What a GREAT article I found while browsing the Internet today! This article can be referenced at http://voices.yahoo.com/21-ways-motivate-students-art-class-guide-5440335.html
21 Ways to Motivate Students in Art Class
By: Becca Swanson
As any art teacher knows, some students love art class, while others clearly show they'd rather be anywhere else than in your classroom. But how do you get all your students to care? Motivating students in art class can be challenging if you're unsure what to do; but once you master these 21 proven ways to effectively motivate your students, your art classes will be a den of learning, excitement, investigation, and creativity:
#1.) Be excited
Students are motivated by passionate teachers. Get excited about what you teach, have fun and present material in unique ways. Be excited about student successes, about Art in the news, about your own artwork, and your excitement will rub off on your students.
#2.) Let students critique your artwork
Remember the cliché: "Those who can, do; those who can't, teach"? Show students that phrase is null and void, and that you are not just an art teacher, you are an artist as well. Show students your artwork, which artists you're inspired by, and what your professional goals are - and get their feedback! Nothing makes an art student feel more valued than their teacher asking for their opinion.
#3.) Explain current art news and issues
Subscribe to art magazines: Art News, Art in America, etc., and keep up-to-date on current art trends. Have students research current art debates, delve into issues, print articles and discuss them. Make it interesting and fun - students are motivated when they can talk about the real world.
#4.) Invite guests to art class
Contact local colleges, galleries, architecture or design firms, photography studios, museums, and invite professionals to speak to your art classes. Select speakers from different backgrounds who can give a wide spectrum of what it means to work in the arts. Consider asking guest artists to show their work and demonstrate new techniques.
#5.) Develop projects around student interests
Investigate what students are into: Facebook, hip hop, skateboarding, etc. Use this information in your lesson planning - if you're assigning a self-portrait project and you know a majority of your students have a Facebook account, show them how to create self-portraits for their profile pictures. Utilizing their interests as a jumping-off point is a great way to motivate students.
#6.) Reference pop culture
Students are caught off-guard when a teacher mentions pop culture in the classroom; it reminds them that art class doesn't exist within a bubble. If you're discussing aesthetics, bring up a musician or a movie you know students are interested in, and work that into the art debate. Students are motivated when know that it is okay to bring their 'outside-school' life into the classroom.
#7.) Stir up controversy
Find offensive or controversial artists, articles on censorship, and articles on fraud and thievery. Explain the backgrounds of these stories (be aware of what's appropriate for your school), and have students debate these interesting issues.
#8.) Discuss visual arts careers
Strike down the "starving artist" cliché, and introduce students to the hundreds of careers in the arts. Guaranteed, every student can find one art career to investigate - interior design, architecture, car design, costume/jewelry design, art teaching, cartooning, video game design, etc.
#9.) Exit your comfort zone
If you don't know much about technology, take a class and learn something new - then teach it to your students. If you don't teach about many female artists, research Faith Ringgold, then present her to your students. If you avoid multicultural art, research Japanese printmaking or African sculpture along with your students. If you tend to stick with traditional drawing and painting, take a class on enameling, jewelry-making or glass-blowing. Motivate your students by motivating yourself.
#10.) Use technology
Whether you show videos, use a Smart Board, make Power Points, join Artsonia and set up an online art gallery, do Internet research or visit a museum online - these are all easy ways you can integrate technology. However, art students will be even more motivated if you let them be the ones to use the technology in art class. Assign projects that involve digital cameras, camcorders, Photoshop, experimenting with scanners and printers, and more.
#11.) Let students explore
Students must learn that artists are not born knowing how to do things; they got there by trial and error, with a lot of experimentation. Introduce a new medium or technique, provide materials, and let students experiment. Knowing there isn't a clear end in sight and that options are limitless is a great way to motivate art students.
#12.) Show students a problem has many solutions
It's easy for students to become bored with art, when they think there is a definite outcome they should be recreating. Being unable to achieve that ideal leads to lack of motivation, frustration and disinterest, and makes students think there is only one 'right way' to do something. Show students that there are many solutions to the same problem. When assigning projects, leave the outcomes open-ended, while guiding the procedures.
#13.) Order something new
Pick something new from the art catalogs each year when turning in your supply order. And not just a different color of paint. Order a rubber fish, light-sensitive paper, or metallic polymer clay. Do something you've never done before.
#14.) Display a variety of artwork
Display artwork from artists of all genders, time periods, movements, cultures and styles. Studying sculpture? Don't just show a poster of "Winged Victory" - display suits of armor, an Egyptian sarcophagus, African ancestral statues, Oaxacan folk sculptures, Louise Nevelson's abstract wood sculptures, and culinary sugar sculptures. It'll motivate your students to see all the thousands of varieties of art that have been made throughout time.
#15.) Help students discover what art they like
Have students research to investigate the various styles of art, and determine which they like most. Ask them... what kind of art would they hang in their house, and why? Help them discover why they like certain types of art, and establish their own 'taste' and point of view.
