Teaching Arts in Elementary

Grades

Mark Stephen A. Ravelas



 Table of Contents

Module 1. Arts Education in the Elementary Grades

Introduction 1
Learning Outcomes 1
Lesson 1. Art Education in the Philippines 2
Lesson 2. The Artist Mindset in the Early Grades 7
Lesson 3. The K to 12 Elementary Art Education Curriculum 12
Assessment Task 14
Summary 15
References 15

Module 2. Instructional Planning in the Visual Arts

Introduction 19
Learning Outcomes 19
Lesson 1. Instructional Planning 10
Lesson 2. Setting the Objectives 26
Lesson 3. Choosing Art Activities 27
Assessment Task 29
Summary 29
References 30

1




 Course Code: ED 115

Course Description: This course deals with the educational

foundations of Art as these apply to teaching and learning in the
elementary grades. Various teaching strategies and assessment
appropriate for each area shall be given emphasis in the courses.

Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILO):

At the end of the course, students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the concept,

elements and principles of arts in the elementary
grades.
2. Employ varied teaching strategies in teaching arts in
the elementary level.
3. Design assessment tools in assessing learning arts in
the elementary level.

GRADING SYSTEM

Class Standing 60%

Major Exams 40% 
               Periodic Grade 100% 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

In order to pass the course, the students are expected to:

• Attend meetings regularly.

• Take and pass all quizzes and major examinations.
• Complete and submit in due time assigned tasks/ projects.
• Abide by the student’s ethical role and character values in the use of
blended learning.
• Participate and join in all online or digital activities of the College of
Education and the University as called for.
• Observe the Laguna University Core Values at all times.

 MODULE 1

THE INTRODUCTION OF TEACHING ARTS

Introduction

The arts belong to four separate subjects considered as one MAPEH.

Each has a separate Curriculum Guide with distinct goals, standards,

competencies and content. But the teaching of Art shares the same

outcomes and approaches and are rooted on the same philosophies. That is

why they are discussed together here.

The concept of arts must be introduced to elementary students. Arts

and its appreciation is the essence of life since the forms of arts is best

exemplified in the recognition and love for this reality of life.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module, students should be able to:

1. Familiarize yourself with how and why visual art has been taught in the
Philippines in the past decades.
2. Gain cursory knowledge of the arguments in favor of having art
subjects in the curriculum.

3. Determine the Standard for Art Teaching

4. Familiarize yourself with the mindset, attitude, and values that must be
developed in young learners to help foster a healthy attitude toward the
practice of art.

5. Reflect on the presence or absence of these artistic values in your own

life as an educator, and consider how to develop them to het point that
you can encourage

6. Familiarize yourself with the Department of Education's overall

philosophy and approach to Art Education in the early grades.


 Lesson 1. Art Education in the Philippines (TIZON &

PAWILEN 2021)

A Short History of Art Education in the Philippines

According to Santiago (2013), Art Education in the country as we know it today is

the by product of the American philosophy of education which the Americans brought
with them as they supplanted the Spanish as colonizers of the country at the start of the
20th century. As the Filipinos' latent artistic talents came to the fore, the Americans saw
it fit that they play a part in the development of Philippine education as a whole, and so
to this day, art is still taught as part of Basic Education in the country.

Santiago (2013) defines Art Education in the country as being comprised of three
distinct periods:

1. The Experimental Period (1915-1935) - During this time, Art Education was
primarily drawing (it was literally called "Drawing" in the curriculum), where the
students learned via imitation, and the instructional methods were "dull and
authoritarian." Early attempts were made to correlate drawing with other subjects,
such as English, industrial works, and language.
2. The New Movement (1935-1950) - Vicente Dizon is credited by Santiago with
starting the New Movement in Art Education, characterized by a growing
understanding of the desired philosophy for teaching art not only in the
elementary grades, but also in high school and college, and an increasing
practicality in the teaching of art.
3. The Newer Movement (1950-present) - It was in 1950 that "Drawing" became
"Art Education" and when Pablo Victoria, an art professor at the then Philippine
Normal College, pioneered integrating art with other subjects in the curriculum.
His 1959 book, Art in the Elementary School, clarifies and elaborates on the role
of both teachers and learners in art education.

Today, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) is the primary
policy-making body for Philippine culture and the arts. Its programs and policies are what
guide government efforts in conserving historical artworks, giving public exposure to the
works of Filipino artists, and encouraging a new generation to explore and invest in
Filipino arts.

 Today, art education has been integrated into the Basic Education Curriculum
under the Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health (MAPEH) subject, which receives
4 hours of instruction weekly from Grades 1 to 10 (Department of Education 2012). In
2016, the Department of Education introduced a specialized Arts Track for senior high
students under the K to 12 program with approximately 4,400 students nationwide as of
2017 (Geronimo 2016; Samodio 2017)
The field is still beset by a number of issues to be discussed later that make a career in
the field challenging, but at the same time afford a great deal of satisfaction and
fulfillment for those educators who are able to find solutions to them, no matter how
large or small the scale of the solution might be.

