Art Studio Assessment
Here is more detailed informaiton regarding assessment. This page will be revised often as I improve my assessment and grading processes to best meet the needs of my students.
my Goals
My main goal for assessment is to provide students with timely and authentic feedback. I want students to see the value in exploring, creating, and failing. I want meet students where they are and help them grow as humans and artists. I do NOT want students to focus on their grade, but rather their artwork and their working process. In order to help students focus more on their work rather than their grade, I do not grade very often. I do not grade small things that don't really matter in the big picture.
The gradebook
These are the main items in my gradebook. The bullets reflect what is on the rubric:
- Digital Portfolio: Graded at midterm and end of term
- Is it organized?
- Are photos good quality and show off artwork?
- Is there a well-written and thoughtful artist statement?
- Major Artworks: 3-4 per term, this is flexible based on the complexity of the projects
- Did the student develop skills in techniques and/or concepts?
- Is the project meaningful, challenging, and engaging to the student?
- Did the student refine the work for presentation?
- MidTerm Reflection & Final Course Reflection: The student completes the attached document in class. I give written feedback using a Google Sheet that is shared with the student. Here is an example after one term of Art Studio. The idea is that I will use this same sheet every time I give feedback to this student for all 4 years of high school that they take art. This way we see the progression and themes. I give FEEDBACK on the objectives I have observed from the student but I do not put a grade in the gradebook for each objective because students are meeting different objectives at differen times.
- Can the student evaluate and reflection on their work and working process?
- Can they use specific evidence to explain their thoughts?
- Warm Ups
- Does the student explore new ideas and brainstorm new ideas?
- Does the student follow warm-up procedures and expectations?
Giving feedback
Giving timely feedback and documenting progress is more important to me than any number. In my experience, it is also more motivating to the student. It allows them to focus on the quality of their work and learning for the sake of learning rather on "just getting it done". My grading practices are highly influenced by Alfie Kohn's Case Against Grading.
The last few years I have been playing with the idea of creating a report card/feedback system that tracks the student for 4 years in every art class rather than just 9 weeks. This would allow me and the student to see visual progress as well as see any trends.
The most "official" way I give feedback is in the midterm and end of term reflections described in the previous section. The MAIN way I give feedback is by daily conversations with students. Every day I make a point to check in with every student in the room. Sometimes it is for a few seconds, sometimes it is for a longer critique or discussion. Sometimes based on this check-in there is also a peer critique, demonstration of a new technique, introduction to a new material, etc...
The last few years I have been playing with the idea of creating a report card/feedback system that tracks the student for 4 years in every art class rather than just 9 weeks. This would allow me and the student to see visual progress as well as see any trends.
The most "official" way I give feedback is in the midterm and end of term reflections described in the previous section. The MAIN way I give feedback is by daily conversations with students. Every day I make a point to check in with every student in the room. Sometimes it is for a few seconds, sometimes it is for a longer critique or discussion. Sometimes based on this check-in there is also a peer critique, demonstration of a new technique, introduction to a new material, etc...
Documenting student progress
I have tried many ways of documenting student progress. Some TAB teachers have students do this part. In my experience, this is a pain and not worth the struggle. Yes, it makes the students accountable - but for me it brings more conversations about grades, and "getting stuff done" rather than on the work itself. It also occured to me that if my boss made me reflect about my work in writing and post photos of my progress each week I would be super annoyed and see it as a hoop to jump through rather than something valuable. To me this is not an authentic way of "thinking or behaving like an artist". When students did this, they also didn't talk about what I thought they would (or should) but more of the obvious stuff. Students DO document their work in the form of their midterm and final reflections, their reflections on each major artwork, and their work and artist statements posted on their portfolios.
This year I have discovered Evernote and have been using Evernote to document the feedback I give students as well as photographs of their progress. I create a note on each student and add to it throughout the term. I don't hit every student every day, but do write things down as they happen or I feel like something needs to be written down. I walk around the room with my phone or iPad and type or photograph as needed. This document is not shared with students (but could be) and is what I use when completing the midterm and final evaluation sheets for students. I plan to keep the note for the entire time the student is in my building. This is the informal documentation, while the gradebook and evaluation sheets are the formal documentation. Here is an example of an Evernote note on a student.
This year I have discovered Evernote and have been using Evernote to document the feedback I give students as well as photographs of their progress. I create a note on each student and add to it throughout the term. I don't hit every student every day, but do write things down as they happen or I feel like something needs to be written down. I walk around the room with my phone or iPad and type or photograph as needed. This document is not shared with students (but could be) and is what I use when completing the midterm and final evaluation sheets for students. I plan to keep the note for the entire time the student is in my building. This is the informal documentation, while the gradebook and evaluation sheets are the formal documentation. Here is an example of an Evernote note on a student.