Voigt, Ph.D.
I CAN MAKE THE MOST OF MY TEACHING CAREER! TASKS

Name: Abigail Carter

DIRECTIONS: Read Chapters 9, 19, and 20 to answer the following.

SECTION I: ART HISTORY, CHAPTER 9

1. Describe how you plan to teach inclusive art history as part of a choice-based art curriculum. (A) Which art
history learning tasks will you introduce to students? In which ways might students’ ages and learning
communities impact your curricular content? (B) Explain how you would design a lesson that uses the
Teaching and Learning in Art Education’s Inclusive Art Historical Inquiry Model (Model 9.2).

Answer 150+ word reflection here:

One thing I liked that one of my old teachers did was she let us pick what order we did stuff in. She had
the topics we had to learn (all the different cultures we looked at) and then we did a class vote for which ones
we would cover first. Could take it farther too and have one open lesson where each student gets to put forth an
artist or region they’re interested in that we do a mini-lesson on and all of those lessons compose a unit. That
way they still get the overview content but also get something they are personally interested in.
Inclusive art history means not just western male artists. It means including a wide range of cultures, it
means including female artists, it means varied geographies and it means different races. You can’t look at
Europe alone and say you’ve done inclusive art history. Sometimes it means a little more research or sometimes
money to get rights to less widely distributed images but its an effort we have a responsibility to take.
I’ve always enjoyed making comparison tasks with artworks. It’s a really simple way to open up
discussion and can work among all age groups. Journaling is always a good resource too because it lets kids just
think without wondering if they’re right or wrong. I also think some kids might find the catalogue entry fun and
we could do some advocacy by posting the artworks with the entries the students wrote for the school to see.
Obviously younger kids may need more guiding questions and simpler things to say and note about the artworks
whereas high school kids could go more in depth on symbolism, style and subject matter. There’s also special
consideration for ESL kids who may require some assistance on literature heavy assignments which can be
gained through the media centers.
A general lesson I could do would be to put up two images that are similar either in style, content or
color scheme but differ in another category and open discussion with what’s similar and what’s different,
beginning analysis. I could have students begin thinking about the artworks during bellringer time so they’re
ready for discussion when class starts. We could then do a history on the artworks, the time period, the subject
matter and do informed speculation re-examine what the kids initially thought about how similar or different
they were or what they’re subject matter is. Then with validation we could do a journal entry that has a
summary of what their ideas ended up being either accurate or not and they can reference that as we go forward
to progress their knowledge of other similar or different artworks. Older kids, middle and high could do some
independent research and present their findings and then we could have discussion about what was missed or
what could be supplemented to the research they found and go forward that way as well, bringing in some of the
Connect aspects of the curriculum.
SECTION II: ART ADVOCACY, CHAPTER 19

2. Describe the qualities that make teachers effective arts advocates. Develop a plan to implement an arts
advocacy campaign by listing the steps you (and others you recruit) will take to advocate for the visual
arts in schools and the community.

Answer 150+ word reflection here: One, I really liked the idea of having a website that showcases the
kids artworks. I think it’s a really great way to have consistent access to the works (as school walls and bulletin
boards are often revised frequently) and it’s also a way to keep parents connected and extended family able to
see what the kids are doing in class. The website can be the beginning of outreach and access towards the
community to see what we do and why it’s integral. Website sharing is so simple and widereaching these days
so it’s a good way to bring in attention. It can also be the beginning to building connections with people who
can become part of your campaign. When parents see what their kids are doing they get more likely to be
involved and to support continuation as they feel there is already accountability. As these connections are made,
you can use those numbers as support when going to meet with administrators and officials to advocate for the
arts. I also really like the mention of kids designing fliers, information with a community child’s artwork on it I
feel is more powerful than a generic printing of a major artwork in making the cause seem relatable.
Effective art advocate teachers are consistent advocates. The book says at one point it’s a continuous
process to keep attention on the arts. It’s extra hours making bulletin boards and campaigns and writing grant
proposals and finding ways to make connections to the arts and make people see the benefit and relevance of
what we do. It’s fund raising and communication and building relationships with people who can help out with
these tasks. It’s bringing art to the community and to the kids in your classroom. Effective art advocates have a
passion for what they do and bring it to all aspects of the classroom.

SECTION III: MAKING THE MOST OF MY TEACHING CAREER, CHAPTER 20

3. Describe how you plan to make the most of your teaching career. What roles will (A) teacher creativity,
(B) lifelong learning, and (C) applications of best practices and theories in teaching art play in your
personal and professional development?