#16.) Help students find artists that inspire them
Along with discovering what kind of art students like, help students discover individual artists they like. This means introducing them to hundreds of different artists, in various styles and mediums. Start with a style or subject matter they prefer, then narrow it down.
Explain how artists are constantly influenced by others - Picasso was influenced by African tribal artwork; Lichtenstein was influenced by Picasso's paintings; and so on. It motivates students to discover artists they appreciate and are inspired by, because they learn to identify that artist and feel an 'affinity' toward them. Then, once students go to a museum, they are excited to see that artist's work in person.
#17.) Make art history fun
Art history is an exciting subject, and should not be boring. Find fun ways to introduce history that will motivate students to learn: create scavenger hunts, play art history games, watch movies, bring an artwork to life, act out the life of an artist, or be art detectives. Think outside the box.
#18.) Make art museums fun
Art museums can be exciting places, if you present them as such. Motivate students by giving them a task while they're there, like a scavenger hunt (contact the museum first, and ask if you're allowed to bring pencils and paper - don't assume). Inform students they are Art Critics, Detectives, Treasure Hunters, or Gallery Owners, and create a list of questions about art. This can reinforce topics you are learning in class: "Find a painting that shows repetition"; "Find three artworks you'd display in your home"; "Find one artwork you think could be worth over a million dollars."
#19.) Don't give meaningless praise
It is very motivating for art teachers to praise their students. However, students know when you're giving empty praise - and when you do, it becomes meaningless. Guard what you say and don't reward every mundane thing students do. Instead, be frugal with your praise and save it for when it's genuine and really matters.
#20.) Help students discover one area they're successful
The wide spectrum of Art is so broad that there is certainly one area where each student can succeed - you just have to help them find their niche. If a student does not excel at drawing, have them experiment with clay. If a student is technology-oriented, have them explore with Photoshop. Everyone is good at something in art - and once that student figures out what it is, they will be motivated for life!
#21.) Explain the hundreds of disciplines that fall under 'Art.'
Hand-in-hand with #20, students must understand that there is no one kind of art. Students often come into art class thinking that they have to be a good drawer to be a good artist. You must introduce them to as many different kinds of art as you can - fashion design, illustration, graphic design, photography, silk painting, weaving, oil painting, architecture, interior design, cartooning, metal sculpture, printmaking, product design, jewelry, glassblowing, set design, culinary art, etc.
Mastering these 21 ways to motivate your art students will reward you and your students ten-fold. Not only will it make art class more enjoyable to your students, but it will help them develop life-long skills and set them up for life-time learning. Quite possibly, you will be able to turn every single one of your art students into excited, motivated, inquiring, creative and willing participants in the learning process.
21 Ways to Motivate Students in Art Class
By: Becca Swanson
As any art teacher knows, some students love art class, while others clearly show they'd rather be anywhere else than in your classroom. But how do you get all your students to care? Motivating students in art class can be challenging if you're unsure what to do; but once you master these 21 proven ways to effectively motivate your students, your art classes will be a den of learning, excitement, investigation, and creativity:
#1.) Be excited
Students are motivated by passionate teachers. Get excited about what you teach, have fun and present material in unique ways. Be excited about student successes, about Art in the news, about your own artwork, and your excitement will rub off on your students.
#2.) Let students critique your artwork
Remember the cliché: "Those who can, do; those who can't, teach"? Show students that phrase is null and void, and that you are not just an art teacher, you are an artist as well. Show students your artwork, which artists you're inspired by, and what your professional goals are - and get their feedback! Nothing makes an art student feel more valued than their teacher asking for their opinion.
#3.) Explain current art news and issues
Subscribe to art magazines: Art News, Art in America, etc., and keep up-to-date on current art trends. Have students research current art debates, delve into issues, print articles and discuss them. Make it interesting and fun - students are motivated when they can talk about the real world.
#4.) Invite guests to art class
Contact local colleges, galleries, architecture or design firms, photography studios, museums, and invite professionals to speak to your art classes. Select speakers from different backgrounds who can give a wide spectrum of what it means to work in the arts. Consider asking guest artists to show their work and demonstrate new techniques.
#5.) Develop projects around student interests
Investigate what students are into: Facebook, hip hop, skateboarding, etc. Use this information in your lesson planning - if you're assigning a self-portrait project and you know a majority of your students have a Facebook account, show them how to create self-portraits for their profile pictures. Utilizing their interests as a jumping-off point is a great way to motivate students.
#6.) Reference pop culture
Students are caught off-guard when a teacher mentions pop culture in the classroom; it reminds them that art class doesn't exist within a bubble. If you're discussing aesthetics, bring up a musician or a movie you know students are interested in, and work that into the art debate. Students are motivated when know that it is okay to bring their 'outside-school' life into the classroom.
#7.) Stir up controversy
Find offensive or controversial artists, articles on censorship, and articles on fraud and thievery. Explain the backgrounds of these stories (be aware of what's appropriate for your school), and have students debate these interesting issues.
