Grades!

😀😂😆😇😈😉😨😱😪😗😑- Well that about sums it up!! 

But seriously, art is something that is a requirement for High School Graduation (or at least some form of the Arts) as well as math, reading, history and so on.  Well all those classes have grades-mostly based on "facts" and "closed answers" and maybe the dreaded "tests". 

Art class, if graded solely on projects can be more than a little subjective, which really isn't fair to the student.  I mean seriously-define "neat" "craftsmanship" "creative" or any other of those words that people will use to define art-you really cannot! 

When my younger students begin a project, I let them know the 1 or maybe 2 things that I am going to be looking at very hard when I grade their projects.  As for my older students I actually give them the checklist that I will be using to grade them.  I mean why keep it a secret??!!

My older students receive a project sheet with every project that has vocabulary, the checklist, and some sort of self-assessment and possibly (depending on the project) some other things.  For instance draw and label a circle with circumference, diameter and radius.  I mean how else are you going to teach them to "draw" a sphere if they don't have a working knowledge of a circle? 

As for my Art History classes-we do the majority of the written work as a class-with plenty of class time for them to ask me questions.  Also I almost always include an opinion portion to the written work.  Mainly because I really want to know what they think about the things we are studying.

I WANT my students to be successful and to come away from class knowing something that they didn't before.  Or being able to do something that they couldn't before.  Or being more proficient at something that they are currently working on. 

I once had a parent tell me "Well when I was in art class we goofed off and everybody got an A"  I once had an art teacher tell me that he gave everyone of his students a "2" which translated into "working at his or her individual level".  SERIOUSLY!!??  Why in the world would I waste a student's time like either of these? 

School is important!  Encore classes (art, music, PE, library, and counseling) are important! Math, reading, social studies, lunch, recess, the nurse, handwriting, science and technology are all important! Before and after school programs are important!!  Kids today spend 6-9 hours a day in school-believe it or not their time spent there is going to shape the adult that each one of them becomes!

Grade with fairness, accuracy, and transparency!