Benefits of Art Education

As future teachers in the field, it is important for you to be fully convinced in your
minds of the benefits of Art Education and its presence in the curriculum. often viewed
as expendable by curriculum designers due to its nature of self-expression, art teachers
must be fully aware that the benefits of art extend well beyond simply "expressing
oneself."

Beyond the obvious benefits of relaxing and enjoyable self-expression, education

in the arts has a number of nonartistic benefits, such as the development of creativity--
useful in any subject area--and being open and receptive to new ideas -also useful in
any subject area. The Seneca Academy (2017) lists ten benefits to having Art as part of
school curriculum:
1. Working in the arts helps learners develop creative problem-solving skills.
2. Teaching through the arts can present difficult concepts visually, making them
more easy to understand.
3. Art instruction helps children with the development of motor skills, language
skills, social skills, decision-making, risk-taking, and inventiveness.
4. Visual arts teach learners about color, layout, perspective, and balance: all
techniques that are necessary in presentations (visual, digital) of academic work.
5. Integrating art with other disciplines reaches students who might not otherwise
be engaged in classwork.
6. Arts experiences boost critical thinking, teaching students to take the time to be
more careful and thorough in how they observe the world.
7. The arts provide challenges for learners at all levels.
8. Art education connects students with their own culture as well as with the wider

 world.
9. Young people who participate regularly in the arts (three hours a day on three
days each week through one full year) are four times more likely to be
recognized for academic achievement, to participate in a Math and Science fair,
or to win an award for writing an essay or poem than children who do not
participate (Heath, Soep, and Roach 1998).
10. Greater arts education leads to fewer disciplinary infractions and higher
attendance, graduation rates, and test scores (Missouri Alliance for Art Education
2010).

These findings are further echoed by Burton, Horowitz, and Abeles (1999) and by
Bamford and Wimmer (2012), where they argue that learning "in the arts" (i.e., learning
how to draw, paint, sculpt, etc.) can increase skills, such as exploring, imagining,
observing, and reflecting. They also argue that learning "through the arts" (i.e., using
artistic activities in learning nonartistic concepts and skills) makes a range of other
subject areas more attractive. Examples given are greater use of visualization,
enhanced motivation, increased attentiveness, and improved reflection and
communication.

Issues in Philippine Art Education

Art educators in the country face an uphill battle as they navigate the educational
system and its need to prioritize its resources--often not in favor of the arts. However,
there are other issues facing art education in the Philippines, some of which are much
closer to the classroom. Several are discussed here.

Problems in Artistic Values

The issues discussed hereunder deal with the attitudes and mindsets of the
various participants in art education regarding the teaching of art in schools. They are
problems of perspective, which in turn affect policy, which then affect practice.
Four broad categories are identified here: Teacher Issues, Art as a Subject, Student
Discipline, and Art as a Luxury:

 1, Teacher Issues It should come as no surprise that

teaching as a whole is not the career
of choice for a majority of Filipinos, with
many of its practitioners a victim of the
"mag-teacher kana lang!" mentality in the
culture. Alongside this, art educators in
the country face a number of self-esteem
issues, expressed through statements like
"I'm not talented enough to be a real artist'
or "There's no money in the arts, so I
teach in order to make a living."
Perhaps the biggest, most immediate
issue when it comes to art educators is
the lack of good training. Teachers by
training are specialists, but upon being
deployed in the field-often due to
economic reasons-they are often called
upon to teach subjects outside their
specialization, leading to half-baked
("hilaw") teaching. Anecdotal evidence
abounds teachers who had to teach art
despite of having zero training and even
zero exposure to art activities since
childhood.

2. Art as a Subject Perhaps because of its initial, utilitarian

roots as "drawing," art in the curriculum is
still often viewed as a "subject" rather
than an avenue for self-expression. This
results in a teaching of art that is overly
academic, focusing on facts about art
rather than on the practice and creation of
art.
When coupled with a lack of adequate
teacher training, this encourages a sterile,
static view of art that is only considered
"legitimate" if it is comparable to the work
of the "masters," i.e., museum-standard-
something that simply cannot be achieved
by children in the early grades.

 3. Student Discipline Stemming from a utilitarian view of art,

many students struggle with motivation
issues due to an unnecessarily vicious
cycle of criticism from family, peers, and
ill-equipped teachers, thereby limiting their
willingness to invest the hours needed to
master the skills needed to create art.
Another issue noted by many teachers is
the lack of student respect toward art
materials. Wastefulness, neglecting to
store materials properly, and the lack of a
general sense of order and cleanliness
both while and after working are all
sources of great frustration for art
educators nationwide.

4. Art as a Luxury The popular public view on art in the

country is that it is a
luxury-"Pangmayaman lang 'yan"-nice to
have, but nonessential to the average
working Filipino. Art is considered the
privilege of the elite-_those who do not
have to actually work for a living and can
therefore devote the time, energy, and
money needed to participate in artistic
endeavors.
Consequently, art is among the lowest
subjects in terms of priority when it comes
to issues like budget, time, resource
allocation, etc.

