ABSTRACT

In the previous chapter long, medium and short term planning were explored. The plans that you devise, adapt or use should underpin your teaching or support for learning. They give you the opportunity to think about what you will teach and how you will teach it or how best to support individuals or groups of children in a lesson. As in any subject or area of learning there is a range of teaching strategies and ways of organising learning. When you are planning an art lesson you will choose the most appropriate strategies for what you are teaching and what will best meet the needs of the children you are working with taking into account the distinctive nature of art as a subject. There may be some issues to consider that are inherent to the subject or related to your own confidence and expertise. As a student or teacher you should consider your own role and the role of any supporting adults. As a teaching assistant you should consider your own role within the team of adults in the lesson in order to support the learning of the class, group or individuals that you work with. In this chapter the following area will be covered:

● Teaching art – some approaches

● Using a sketchbook in art

● Digital media and art

● Meeting the needs of a range of learners

● Classroom management

When primary-aged children are involved in art lessons many of the teaching skills that you use all the time will of course be relevant. Art lessons, however, will be different because of the practical nature of the subject. The resources we use in art may require us, as adults, to give more thought to classroom organisation than when children are based at tables using pencils and paper or digital media. Often the working atmosphere in an art lesson is different: sometimes the room falls silent because of the intense concentration involved in drawing whilst at other times there is an excited buzz from children following their own creative ideas and sharing those of others. One feature of art lessons that will be unlike that of any other lesson or subject is the use of a sketchbook to support learning.