Our art classroom has slowly transformed over the years from a strictly I do, we do, you do format to a TAB format. For those unfamiliar with TAB (TEACHING for ARTISTIC BEHAVIOR), it is a studio focused teaching process, where the students drive the projects and assessments throughout the year. There is still teaching and learning going on in the form of small "bootcamps" where various skills and processes are taught but they are allowed to use those processes to their own discretion. They are given the skills not only to create finished, compositionally solid, art work but they are also taught the "tenants" of the TAB philosophy. These are the backbone for the entire process, and also double as the basis for the everyday learning goals for the junior high and high school. They are solid but broad enough to tie to any medium or grade level. I am currently applying this format to all classes K-12 and it is a fluid, growing system.
https://teachingforartisticbehavior.org/what-is-tab.html
WHAT DO ARTISTS DO?
YOU ARE THE ARTIST.
THIS IS YOUR STUDIO.
Anything we do here, from the creative or artistic process, to clean up and room care, to inclusion of the "artistic behaviors" in their work falls under these tenants and they can easily understand what needs to be done and how. I use a 3 tiered system to make sure they are following all processes they need to create a finished piece of work. They need to follow the artistic process, which we go over extensively and there is an anchor chart to guide them. They need to use all of the "artists can" statements that are posted in the room and form the framework for their self and peer assessment, and they need to be able to fill out the self and peer assessment for each project they complete.
Students are given a deadline, a set number of projects to complete within that deadline, and the guidelines for what they need to create a finished piece of work. They know my expectations, they know what they need to do, and they work through the process. I know that there are students who are not as self driven or motivated so I have various references throughout the room for project ideas as well as the use of the chromebooks to build a portfolio of references.
The biggest thing I have to do on my end is be flexible and make sure that I have as many resources and user friendly materials available as possible. I reorganized my entire room into categories of materials so that the students can easily find, use, and return materials. On the elementary end I have been opening areas one section at a time, on the junior high and high school side they have free range of the materials but I still take the time to do those "boot camps" for materials they may be unfamiliar with.
This is a learning experience for me and my artists, but I think that this will help them further develop the skills to be self sufficient and self motivated not only in the art room but in other facets of learning. I feel like they are able to have more stake in what happens and feel more connected to the work they are making. (also, it helps that I am filling them in on the process of selling and marketing their work. Money is a great motivator ;)
SELF AND PEER CRITIQUE (they get 1 point per response looking at not only what they felt went right, but how they can grow within that area) at the bottom is my grading rubric giving them points for the finished project as well as their critiques.