Materials, Resources, and Workspaces

The following are problems related to the physical requirements for teaching art
and their availability. While a teacher in Mathematics might need little more than chalk to
teach his or her subject, an art teacher requires quite a number of materials, many of
which can be expensive and outside of school budget.

1. Limited Materials
a. Due to lack of adequate support, art materials are scarce in the average
classroom, with art educators relying on the students themselves to

 provide the necessary art supplies the class requires.

b. Stemming from the elitist view of art, there is also a lack of recognition of
the alternative art materials that are available in the immediate
environment. This serves to only propagate the perception that unless it is
created with the so-called "mainstream" art materials (e.g. acrylic/oil
paints, charcoals, pastels, etc.), then it is not really art.
2. Workspaces
a. Related to the previous problem, many schools have no dedicated space
for art classes, let alone extracurricular artistic pursuits Students must
make do with regular classrooms ill-suited for the purpose. As a result,
some forms of artistic expression simply cannot be explored, particularly
those that require more than one class meeting (e.g., painting on canvas,
sculpture carving, etc.), as they raise issues concerning cleanup, storage,
maintaining the integrity of unfinished student work, and so on.
3. Management Issues
a. Related to the lack of student respect for art materials and spaces, there
is also a severe lack of awareness as to how to manage and organize an
art class in order to maximize learning and ensure students' safety. This
is especially important during art activities that involve sharp objects, like
carving and sculpture.
b. Usually, these skills are chalked up to common sense and, thus, taken for
granted. However, there is a need for such management skills to be
intentionally taught, as many students will be experiencing handling and
storing potentially dangerous tools for the very first time in their lives.


 Lesson 2.The Artist Mindset in the Early Grades (TIZON &

PAWILEN 2021)

A. Inspired by Daily Experiences and Encounters

Part of the "artistic sense" is a sensitivity to beauty--not just in big and grand

spectacles and experiences, but particularly in the everyday things we se and

experience as we go about our lives. This is difficult to explain and likewise teach for an

u m b e r of reasons:

1 Exposure - The ability to see beauty every day does not appear out of thin air;

rather, it often takes someone else explaining to us woh something simple and

commonplace can be beautiful, and in terms that are appropriate for our developmental

stages.

Students will need to be exposed to artwork that celebrates the commonplace

over the course of several occasions before the lesson sticks.

2. Context - It is almost a cliche to say that beauty is subjective; that is, what is

beautiful depends on the individual. it can also be said that beauty depends on the

context-we know it when we see or hear it, but when something is framed within the

right context, it suddenly appears beautiful. Conversely, when something is placed in

the wrong context, we do not perceive it as beautiful. The trick, then, is finding the right

context for what we wish the learners to appreciate.

This is where careful and deliberate manipulation of the learning environment

becomes important; a quiet studio lends itself to appreciating still life arrangements, for

example, as learners concentrate on reproducing simple outlines with whatever the

medium of the day might be, or studying the way different angles and intensities of light

cast shadows.

3. Age - Children are naturally drawn to the novel, the unusual, and the exciting.

10

 Bigger, bolder, faster, brighter, louder are a guaranteed formula to gain the interest of

children. Action and movement excite them, whereas the comparatively slow,

methodical pace of everyday life does not. Educators will need to tailor the experiences

they have planned for young learners so that they both communicate the lesson while

holding the learners' interest.

Man has been inspired by nature since the dawn of the time of man, and the

ability to appreciate beauty in nature appears to be innate. Mountains, lakes, animals,

trees, flowers, insects, and the like are all fair game for artists of all ages. It should not

be difficult to get young learners to desire to commit scenes from nature-real or

imaginary--to paper, as it is an almost natural thing to do, and relatively easy as well.

Events have also been a great source of inspiration for artists. If we consider

ancient art- the kind found in the prehistoric cave systems of Europe, the pyramids

ofEgypt, bas-relief sculptures from Mesopotamia, and so on, we find that most if not al

of them depict events--a successful hunt, the victory of the king over his enemies, the

death of an important political or religious leader, or even the ancient incarnation of the

Olympic Games are all examples of events that have been committed in one way or

another to works of art.

B. Constantly Curious

While curiosity is often cited as a characteristic of scientists, ti is also an

essential part of being an artist, albeit that while a scientist might be curious as to what

si in the design of a bird's wing that enables ti to fly, an artist might be curious as to how

to make the wing "look alive" even when rendered ni a static, unmoving work of art.

Where a scientist is curious regarding the how and why of natural phenomena, an artist

should be curious regarding how to make beautiful things given a set of limitations and

parameters.

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 C.Open-Minded

Related to curiosity si "open-mindedness," which is the willingness to be

exposed to new ideas and to consider them on their own merits. It is the quality of not

being "locked down" by a particular set of rules or principles for the keas of tradition, but

rather a willingness to wrestle with ideas and ways of doing things that might be very

different from our own--all with the attitude of learning new things to add to one's

"toolbox" of techniques and perspectives. Some areas where an open mind is an artistic

asset are:

1. Lack of resources

2. The idea of perfection

3. Criticism

The practice of art can be an expensive endeavor--the best-quality materials are

never affordable even when available, and so where certain techniques and processes

are not feasible due to lack of the proper materials, an open mind is needed to perceive

and embrace that which is possible given what is available.