Answer 200+ word reflection here: Part of teacher creativity I think I would take is doing projects with
the kids, keeping active with my art making, giving them recent examples of what assignments are. I’ve always
really liked doing characters and anime esque drawings so maybe I could do something like the bitmoji designs
for our classroom. I think showing kids that you really enjoy making art and doing projects helps foster a
fondness in it for them and can show them it doesn’t have to be a hobby or end in high school. Lifelong learning
I think it integral in being a teacher. Constantly we learn knew things about the brain and about how kids learn
and what they can learn and new techniques and to be a really effective teacher we need to be up to date on that
kind of progress. We can’t teach outdated things and expect kids to thrive or to feel fulfilled in the classroom.
Personally, I’m a big believer in you get what you give. If you don’t give your students your best, don’t expect
to get the best out of them either. My YOED teacher said this the other class and it really stuck with me too:
‘kids don’t care what you know until they know that you care.’ You have to have a respect and a relationship
with the kids that you teach for them to feel completely open and invested in your class and what they put into
it. I think if you show the kids you’re a learner, that you’re human too, it opens a lot of doors that will stay
closed otherwise.

4. Review the teachers presented in Chapter 20. Which ones stuck out the most to you as models to guide
your own teaching practices?

Answer 100+ word reflection here: I really adored Cassie Stephens’ techniques and enthusiasm. I love
the way she integrates the subject into her outfits because it really truly does spark a conversation not just with
the kids but with other faculty, with students not in her class but that see her in the hallways and it can draw
much needed attention to the arts. I also loved some of her classroom decorations because they look so fun and
inviting; it just really creates an atmosphere that I’m sure kids respond well to.
I also liked Mike Muller, who we spoke to last semester because he talked about classroom management
and how he keeps videos on loop with demos to give kids instructions. It’s a good way to maximize time
(everyone isn’t crammed over everyone’s shoulder trying to see what he’s doing) and if someone isn’t paying
attention for one reason or another it’s right there. I think it’s fantastic resource to have.
I also really liked Melanie Anderson’s dog portraits and how it was said she puts them in her classroom
and that they become a resource as she tells students how she overcame obstacles and worked through problems
as well as showing that she has teacher creativity. A lot of these artists did really amazing things and there’s a
lot of personality in each of their examples.

SECTION IV: ART BUDGET

DIRECTIONS: Follow the criteria on the Art Budget checklist to complete the Art Budget Templates for
$500 and $1000 plus a list of 20 found and recycled objects. Add additional rows as necessary.

$500 Art Budget

Select One (Elementary, Middle School, or High School): Elementary

Supply Price per Quantity Total Purchased

Unit Price From

Glue Bottles 1.40 30 $42 Blick

Refill Glue 9.07 2 $18.14 Blick

Masking Tape 1.89 10 $18.90 Blick

Drawing paper (9x12-500) 7.79 4 $31.16 School Specialty

 Scissors 1.45 36 $52.12 Blick

Water containers .05 120 $5.84 Walmart

Watercolor (8 oz) 3.74 20 $74.68 School Specialty

Markers .28 256 $71.02 School Specialty

Paintbrushes .11 216 $23.61 School Specialty

Paint tray 0.75 30 $22.50 Blick

Colored Pencils .124 480 $59.60 School Specialty

Acrylic Paint 14.73 6 $188.42 School Specialty

Paper 18x24 .10 500 $48.97 School Specialty

Construction Paper (9x12–500) .03 4 $52.76 School specialty

Discount from Blick -$10

Shipping $0

Total Amount Spent: $ 496.76 (I had to basically redo my entire budget because I asked Ms. Malone
where she orders from and basically all their prices were better and they didn’t charge shipping).

$1,000 Art Budget

Select One (Elementary, Middle School, or High School): High School

Supply Price per Quantity Total Purchased

Unit Price From

Glue Bottles 1.40 30 $42 Blick

Refill Glue 9.07 2 $18.14 Blick

Masking Tape 1.89 15 $28.68 Blick

Drawing paper (9x12) 7.79 4 $31.16 School Specialty

Scissors 1.45 36 $52.12 Blick

 Water containers .05 120 $5.84 Walmart

Watercolor (8 oz) 3.74 20 $74.68 School Specialty

Markers .28 256 $71.02 School Specialty

Paintbrushes .11 288 $31.48 School Specialty

Paint tray 0.75 30 $22.50 Blick

Colored Pencils .124 480 $59.60 School Specialty

Acrylic Paint (half gallon) 14.73 6 $88.42 School Specialty

Paper 18x24 .10 500 $48.97 School Specialty

Etch Plate 1.02 540 $550.05 School Specialty

Ink 15.37 1 $15.37 School Specialty

Rollers 5.92 5 $29.60 School Specialty

Charcoal-vine, comp. and stump (.22, .52, .50) (250, 48, 96) $128.75 School Specialty

Total Amount Spent: $ 999.51 (1300 before coupons and discounts: Ms. Malone said School supply gives
25% off to their school. She said Blick does some discounts too but you have to call them to get firm prices so
that is not applied here, just a 10 off 100 they offered at checkout).

List of Found and Recycled Objects for the Art Classroom

1. Newspaper 2. Cups 3. Tupperware 4. Bottle caps

5. Buttons 6. Scrap Wood 7. Paper towel rolls 8. Egg Cartons

9. Cardboard 10. Sturdy Bottles 11. Jars and lids 12. Stumpy pencils

16. Soda can tabs (for

13. Broken crayons 14. Magazines 15. Paperclips
older kids maybe)

17. Plastic bags 18. Straws 19. Colorful plastic 20. Scratched CDs or
movies