The Difference Between TAB and Choice and Why It Matters % %

Changing your curriculum and/or teaching philosophy can be overwhelming, and at times, you might not know where to begin. This article will take 8 minutes to read.

Hey fellow art teachers! Ever wonder how to introduce to students to choice based art education? I've gotten so many questions about ju...

Welcome to our Choice-based Art Studio! This is my first year adventuring into Choice-Art and I couldn't feel more energized or blessed to be an art teacher! The children are creating amazing things and great learning is taking place! I love the personal value I am seeing in their artwork, which makes me feel like our student/teacher relationships are growing stronger because I can see them in their creations! Currently, students may choose from 8 different studios. All studios are color coded so students are able to identify where to access materials. Girls and boys take turns in choosing their studios first. The bracelets let students know when a studio is closed, however, there are times, we have students find "open seating" so they can continue working on a piece or explore in a new medium. Collage, Drawing, Painting and Sculpture were are first studios and we added Fiber Arts, Sewing (hand and machine), Architecture and Ceramics (clay). We have a cabinet for all of our classroom bins. Youngest student classes are on the bottom and older are to the top. Studio signs are color-coded, along with our bracelets, and labeled materials. We have our dining room hutch creating a separation between our Painting and Sculpture Studio. The hutch houses Painting Studio supplies and our Inspiration Station stocked with art books, art magazines and project ideas. Our classes are great at following our routines. Students created our beautiful accents to our classroom chandelier. Students helped paint dining chairs for our studio centers. As the lead learner in our studio, I wanted the dining tables and chairs to feel like home. Being at home makes us feel safe and I wanted our artists to feel safe in their creating and explorations in content and mediums. Check out detailed photos of our studio in the next posting on our studios.

Welcome to our Choice-based Art Studio! This is my first year adventuring into Choice-Art and I couldn't feel more energized or blessed to be an art teacher! The children are creating amazing things and great learning is taking place! I love the personal value I am seeing in their artwork, which makes me feel like our student/teacher relationships are growing stronger because I can see them in their creations! Currently, students may choose from 8 different studios. All studios are color coded so students are able to identify where to access materials. Girls and boys take turns in choosing their studios first. The bracelets let students know when a studio is closed, however, there are times, we have students find "open seating" so they can continue working on a piece or explore in a new medium. Collage, Drawing, Painting and Sculpture were are first studios and we added Fiber Arts, Sewing (hand and machine), Architecture and Ceramics (clay). We have a cabinet for all of our classroom bins. Youngest student classes are on the bottom and older are to the top. Studio signs are color-coded, along with our bracelets, and labeled materials. We have our dining room hutch creating a separation between our Painting and Sculpture Studio. The hutch houses Painting Studio supplies and our Inspiration Station stocked with art books, art magazines and project ideas. Our classes are great at following our routines. Students created our beautiful accents to our classroom chandelier. Students helped paint dining chairs for our studio centers. As the lead learner in our studio, I wanted the dining tables and chairs to feel like home. Being at home makes us feel safe and I wanted our artists to feel safe in their creating and explorations in content and mediums. Check out detailed photos of our studio in the next posting on our studios.

10 Things No One Tells You About Being a Choice-Based Art Teacher Curriculum Approaches % %

Welcome to our Choice-based Art Studio! This is my first year adventuring into Choice-Art and I couldn't feel more energized or blessed to be an art teacher! The children are creating amazing things and great learning is taking place! I love the personal value I am seeing in their artwork, which makes me feel like our student/teacher relationships are growing stronger because I can see them in their creations! Currently, students may choose from 8 different studios. All studios are color coded so students are able to identify where to access materials. Girls and boys take turns in choosing their studios first. The bracelets let students know when a studio is closed, however, there are times, we have students find "open seating" so they can continue working on a piece or explore in a new medium. Collage, Drawing, Painting and Sculpture were are first studios and we added Fiber Arts, Sewing (hand and machine), Architecture and Ceramics (clay). We have a cabinet for all of our classroom bins. Youngest student classes are on the bottom and older are to the top. Studio signs are color-coded, along with our bracelets, and labeled materials. We have our dining room hutch creating a separation between our Painting and Sculpture Studio. The hutch houses Painting Studio supplies and our Inspiration Station stocked with art books, art magazines and project ideas. Our classes are great at following our routines. Students created our beautiful accents to our classroom chandelier. Students helped paint dining chairs for our studio centers. As the lead learner in our studio, I wanted the dining tables and chairs to feel like home. Being at home makes us feel safe and I wanted our artists to feel safe in their creating and explorations in content and mediums. Check out detailed photos of our studio in the next posting on our studios.