Open-mindedness is also an asset when it comes to the idea of "perfection" in

art--a concept which artists reject. After al, what does perfection in art mean? Fidelity to

reality? Then what do we make of cartoons, comics, and animation? The truth is that

there is no such thing as "perfect" ni art without an objective standard, and what most

people hold as the standard for evaluating art is their subjective ideas of what is and is

not beautiful. Accepting that perfection in art is a fool's errand and coming to terms with

one's strengths and weaknesses as an artist are part and parcel of becoming a mature

artist.

Lastly, an open mind is necessary for an artist to benefit from criticism. Al

criticisms, valid or otherwise, involve a measure of pain for the one being criticized- w-e

12

 are proud of our work, after al, however middling it might be- and it takes an open mind

to accept that there is always something to learn, always something that can be

improved upon, even when presented to us by unpleasant people in unpleasant ways.

Criticism is an inevitable part of being an artist, and being able to take criticism well is

vital to an artist's mental, emotional, and professional well-being.

D. Art as Authentic Self-Expression

Art can be defined as any expression of the inner desire to create beauty. Thus,

the desire to create something that is beautiful is the defining feature of the artist--ie., it

is what makes an artist an artist and any work of art that an artist produces is but an

expression of that desire. Since beauty is varied and multifaceted--a thunderstorm can

be beautiful, just like a more pastoral landscape--art can, thus, be varied and

multifaceted.

The point is that art is art because the artist wishes to express something-

however fleeting or nebulous that something might be. This si what is meant by art as

authentic self-expression.

E. Art as Self-Expression

Expanding this concept, we see that teaching art is not limited to a simple

technique--the how of art- but must also include teaching it as a means of students to

communicate feelings, experiences, interests, and desires--the why of art. We can see

this idea at play ni the tension between "being true oneself" vis-a-vis "giving the people

what they want"

This translates to the classroom by teaching students to use their artto express

something that they feel, rather than simply feeding off the works of others--the

"authentic" part of "authentic self-expression."

13

 F. Valuing Authenticity

Wrapped up in the mind and heart of an artist is desire for affirmation– some

outside validation that the work we produce is, in fact, beautiful in the way the artist

intended it. That is, artists want to know what they want to express via their art has

indeed been expressed.

This nuance can be easily lost to young learners, for whom validation of their

artwork can feel like personal validation. As a result, there might be strong desire to

simply imitate the work of others for the sake of the validation it brings. This is not

"authentic self-expression," rather it is a kind of "feeding oof” of fo the works of others.

Because there will be a tendency for young learners to value others' work over

their own, moving them toward originality involves opening their use to the value of their

own original work. This can be done by gently encouraging them to first modify

whatever it is they are imitating to suit their own tastes or satisfy their curiosity:

switching up the color palette, for example, or moving an object in a composition

somewhere else. Students need to learn that this is already a valid creative exercise in

and of itself, and only when they are comfortable with modifying existing work should

they then be encouraged to come up with completely original work of their own.

G. Enjoyment in the Process

it would be very strange for an artist to not enjoy the process of creating art-

after all, this is one of the reasons why he or she is an artist. An artist must enjoy the

process, plain and simple-or else pursue something other than art.

Let us be very clear with this: Everyone feels the desire to create beauty, but

only an artist perseveres when the process of creating beauty becomes tedious,

frustrating, and repetitive for the sake of producing something beautiful. This is why

14

artists will endure long, lonely hours of drawing a pattern by hand, for example, or

create sketch after sketch after sketch in repeated attempts to understand the visual

physiology of something before committing it to a more permanent medium.

As an art teacher, you will find learners with a varying degree of patience and

grit for the process of creating art in your classroom: a few will be willing to take the

time to carefully and neatly fil in areas with color, many wil start well and then give up

as the minutes pass, and a few wil hardly care for any art exercise you give them. You

might not be able to turn them into artists, but the overall goal is to expose them to a

wide variety of artistic processes so that they might find one that they enjoy, as they wil

be more likely to pursue ti to completion.

Lesson 3. The K to 12 Elementary Art Education

Curriculum (TIZON & PAWILEN 2021)

The essence of the conceptual framework for the Art Education curriculums is

the "spiral progression of processes, concepts, and skills." What this means in the

classroom si that the same topics are taught at each grade level, but increasing i n

detail, complexity, and performance standards. The motivation behind this is to give

students the opportunity fo truly appreciate and understand the concepts being taught

as their applications increase and broaden with each grade level.

Philosophy and Rationale

As we read here, Philippine Astr and art by Filipinos eat a visual manifestation

of what makes us Filipino-it is an expression of our identity as a people and a nation.

This identity informs how we think and behave from day ot day, and so DepEd views

the teaching of art in basic education a worthwhile endeavor.

