Documenting Growth in a Choice Based Art Room
Growth and learning are cornerstones of successful classrooms. It can be challenging for my elementary age students to actually see their growth and learning in Art over the course of the school year. They are concrete thinkers and require evidence in front of them in order to see their artistic development over time. Documenting their work serves as that visual evidence.
For me and my elementary art classroom, documenting work will come in many forms and can look different for different age groups. Growth can be shown visually through a series of photographs, keeping a digital portfolio, and encouraging students to write about their work. A digital portfolio, on Google Drive or Artsonia for example, would give students an opportunity to digitally flip through their work and see evidence of their progress throughout the year.
Digital portfolio starter example:
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| Avery 1st grade |
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| Avery 2nd grade |
Another option for communicating about their work is through video. This is an approach that I am personally looking forward to trying in my classroom because I will be able to hear the enthusiasm in their voices and see their facial expressions as they talk about their art. Students can detail their journey, their problem solving skills, and the successes they experienced as they work through their creative plan.
Artist statements and exit tickets offer more insight into students' creative process. Exit tickets are a great tool for a quick check-in with students as they progress through their work and can serve as an assessment strategy to confirm understanding of a concept or skill.