I am NOT a traveling art teacher this year (for the first time EVER! Can I get a "hallelujah"?!) and my newly opened scheduled allowed for some great opportunities. The 5th grade teachers in my building were the first ones to jump on board with my crazy idea, so they became my guinea pigs. Because of their RtI groups, they had some students that didn't need reading interventions. So...what do you do with THOSE kids, while you're trying to work in small groups with the kids who DO need the interventions?? You send them to the Art Room! I get between 12 and 18 kids, twice a week for 30 minutes, for 6 weeks. Then, another batch of kids comes in for the next 6 weeks, and so on, for the entire year. Each student works through the artistic process at their own pace and they are given much freedom when it comes to subject matter and media. The directions I gave in the beginning were simple: 1. Be inspired. 2. Choose a media. 3. Go through the artistic process. 4. Reflect afterwards. Subject matter was up to each student. Different media stations were opened up a regular intervals (drawing, painting, collage, printmaking, sculpture). I checked in with each student each day so we could check on their progress, answer questions, and problem solve together. After a project was finished, they completed a writing assignment that asked them to reflect on the entire process. I've put together a video of what they've done so far this year - please enjoy! So, call it "TAB" or "Centers" or "Stations" - but whatever you decide to call it - just try it! Because if you've been considering offering more choice in your art program, I say "Go for it!" Being a major control freak, I was really nervous in the beginning, but by giving them more control over the process, they became more invested students and more creative students. Win-Win! ~Amy

Organizing a choice-based art room does not have to be a nightmare! We're sharing 5 easy organization tips to make your classroom a dream.

High school Teaching for Artistic Behavior is just like elementary Teaching for Artistic Behavior except the kids are bigger and have more executive functioning skills. In my situation, they all have their own computers and the Internet so that is a very big deal when it comes to researching or communicating essential content. Students meet at the beginning of the class period in a specially designed centers-based learning environment, typical of TAB art rooms. Attendance is taken and class announcements can be made at this time. Students may also begin independent work from this starting point. Teachers may also deliver essential curriculum content at this time, for example a presentation of Renaissance perspective utilized by Masaccio and Masolino at the Brancacci Chapel. Teachers may also present large-group demonstrations during this time. After the large group lesson, students acquire materials and settle into creative learning activities. "Look, Think, Create," is a concept sign inspired by "Room 13 International" website. I adapted it for TAB. There are several high school TAB and TAB-like art programs I have been thinking about since transitioning to high school TAB. Nan Hathaway, whom I met in 2005, is a TAB middle-school art teacher and has been a huge influence on me. Patricia Knott a high school choice-based art teacher has been a regular contributor to the TAB Yahoo Group since 2005. I first saw Jeff Pridie present in a packed room at NAEA Minneapolis in 2010. Jeff laid it out perfectly. Lots of opportunities for students to sink their teeth into meaningful learning experience because art is a big subject. Barb Andrews was offering student-directed learning experiences at New Palestine High School in her "Arts and Ideas" classes back in the 1990's when DBAE was being pushed from the top down by the Getty Foundation. Miriam Marcus was doing 'choice' with at-risk children in Flint, Michigan around 2005. Her stories of teaching children to knit with pencils because knitting needles were not allowed in her school amazed me. Of course listening to John Crowe's stories about "care and play," during his high school teaching days was very inspirational. Colleen Rose is operating a wonderful high school art program in Ontario, Canada. At Apex High School, Ian Sands, Melissa Purtee, Kim Sudkamp and Shawnda Rossi are running a spectacular art education program where choice is featured in their curricula. There are many other democratic/choice based high school art programs around the country, but these are the ones I am thinking about now. We are seeing educators adopting TAB pedagogy throughout the country at all grade levels. There are thousands of elementary and middle school teachers working with TAB and quite interestingly, the High School TAB Facebook page has 358 members in it. Educators are very much interested in the possibilities of what liberating the imagination and creative spirit looks like in K-12 Public Education settings and looking at the results of my own experiences with high school TAB there is quite an appetite for choice-based art education. My sincerest thanks to the authors of "Curriculum in Abundance," David W. Jardine , Sharon Friesen and Patricia Clifford for their insight into curriculum theory as contained in their book. A treasured resource!