15

 The curriculum acknowledges that the 21st century is a unique period for the

arts. Nearly all information has a visual aspect to it which is easily accessible via the

Internet.

Elements, Principles, and Processes of Art Education

From page 6 of the curriculum guide, the following elements, principles, and

processes of Art Education are presented:

Art Elements and Principles Listening

● Reading

● Imitating (Recreating)

● Responding

● Creating

● Performing (including movement)

● Evaluating

● Analyzing Critically

● Applying (Transference)

Art Processes

● Seeing/Observing

● Reading

● Imitating (Recreating)

● Responding

● Creating (Original works)

● Performing (different art processes)

● Evaluating

● Analyzing Critically

● Applying (Transference)

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 Standards

When reading the DepEd curriculum guide, ti si important ot bear ni mind that

standards refers to what the program is trying to teach, defined at four levels: the

Learning Area Standards set hte learning goals for the entire Art Education endeavor

ni basic education; the Key Stage Standards define these goals for the K-3, Grades

4-6, and Grades 7-10 levels; the Grade Level Standards break them down further per

grade; and the Content and Performance Standards define these goals at the

classroom level.

The Curriculum and the Classroom

Beginning on page 9 of the curriculum guide, we get into the specifics of what

topics are to be taught, what learnings should the learner gain from them, and how

these learnings are to be demonstrated in class as evidence that learning has taken

place.

Assessment Task

1. Reflect on your Art subiect back ni your elementary years. What was

good about it? What could have been better? Which isues among those

discussed above did you witness?

2. Do you remember when you came to understand art as being a form of

self-expression? How did you come to realize this?

3. When and how did you come to appreciate the value of your own

original work? Discuss some strategies you might have for teaching young

students te do the same.

4. How do you cope with the frustrations inherent in the art process?

Share ideas with one another on how you intend to develop patience and

endurance in your future students.

5. How well do you cope with criticism of your art? Do you find that your

17

 response depends on who is giving the critique, and how it is given, rather

than what the critique actually is? Why or why not?

Summary

Santiago (2013) defines Art Education in the country as being comprised of

three distinct periods:

1. The Experimental Period (1915-1935)

2. The New Movement (1935-1950)
3. The Newer Movement (1950-present)

Issues in Philippine Art Education

Art educators in the country face an uphill battle as they navigate the
educational system and its need to prioritize its resources--often not in favor of the arts.
However, there are other issues facing art education in the Philippines, some of which
are much closer to the classroom.

Problems in Artistic Values

Four broad categories are identified here:
● Teacher Issues,
● Art as a Subject,
● Student Discipline, and
● Art as a Luxury
The Artist Mindset in the Early Grades
A. Inspired by Daily Experiences and Encounters
B. Constantly Curious
C. Open-Minded
D. Art as Authentic Self-Expression
E. Art as Self-Expression
F. Enjoyment in the Process

18

 Reference
Gamboa Tizon, P.J. & Ignacio, E.J. 2021. A Cpurse module for Teaching Visual Arts in
the Elementary Grades. First Edition

Department of Education, 2016, K to 12 Curriculum Guide ART (Grade 1 to Grade

10)

19



 MODULE 2.
Instructional Strategies in Teaching Visual Arts

Introduction

Like creating a work of art, teaching art effectively involves planning before

doing. When artists create a work of art, even if it seems spontaneous, they first create

a vision in their minds before creating it with their hands. For veteran art teachers who

can visualize the planning process mentally, a rough outline may do. But if you are a

novice art teacher, it is important to have a well-written flow of your activity. Otherwise,

teaching art especially to younger kids can be more a detailed lesson plan based on

challenging. For professional art teachers in schools, the curriculum is required.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this module, students should be able to:

1. Explain the importance of instructional planning.
2. Discuss the considerations in preparing an instructional plan.
3. Discuss the realities of implementing a lesson plan in an actual class.
4. Understand the different considerations in choosing art activities.
5. Explain the importance of considering the student's psychomotor and cognitive
ability in choosing art activities.

 Lesson 1. Instructional Planning (TIZON & PAWILEN 2021)

Importance of Instructional Planning

Having an instructional plan helps teachers stay on track with the lesson and
achieve learning objectives. it determines the clear objectives for each session, and
helps teachers prepare materials, conduct procedures safely, and assess appropriately.
It helps you see the whole picture and set the flow of the lesson. Ideally,teachers
should follow the curriculum set by the school, however art involves a lot of creativity
and spontaneity. Sometimes the art teacher and students may get lost in the process
through exploration and discovery. This can be problematic if you are trying to comply
to a set of standards in a limited time frame.

Following the lesson plan is important. But at the same time, keep your plans
flexible, leaving space for serendipity and unanticipated learning (Douglas & Jaguith
2018). Planning helps manage time and resources and foresee different possibilities;
what will work and what will not. The teachers can prepare a backup plan just in case
things might not work the way they expected . Planning the materials needed is also
crucial. For some teachers, ti si the other way around. The planning is set based on
materials available. Planning the classroom setup and seating arrangement is also very
important. Setting up an art omr can take a lot of time, and knowing whether you're
going to use the tables, d e s k chairs, or the floor beforehand can save you a lot of
stress and time.

