By Spramani Elaun
Every Montessori school should have an art environment. Whether an art shelf inside the classroom, dedicated classroom, or specials visiting. Elementary students should be engaging in some type of art lessons regularly. Allowing children to express creativity plus building basic skill sets. One of the reasons art programs exist is to expose children to different kinds of mediums. In this blog I want to share some ideas on How To Bring Art Into The Classroom
When children are exposed to different art activities they are likely to find the right art domain they enjoy. As children find the right art experiences they enjoy, they become independent as they practice these skill-sets. When elementary students work independently they can also self regulate their own stress with hand work in the classroom. Independent working students can also reach creative flow states! So where should you start with to bring art into the classroom?
6 Art Areas To Focus On
- Schedule Art
- Choose Art Subjects
- Teach Art Elements
- Choose Art Mediums
- Choose An Artist Technique
- Teach Skill Building Foundations
- Focus On Art Direct Aims
Schedule Art Lessons
Start with scheduling regular interactions with art making in the classroom. Schedule daily, weekly or even bi weekly art lessons. Even bi monthly if your teaching schedule is super busy. I did this as a visiting Montessori art specials and I heard from Montessori guides how the children learned so much from just 4 visits! Once you have chosen the day, move to creating time segments. Be sure your timeline is specific to lower or upper elementary attention spans.
Art Subjects To Teach
Then move into deciding which visual art subjects you want to explore. I recommend choosing from my five art domains. Subjects like painting or color theory. Learn more about the 5 domains by buying: Defining Visual Arts Book HERE. Once you decide the area you want to focus on then you can decide on the lesson plans.
Art Elements To Teach
To meet the national art standards it’s important to teach children the Art Elements. The Art Elements cover things like line, color, shape – etc. Each one of your art lessons should always focus on a key art element. I can’t stress enough how important this is to a solid art program. I meet many Montessori guides not even aware of art literacy standards. Even how to teach the artistic process, how-to scaffold art lessons, or what art sequences should come next. Learn more about the Art Elements by buying: Defining Visual Arts Book HERE
Art Mediums & Technique
Then the fun stuff starts by deciding on which mediums to experiment with first. This also includes what presentations and demonstrations to schedule. For example you could teach the subject of painting and focus on the watercolor medium. Then show children a crayon technique – wax resist marks. Or let’s say you decide to integrate a sensory craft with zoology. Like cutting sea life shapes from paper with a collage – technique.
Building Art Skill-Sets
The best advice I have for you is to teach how to set-up, clean-up, and prepare the environment for their next classmate, learning to complete the cycle in the Montessori way first is important. This supports independent work through the school year. Then foucs on building skill-sets and don’t waste time on the wrong type of art lessons. Like focusing on the Masters, copying images, or too much process- based art. Try not to focus lessons on copying the Masters artworks. These lessons can be lacking in developing independent art skill-sets or their own creativity. Montessori elementary students need the right order of skill-set lesson first.
Focus on Art Direct Aims
The other important thing I want to share is even if you can’t draw or paint you can still teach proper art lessons. Your own refined skill-sets are not the focus. What’s important is knowing your direct aims. Direct aims like preparing the environment, and presenting the right order of demonstrations. Scheduling and choosing age appropriate art lessons. Indirect Aims will happen like – your students brainstorming or conjuring up original ideas. Even exploration that leads to the most optimal state of creative flow!
Teaching art can be intimidating without any basic knowledge or experience. But I’m here to tell you I’ve taught thousands of parents and teachers. I have lots of preparatory teaching methods easy for you to follow. But here’s a secret… you will learn right beside your students, I promise!
Art Professional Development
I invite you…
No matter what capacity of training you desire, I’ve built art teaching resources you can have access to!
Choose:
Art Lesson plans
Montessori In-service Training (email info@Spramani.com)
Custom Art Programing (email info@Spramani.com)
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