Our WildcatsCreate Choice-based art studio currently houses 8 studio centers. Here is a tour of our current format. To get a glimpse in...

TAB Teachers disseminate knowledge in many ways. Large group presentations are one way. Students select a center to begin their art a...

Welcome to our Choice-based Art Studio! This is my first year adventuring into Choice-Art and I couldn't feel more energized ...

Are you starting your own TAB or Choice-based art classroom and need some signs for your studio centers? You've come to the right place! These posters are for 5 of the main studio centers in a TAB art room: Drawing, Painting, 3D, Collage and Fibers. These high-quality digital downloads can be printed up to and including 59.4x42 cm or 23.4x16 inches. Don't want to pay for poster printing? Create even bigger posters using multiple pages of regular-sized printer paper at blockposters.com, it's free and easy.

Welcome to our Choice-based Art Studio! This is my first year adventuring into Choice-Art and I couldn't feel more energized or blessed to be an art teacher! The children are creating amazing things and great learning is taking place! I love the personal value I am seeing in their artwork, which makes me feel like our student/teacher relationships are growing stronger because I can see them in their creations! Currently, students may choose from 8 different studios. All studios are color coded so students are able to identify where to access materials. Girls and boys take turns in choosing their studios first. The bracelets let students know when a studio is closed, however, there are times, we have students find "open seating" so they can continue working on a piece or explore in a new medium. Collage, Drawing, Painting and Sculpture were are first studios and we added Fiber Arts, Sewing (hand and machine), Architecture and Ceramics (clay). We have a cabinet for all of our classroom bins. Youngest student classes are on the bottom and older are to the top. Studio signs are color-coded, along with our bracelets, and labeled materials. We have our dining room hutch creating a separation between our Painting and Sculpture Studio. The hutch houses Painting Studio supplies and our Inspiration Station stocked with art books, art magazines and project ideas. Our classes are great at following our routines. Students created our beautiful accents to our classroom chandelier. Students helped paint dining chairs for our studio centers. As the lead learner in our studio, I wanted the dining tables and chairs to feel like home. Being at home makes us feel safe and I wanted our artists to feel safe in their creating and explorations in content and mediums. Check out detailed photos of our studio in the next posting on our studios.

I was so pumped to start my second year as a TAB Teacher. My first year, I was scared and held back a little. I was nervous that mad chaos...

A Little About me and Why I Love Giving Students Choice My Intro

Student success criteria and clear expectations are a major focus for my professional goals this year, I want to share some of the work I done so far. Capturing ideas and planning are the first two steps in the artistic process. This entire wall will be filled with the entire process. Students will be able to look to the wall to 1. know what they should be doing at each step 2. understand what the work looks like 3. understand how the work should impact their project 4. justify the work that they are doing This just might be one of my favorite walls in my room! Here are the artistic behaviors in Thomson Art! Beside the behavior is a strategy for students to write goals for their projects. Students MUST have a goal that they are working on throughout their artistic process. Success stories so far...one third grader decided that adding writing to his art would enhance and clarify his message! (his goal is communication) Sometimes students will pick their goal, sometimes they may have more than one, and sometimes they might have a teacher-recommended goal. Success story number 2- a student left me a drawing in my mailbox about all the wonderful things in art. Love, truth, beauty, drawing, goals!! Table-top anchor charts provide success criteria for materials at each of the stations. Another layer that students are accessing information and expectations to determine their own success! PS-they get major points for coming up with alternative ways of using the materials (INNOVATION!)