Creating A daily lesson plan based solely on the curriculum without considering
other factors can be frustrating for teachers if the resources, time, and logistics are
limited. The practical considerations for your curriculum must take into account the
realities of your teaching situation (Douglas & Jaquith 2018).

Classroom Management and School Situations

Unlike other subjects, Art can be challenging because it involves a lot of

materials and hands-on activities. Among young children, the most popular are painting

20

 and clay but most teachers opt to compromise the activity to make it more manageable,
practical, and fast. Lecturing to a class of 50 students i s difficult. But ti gets more
challenging when you are dealing with messy materials and changing logistics. Some
teachers are lucky to have their own art room. But some teachers need to move around
and conduct their classes in homeroom classrooms where they share with another
teacher. This can be very time-consuming especially if you are an Art-in-the-cart
teacher where you bring your materials around the school. Sometimes, it gets
exhausting and frustrating for the teacher to prepare for all classes. But that is the
reality if you are teaching Art as a subject in a school. It is tiring but can also be fun,
especially when you see the students enjoy and express themselves through art.

Things to Consider in Preparing anInstructional Plan

Teaching Art can be challenging especially if you do not have your own art room
or if you lack resources and materials. Assessing your student's present level of
knowledge, skill, interests, and work habits is also important to validate whether your
plans can work or not. Many teachers struggle following the lesson in the curriculum
due to limited resources especially when they have very limited time.

Art, unlike other academic subjects, is a more experiential learning activity with
messier and time-consuming hands-on tasks. Setting up the tools and packing away
the materials involve a lot of time. Cleaning, proper storage, and filing should also be
planned ahead so that you won't stress about spoiled, ruined, or misplaced works. All of
these are important considerations to have a more efficient and less stressful execution
of your lesson. Here are some guidelines that you should consider in planning your art
class.

Know your students. Know their strengths, weaknesses, threats, and what makes them
excited.

During the first few days of the school year, start with light but personal
activities. Young students can either be too excited or hesitant. Open-ended activities
but with templates are a good start to gauge student level and skill. This will serve as
your baseline. Remember to also take note of each student's individual strengths and

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 struggles per class. Identify what motivates them by knowing their interests and how
they respond to certain themes. As a teacher, know what makes these young kids
excited. It is also important to identify triggers for certain behaviors, especiallyif you are
teaching a mixed-level class or children with special needs. tI is important that at the
beginning, you know who among your students can get to excited to play with paints,
scissors, pencils, etc. Doing so can prevent behavioral problems, such as lack of
motivation or aggressive behavior. fI you know your students well, you can be three
steps ahead and prepared for the best- case and worst-case scenarios.

Plan for students' safety.

Always keep this in mind when teaching and make sure to always consider
students' safety. Young children can get really excited or frustrated during art class.
This is also the stage where they will be using some of the art materials for the first
time. Make sure you know where all the sharp objects are and if you are teaching
younger kids, make sure to keep them out of reach. Also, if there is a kid who has a
tendency to use scissors as a toy or gets too excited when cutting, make sure to
proceed with caution.

Give emphasis on teaching the proper usage and storage of materials in class.

● How to use and store scissors properly

● Do not over sharpen pencils. Make sure to dull the tip.
● Use nontoxic materials only in case of accidental ingestion of paints and
adhesives.
● Beware of choking hazards (beads, pompoms, small items).
● Beware of allergic reactions (skin contact and inhalations of substances).
● Be careful of wet slippery areas due to spillage of water containers.

Select your materials carefully. Consider the availability of resources.

Choosing the right media is crucial when planning an art activity. Sometimes
you have to improvise because materials might not be available or not be enough for
the class. Plan your lesson according to the materials that are available and

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 appropriate. Don't make the mistake of excitedly preparing for a painting class only to
work that there is no water source nearby. You need to know how much materials are
needed and how much are available for you to use. You may find avery interesting
activity online, however, the materials are not available ni your area. Or maybe the
curriculum stated to use acrylic painting on canvas but you know that your students
may find it difficult to get this due to their location or economic status. You have to
consider whether you can provide the materials for your students or if your students
can provide their own materials. Consider these questions:

● Is it readily available in your area?

● Do your students have the capacity to buy it?
● Can you improvise? Are there alternatives?
● Does ti have to be individual or can ti be shared by the group?

Proper care for the materials

Art materials do not come by easily so we have to teach how to respect and
take care of the materials so these wil last longer. Make sure to plan how to teach
proper care and storage. For example, when painting make sure to clean art brushes
thoroughly right away especially fi you are using acrylic. fI you do not have access to a
sink, put buckets of water inside the classroom as water source. Take note that
prolonged soaking on water can permanently damage the brush. Palettes should be
cleaned regularly. But fi you still have a lot of leftover paint, you can put a hard plastic
cover no top then leave ti to dry. Dampen ti with drops of water to soften the paint. Then
you are ready to use it again. Keep these tips in mind and prepare to teach it as part of
your lesson.

