How do I Integrate College Preparatory Classes Into Art Curriculum?
- 1). Teach analysis skills through analyzing expert and original artwork. According to Princeton University's Word Net Web, one of the definitions of analysis is "an investigation of the component parts of a whole and their relations in making up the whole." Throughout their college careers, students will perform these investigations as they read, study, write, think and examine original data. You can expose students to the principles of analysis through your art curriculum. Ask students to analyze the parts of a painting and to describe how those parts work together to make the painting good. Next, ask students to analyze their process in creating artwork or the pieces of artwork they create. Tell them to describe how their process works together to create the finished product. Ask them to explain why they included all of the elements that they did in their finished product.
- 2). Teach study skills by asking students to come to class prepared and to accomplish goals during class. In college, students will often be asked to bring materials with them that they will use to complete a specific goal (such as a worksheet or project) by the end of class. In fact, the University of Washington states time management and preparation as two important goals for college success. You can prepare students for these tasks by building small projects into the curriculum that will allow your students to complete a goal during a class period. This will help them with their time-management skills. It will also teach them that being prepared for class saves time because they won't have to spend time looking for supplies when they could be working.
- 3). Ask students to make and justify their independent decisions. In college, students will be asked to think independently about their majors and projects. They will often be asked to define their own goals for their course of study and to prove that those goals are relevant to the course materials. Art is the perfect subject through which they might begin this task. Provide students with open-ended assignments that require them to make decisions about their components and goals. Next, ask students to meet individually with you to discuss and defend their goals. Finally, require students to create their own timeline or plan to proceed. Teach a class on how this is done using an art assignment you have done to model the concept for the students.