#8.) Discuss visual arts careers
Strike down the "starving artist" cliché, and introduce students to the hundreds of careers in the arts. Guaranteed, every student can find one art career to investigate - interior design, architecture, car design, costume/jewelry design, art teaching, cartooning, video game design, etc.
#9.) Exit your comfort zone
If you don't know much about technology, take a class and learn something new - then teach it to your students. If you don't teach about many female artists, research Faith Ringgold, then present her to your students. If you avoid multicultural art, research Japanese printmaking or African sculpture along with your students. If you tend to stick with traditional drawing and painting, take a class on enameling, jewelry-making or glass-blowing. Motivate your students by motivating yourself.
#10.) Use technology
Whether you show videos, use a Smart Board, make Power Points, join Artsonia and set up an online art gallery, do Internet research or visit a museum online - these are all easy ways you can integrate technology. However, art students will be even more motivated if you let them be the ones to use the technology in art class. Assign projects that involve digital cameras, camcorders, Photoshop, experimenting with scanners and printers, and more.
#11.) Let students explore
Students must learn that artists are not born knowing how to do things; they got there by trial and error, with a lot of experimentation. Introduce a new medium or technique, provide materials, and let students experiment. Knowing there isn't a clear end in sight and that options are limitless is a great way to motivate art students.
#12.) Show students a problem has many solutions
It's easy for students to become bored with art, when they think there is a definite outcome they should be recreating. Being unable to achieve that ideal leads to lack of motivation, frustration and disinterest, and makes students think there is only one 'right way' to do something. Show students that there are many solutions to the same problem. When assigning projects, leave the outcomes open-ended, while guiding the procedures.
#13.) Order something new
Pick something new from the art catalogs each year when turning in your supply order. And not just a different color of paint. Order a rubber fish, light-sensitive paper, or metallic polymer clay. Do something you've never done before.
#14.) Display a variety of artwork
Display artwork from artists of all genders, time periods, movements, cultures and styles. Studying sculpture? Don't just show a poster of "Winged Victory" - display suits of armor, an Egyptian sarcophagus, African ancestral statues, Oaxacan folk sculptures, Louise Nevelson's abstract wood sculptures, and culinary sugar sculptures. It'll motivate your students to see all the thousands of varieties of art that have been made throughout time.
#15.) Help students discover what art they like
Have students research to investigate the various styles of art, and determine which they like most. Ask them... what kind of art would they hang in their house, and why? Help them discover why they like certain types of art, and establish their own 'taste' and point of view.
#16.) Help students find artists that inspire them
Along with discovering what kind of art students like, help students discover individual artists they like. This means introducing them to hundreds of different artists, in various styles and mediums. Start with a style or subject matter they prefer, then narrow it down.
Explain how artists are constantly influenced by others - Picasso was influenced by African tribal artwork; Lichtenstein was influenced by Picasso's paintings; and so on. It motivates students to discover artists they appreciate and are inspired by, because they learn to identify that artist and feel an 'affinity' toward them. Then, once students go to a museum, they are excited to see that artist's work in person.
#17.) Make art history fun
Art history is an exciting subject, and should not be boring. Find fun ways to introduce history that will motivate students to learn: create scavenger hunts, play art history games, watch movies, bring an artwork to life, act out the life of an artist, or be art detectives. Think outside the box.
#18.) Make art museums fun
Art museums can be exciting places, if you present them as such. Motivate students by giving them a task while they're there, like a scavenger hunt (contact the museum first, and ask if you're allowed to bring pencils and paper - don't assume). Inform students they are Art Critics, Detectives, Treasure Hunters, or Gallery Owners, and create a list of questions about art. This can reinforce topics you are learning in class: "Find a painting that shows repetition"; "Find three artworks you'd display in your home"; "Find one artwork you think could be worth over a million dollars."
#19.) Don't give meaningless praise
It is very motivating for art teachers to praise their students. However, students know when you're giving empty praise - and when you do, it becomes meaningless. Guard what you say and don't reward every mundane thing students do. Instead, be frugal with your praise and save it for when it's genuine and really matters.
#20.) Help students discover one area they're successful
The wide spectrum of Art is so broad that there is certainly one area where each student can succeed - you just have to help them find their niche. If a student does not excel at drawing, have them experiment with clay. If a student is technology-oriented, have them explore with Photoshop. Everyone is good at something in art - and once that student figures out what it is, they will be motivated for life!
#21.) Explain the hundreds of disciplines that fall under 'Art.'
Hand-in-hand with #20, students must understand that there is no one kind of art. Students often come into art class thinking that they have to be a good drawer to be a good artist. You must introduce them to as many different kinds of art as you can - fashion design, illustration, graphic design, photography, silk painting, weaving, oil painting, architecture, interior design, cartooning, metal sculpture, printmaking, product design, jewelry, glassblowing, set design, culinary art, etc.
Mastering these 21 ways to motivate your art students will reward you and your students ten-fold. Not only will it make art class more enjoyable to your students, but it will help them develop life-long skills and set them up for life-time learning. Quite possibly, you will be able to turn every single one of your art students into excited, motivated, inquiring, creative and willing participants in the learning process.