Maximize workspace, venue, and water supply.

All of these have to be considered when planning your lessons. Make sure that
all of these are addressed no matter how fun the activity might seem or you will end up
in chaos. That is why a lot of teachers do not do fun activities because most of them
require a lot of preparations and considerations to keep the room clean. When deciding
to push through with an activity, you have to consider these questions:

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 ● Are you working on the desk tables, long tables, or the floor?
● Can the tables get painted or should you cover them with plastic or newspaper?
Are you allowed to mess up the floor or should you be very careful for paint
drips?
●
If you are using paints, do you have water supply, like a sink, buckets of water,
or dump in your room?
● Where are you going to throw your dirty clay water to prevent clogged sink?
● Does your room have ample lighting? Big windows with natural light (drawing
and painting) or lamps?

● If you are using acrylic, oil or spray paint, does your room have proper
ventilation? Can you work outdoors?
●
Do you have proper waste disposal bins for messy paint or big stuff?
●
Will you be having your own room? Or are you an Art-in-the-cart where you will
be traveling room to room?

Manage TIME wisely. Be prepared. Set a routine.

Create a system. One factor that all teachers are struggling with is time
management. In preschool, art classes on average only last for 30 minutes, while
elementary classes last up to 45 minutes. This is a problem especially for those who do
not have their own room because they have to set up an "atelier" for every session.
Some teachers such as I, do that. You should have a system for how to set it up as fast
as possible through the help of your students. Another important thing is the time to
clean up which takes around 5-10 minutes if not planned properly. Being an Art-in-the-
cart teacher is very challenging because you really have to make sure everything is
organized. Sometimes we tend to forget something from the storage or from the
previous room and it takes a lot of time to get it. It happens a lot. For some teachers,
they only have 40 minutes for a whole session. That is like 10 minutes to set up and 10
minutes to clean up and sort the artworks and materials leaving only 20 minutes for the
actual work. This is ideal for preschoolers but too short for grade schoolers. This is a

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 challenge because some kids take time to be "in the zone" where one is focused and
so engrossed with their work but when the time comes that they are at the peak of their
creation, it is time for the next subject. However, for us teachers, time allotment is out of
our control so we have to make the most out of it. Routine and delegation are key
factors.

Begin with the end in mind. Afterworks: Post Production.

Logistics is a very important consideration in teaching art. In the art world,

postproduction is a major part of the creation process. Artworks, just like materials
should be stored properly.

This is one of the parts I struggled the most as an art teacher. If you do not have
a teacher assistant and proper storage for the artworks, these would pile up and you
will have a hard time keeping track of which class do these belong to. If a vertical file is
not available in your room, you can talk to the homeroom teacher and ask if the works
can be dried on the floor in one corner of the room. Once dried, the teachers can place
it in their folders. I also have rainbow file where I store artworks per section. However,
you have to empty and distribute it every quarter so it won't pile up. This is important
especially when drying glue or watercolor to avoid drip marks. But be careful for wet
glue parts as they can get stuck together. In planning your class, you have to consider
these questions:

● How will the artwork be stored? What about unfinished artworks?

● Is it going to be posted on the wall, inserted in students' folios, framed,
shared to everyone online, or brought home?
● Is there a safe drying area in your room to dry the students' works flat?
Can you store them vertically?
● How will you document works for assessment?

Conducting an art class is like preparing for a battle: getting information about
your students, assessing available materials, and learning how to maneuver the space
to your advantage. These are all important considerations in instructional planning in
order to have a more efficient, fun, engaging, and stress-free art class.

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 Lesson 2. Setting the Objectives (TIZON & PAWILEN 2021)
The Continuum of Choice

In setting your learning objectives, it is important that you determine what your
goals are before planning out or selecting an art activity. You can find a fun activity from
Pinterest (an online art and crafts social media sharing site) that seems fun to do in
your Grade 1 class, however, if it is out of topic and does not fit your curriculum goals,
you may have to set it aside.

Setting Objectives for a Learner-Centered Approach

In setting objectives for a learner-centered approach, teachers should focus on

developing the child's creativity and self-expression through choice-based theme and
medium. In TAB, themes must connect with students' lives and interests to be effective.
Topics for themes can come from students, current events, classroom studies, or can
emerge directly out of student work (Douglas and Jaquith 2018)

In a learner-centered approach, the teacher should consider the students' inputs

to know what and how they want to learn and what they want to do. New ideas and
methods are encouraged so that no artwork will look the same.

Teaching for Artistic Behavior - Also known as TAB, this approach has a three-
sentence curriculum: the child is the artist, what do artists do, and the art room is the art
studio. Children learn the basic theories, concepts, and skills then toward the end of the
month, quarter, or semester, they will choose a problem or a theme that they want, then
work on it until they are able to create an output based on their skill and medium of their
choice.

Reggio Emilia - This approach uses a constructivist self-guided curriculum that

applies self-directed, hands-on experiences in relationship-driven environments that
focus mainly on early childhood education (Moss
2019). Students can develop all their senses through artistic exploration and
experimentation.