High school Teaching for Artistic Behavior is just like elementary Teaching for Artistic Behavior except the kids are bigger and have more executive functioning skills. In my situation, they all have their own computers and the Internet so that is a very big deal when it comes to researching or communicating essential content. Students meet at the beginning of the class period in a specially designed centers-based learning environment, typical of TAB art rooms. Attendance is taken and class announcements can be made at this time. Students may also begin independent work from this starting point. Teachers may also deliver essential curriculum content at this time, for example a presentation of Renaissance perspective utilized by Masaccio and Masolino at the Brancacci Chapel. Teachers may also present large-group demonstrations during this time. After the large group lesson, students acquire materials and settle into creative learning activities. "Look, Think, Create," is a concept sign inspired by "Room 13 International" website. I adapted it for TAB. There are several high school TAB and TAB-like art programs I have been thinking about since transitioning to high school TAB. Nan Hathaway, whom I met in 2005, is a TAB middle-school art teacher and has been a huge influence on me. Patricia Knott a high school choice-based art teacher has been a regular contributor to the TAB Yahoo Group since 2005. I first saw Jeff Pridie present in a packed room at NAEA Minneapolis in 2010. Jeff laid it out perfectly. Lots of opportunities for students to sink their teeth into meaningful learning experience because art is a big subject. Barb Andrews was offering student-directed learning experiences at New Palestine High School in her "Arts and Ideas" classes back in the 1990's when DBAE was being pushed from the top down by the Getty Foundation. Miriam Marcus was doing 'choice' with at-risk children in Flint, Michigan around 2005. Her stories of teaching children to knit with pencils because knitting needles were not allowed in her school amazed me. Of course listening to John Crowe's stories about "care and play," during his high school teaching days was very inspirational. Colleen Rose is operating a wonderful high school art program in Ontario, Canada. At Apex High School, Ian Sands, Melissa Purtee, Kim Sudkamp and Shawnda Rossi are running a spectacular art education program where choice is featured in their curricula. There are many other democratic/choice based high school art programs around the country, but these are the ones I am thinking about now. We are seeing educators adopting TAB pedagogy throughout the country at all grade levels. There are thousands of elementary and middle school teachers working with TAB and quite interestingly, the High School TAB Facebook page has 358 members in it. Educators are very much interested in the possibilities of what liberating the imagination and creative spirit looks like in K-12 Public Education settings and looking at the results of my own experiences with high school TAB there is quite an appetite for choice-based art education. My sincerest thanks to the authors of "Curriculum in Abundance," David W. Jardine , Sharon Friesen and Patricia Clifford for their insight into curriculum theory as contained in their book. A treasured resource!

In March of 2017, Greenfield City Parks and Recreation Superintendent Ellen Kuker, Hancock County Arts Coalition member Steve Vail and...

Collage Instructions, techniques, and supply poster for your choice based classroom. TAB teaching is awesome...hope this makes your transition easier. ...

Organizing a choice-based art room does not have to be a nightmare! We're sharing 5 easy organization tips to make your classroom a dream.

Are you looking to move your art class towards choice-based or TAB? This simple planning sheet is a great starting place for your students! Give students the opportunity to create what interests them using materials they enjoy!

What is a studio center? It is an area in the classroom that is designated for the organization of supplies that correspond to a certa...

How to Get Your Choice-Based Room Ready for the School Year Curriculum Approaches % %

