Student Engagement

During my student teaching experience at Platte Valley Middle School, I did TAB art lessons centered around students' personal narratives and the conceptual aspects of their artwork. The intention was to encourage creative expression and foster an understanding of the link between personal stories and artistic creation. The outcomes sought were not only artistic pieces but also a deeper comprehension of the connection between individual experiences and the visual arts. Student engagement was high, driven by the opportunity for exploration and self-expression. But the majority of my students still struggle with actually forming a personal connection to their art that has meaning. Adjustments during the lessons were made based on individual needs, with additional support for those requiring guidance in connecting their narratives to their art. Some students deviated from the initial intentions by creating unique and well-crafted work but didn't really have a deep conceptual meaning. These deviations were welcomed as they demonstrated genuine engagement and individualized exploration. Concept connection is a working skill that we will continue to try and grow. Re-examining the Colorado Academic Standards revealed alignment with the artmaking process, emphasizing the importance of creative expression, communication of ideas, and exploration of artistic techniques. The standards served as a supportive framework, reinforcing the significance of personal narratives and conceptual understanding in art education, and validating the effectiveness of the TAB approach. I do think that most of my students regularly achieve the state standards, especially when they are used to creating with the TAB approach. The students who struggle the most with this are either ELL students or have IEP/504 plans and our goals for them just look slightly different. They still connect to the standards but maybe with extra guidance or the level of achievement is slightly altered.