Rudolf Steiner - Also known as Waldorf education, this places the greatest
importance on giving children what is appropriate for their age, with "artistic love and
loving art" (Steiner 1922). Teachers cater learners' imagination and creativity not only in
art, but as a holistic approach to teaching other subjects.

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 Lesson 3. Choosing Art Activities (TIZON & PAWILEN

2021)
Types of Art Activities Based on Content and Function

Art and Culture-Based Theme

Some art activities are inspired by the works of other artists by using the same
technique, medium, or subject. It can be done exactly as how the artist does it, or it can
be modified to different processes and output. in the DBAE approach, the class starts
with a discussion from a lesson in Art history about famous artists or works from a
cultural community.

Integration in Subject and Content Areas

Art is universal and transdisciplinary. Some art activities are integrated into other
disciplines such as Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM)
education where students are challenged to create projects and apply their knowledge
and skills to solve problems. Some art activities are based on stories and other forms of
literature, such as illustrating for a a book or making props and costumes for a role-play.

Holiday and Event Themes

During holidays and special occasions, students are able to connect their work to
relevant experiences through art activities. These are popular means to concretize
events such as making DIY decorations, cards, souvenirs, and gifts in a fun and
enjoyable way. Whenever there is an event, teachers always work with students to come
up with artworks for display or to bring home to set the mood. It is almost impossible to
feel the school events without props and decorations.

Art as Play

Art teachers should not forget that even upper elementary students are still
children too. A series of teacher-directed activities can take a toll on students by always
trying to cope with standards and what the school wants that is why art is sometimes
perceived as a "tiring subject that is not for me." Students should be able to have fun in
art. For children with special needs, art class can be a break in their highly structured
routine where they can enjoy and be themselves. One session per quarter of a play-
based art activity where the main goal is for students to have fun in the art process can
promote a positive attitude toward art creation and help develop their creativity and self-
expression.

Abstract and Expressionist Art Activities

For kindergarten and students who need extensive support, abstract

expressionist art activities

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 are recommended because these activities require minimal fine motor skills, but if done
right, can still create aesthetically pleasing outcomes. Examples of these are finger
painting, wet-on-wet watercolor abstract painting, splatter effects, and printmaking
using stamps and rollers which are fun and have no definite right or wrong answers.
These activities can be springboards for conversation starters since children can give
meaning to their work even if its non-representational to begin with

Impressionist and Expressionist Art Activities

These are suited for children who have a lot of original ideas, but may lack the
fine motor skills to create a well-rendered representation of what's on their mind. Some
are very excited and spontaneous that they tend to create a "rushed” work, sacrificing
quality and understandability. These works may need a little bit of explaining or context
for the audience to be able to fully appreciate the meaning and value given by the child.
Artworks from these activities are unique and can also serve as a window to understand
the child's world that may not have been said in words.

Realistic Reproduction and Technical Art Activities

These are for students who demonstrate mastery of fine motor skills involved in
art production. These students can also be considered artistically talented if they are
able to produce quality work with high resemblance to the reference. Examples would be
landscape paintings that use colors that are close to reality, figure drawings with correct
proportion, landscapes that show perspectives, and still life paintings that show accurate
lighting and shadow.

Creative, Imaginative, and Thought-Provoking Art Activities

These are basically the integration of all potential art skills. These are children
who are able to visualize and render their ideas in a skillful manner that is considered by
the audience as well-delivered visual expression. The work may contain symbols that let
the artist convey a message or links to history, science, and other personal interests.
The output from these activities are unique to the creator because it draws from personal
experiences, emotions, thoughts, and wishes. Children who are in this
category are creative and skillful and are able to do any art activity from any category.
The goal of the art teacher is to take students to reach this level.

Assessment Task
Answer the following:
1. List three reasons or advantages of having a lesson plan.
2. As a would-be art teacher, write your own philosophy on the approach you want to pursue in your
art program. Explain your reasons in detail.
3. In your own words, explain why it is important to consider the child's psychomotor
ability in selecting an art activity and standards for assessment.

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 Summary

Importance of Instructional Planning

a. Instructional plan helps teachers stay on track with the lesson and

achieve learning objectives.

b. it determines the clear objectives for each session, and helps teachers

prepare materials, conduct procedures safely, and assess appropriately.

Types of Art Activities Based on Content and Function

a. Art and Culture-Based Theme
b. Integration in Subject and Content Areas
c. Holiday and Event Themes
d. Art as Play
e. Abstract and Expressionist Art Activities
f. Impressionist and Expressionist Art Activities
g. Realistic Reproduction and Technical Art Activities
h. Creative, Imaginative, and Thought-Provoking Art Activities

Reference
Gamboa Tizon, P.J. & Ignacio, E.J. 2021. A Cpurse module for Teaching Visual Arts in
the Elementary Grades. First Edition

Department of Education, 2016, K to 12 Curriculum Guide ART (Grade 1 to Grade

10)]

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