Art activities for art centers, early finishers, and independent work! No crafts or coloring pages. Give students something creative and thought-provoking to do when they finish their assignments, and foster independence and creativity in students with these Art Activities Task Cards. These self-directed activities are designed to be used independently by students on their own time, although they may also be used as an idea bank for whole class art activities. The cards can be used in any order, and any of these simple art activities can be explored more than once. Keep the whole set handy for easy access. Use them - for early finishers - in art centers - as independent work - during choice time - on rainy days - for substitute plans - before vacation - after testing - just for fun! Independent use of these art task cards gives students practice in following simple written, step-by-step directions. The directions are a starting point for activities which allow for creative art exploration, the development of an aesthetic sense, opportunities for self-expression and problem-solving, and the productive use of free time. Each task card includes a list of art materials needed, simple directions for the activity, and two photographs of actual student art work for those students who need a visual reference. Some activities offer additional suggestions for extending the activity or for enhancing creative details. This bundle includes Art Activities Task Cards Set One and Art Activities Task Cards Set Two. Art Task Cards Set One includes: 8 drawing activities 8 collage activities 8 activities exploring the elements of art Art Task Cards Set Two includes: 8 symmetry activities 8 painting activities 8 activities focusing on composition Each set includes: - directions and suggestions for teachers - list of basic and extended materials to have on hand - suggestions for storing art materials Also included is information on the National Core Visual Arts Standards, including ways in which the standards support Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. What teachers will need to do: Copy the task cards. ~ The task cards are in .pdf format, two to a page. For long term use, copy the pages onto card stock (in color if at all possible), cut them in half to separate the task cards, and display as desired for independent student access. Provide for student access to materials. ~ Teachers will need to make sure that students have access to the materials they need for the activities. A list of materials is included in the free preview download and in the packet. Provide for follow-up for art lessons as desired. ~ Many of the task card art activities are the same as or similar to the art-making activities included in the comprehensive art lessons available in my TeachersPayTeachers store. Using these task cards as a follow-up to those art lessons would give students the opportunity to refine their creative skills, repeat activities they particularly enjoyed, or redo activities they might want to try a different way. This is something working artists do on a regular basis. For more art-making ideas and suggestions: Start With Art -- perfect for back-to-school Making Time For Art -- a free download Integrating Art Across the Curriculum Sampler Bundle - five integrated Art lessons Need art lessons to last an entire school year? Save money with my Art All Year MegaBundle! ••••• I am a retired elementary classroom teacher, a former art teacher, an artist and a writer. I have a Multiple Subjects credential, a Single Subject credential for Art and English, LDS/ESL certification, a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education with a Mathematics focus, and Montessori certification. I have worked with all elementary grades, and with special groups including ELL, GATE, and At-Risk students. Creating Art With Kids and Share2Learn lessons and resources are designed to foster student creativity, choice, and independence, and to encourage authentic art-making. Consideration is given to developmental appropriateness, differentiation possibilities, and teacher individuality. For this reason, directions are general, expectations are open-ended, and clip art on student pages is kept to a minimum. ••••• Terms of Use: Permission is granted to copy for single classroom use only, including homeschool classrooms, for use with classroom students. Additional licenses may be purchased for a reduced price. Electronic distribution is limited to single classroom use. Public and/or online display are not authorized; this resource may not be posted on district or classroom websites, or on any teaching resource websites, without permission of the author. Please do not give away my work.  ••••• Connect With Me: Creating Art With Kids Facebook Group ••••• Find out about new products, discounts, and freebies! Look for the “follow me” link near the store logo at the top of the page. Become a follower to receive updates about my resources. Get TpT credits! Provide feedback on purchased products for TpT credits toward future purchases. Look in your “My Purchases” page for the “Provide Feedback” button. Enjoy!

This is one of the new additions to my classroom this year. After continuing to refine and enhance my choice based classroom and reading up ...

Can You Really Do TAB With High School Students? % %

The Willow Brook Art Studio is a TAB Studio. We have used the Choice-Based and TAB acronym interchangeably, however there are some differences between the two that you may find interesting. Choice provides options. It can be choice in materials, process or even artistic interpretations, however TAB is a pedagogy that was founded by Diane Jacquith and Katherine Douglas. TAB is an acronym that stands for Teaching for Artistic Behaviors where children are taught to think like artists and promote divergent thinking. Art is self directed after a short demonstration. Read more about the differences here on the Art of Ed blog. Are you on the Choice Spectrum or thinking about diving into a life-changing pedagogy that creates strong relationships with your students?

As an teacher I see the importance of arranging spaces in a way that make materials appealing and accessible. For this reason I try and make...