As a business owner of an art education company that provides curriculums for thousands of schools, I feel it’s pretty important to stay on top of how children learn to appreciate art and express their own creativity.
I can see a shift in how children are learning and really appreciate how art educators are tapping into various methods to help children embrace their creativity and learn art techniques.
This might look like an open concept style of learning where young artists create their own art while choosing from a variety of teacher-lead options or express their preference for choice in a guided lesson.
Either way, I love seeing art teachers offer more choice in the art room.
Still, many art educations wrestle with what the right balance is.
Should I focus on guided drawing techniques? Or leave the options open for children to explore on their own?
Do we need to choose?
I say no. Both are good and it’s important to explore what approach works best for your students.
Yet, I still believe that a guided drawing or guided technique approach is a great tool to use on occasion to meet students exactly where they are and build the foundation for artistic growth.
What the full video to discover how to transform hesitant students into eager artists ->
What I Talk About in This Video:
Developmental stages of artistic growth – From emerging artists to realistic drawings.
Strategic use of templates and guided instruction – When, why, and how to use them to assist with the instruction while offering choice.
Understanding the intention beyond each lesson or project – So that the decision to use tools or a specific instructional method makes sense for you and your students.
Meeting students where they are – Adapting instruction to individual developmental needs.
Curious what type of art instruction is dominant in your art room?
For me, demonstrating techniques and what is possible with a variety of materials was my program’s intention and guided drawing and templates should help with the process.
What about you? What process do you prefer?
