Preparation and Organization

Preparation

Before the first day of school, even experienced art educators need to have two things prepared: goals for the coming year and the design of the first lesson. 

Personally, the time before school starts up is an opportunity to prepare and organize the classroom into something that will engage and empower students. An important aspect of Christopher Emdin’s reality pedagogy is the aesthetics of the classroom; Emdin states that the classroom should reflect the students it serves. There should be less of an emphasis on decorating the classroom in the summer, and more of an emphasis on designing ways in which students will be able to contribute to the look of the room. The Paper Twitter Feed (see: Norms and Procedures) is one way to turn classroom space into a platform for students; other ways might be creating digital or physical infrastructure, like a survey where students can submit ideas or a designated drawer where students can place objects or materials they’d like to be displayed. 

The arrangement of desks or tables is another opportunity to create a classroom that empowers students; lecture or “stadium” seating centers the instructor, whereas grouping desks or tables together in pods, or “neighborhoods” allows for collaboration between students and differentiation in instruction.

Classroom floorplan. Courtesy of University of Iowa. 

Planning

I have two formats in which I write lesson plans; informal plans in my journal, where I outline directions, the order of events, and learning targets, and more formal plans which I create in a word processor where I will also list materials and standards.

My more formal style of lesson planning. Includes: NAEA Standards, learning targets, procedure, and materials list. 

My personal, informal style of lesson planning. Includes: Learning targets, procedure, and reminders. 

Materials

The materials used in an art class depend on what the curriculum calls for and the availability of schoolr resources more than anything else. However, most art teachers in Michigan, and certainly those who pass through the GVSU Art Education program, are prepared to teach the following media. 

Drawing (Graphite pencils, India ink, pens, large heavy paper, erasers, rulers, pencil sharpeners)

Painting (Acrylics, watercolors, brushes, palettes, watercolor paper, illustration board, canvas) 

Ceramics (Earthenware, clay tools, clay mats, pottery wheels) 

Printmaking (Inks, heavy paper, relief tools, block erasers, linoleum, copper)

Jewelry & Metalsmithing (Copper and silver sheet, copper and silver wire, handsaws, sandpaper, roller press, heavy shears, hammers)

My preferred site for ordering art materials in bulk is dickblick.com.