Rommy Mata

EPS541 - Learning Progression Paper

May 30, 2014
The Steps of Art Criticism

Learning Progression in My Topic Area is About

Steps of Art Criticism


Defining Concepts -
Novice:

Opinion is the basis for
interpretations, analysis
and judgments of artwork.


Defining Concepts -
Practitioner:

Opinion is less dominant
in the interpretations,
analysis and judgments of
artwork, with more
emphasis on vocabulary
use.


Defining Concepts -
Independent/Expert:

Vocabulary is present
throughout the
interpretations, analysis,
and judgments of artwork.

Essential DETAILS:

The novice describes the
image in 2-3 statements
with interpretations. The
analysis is loosely based
in the elements and
principles of art, showing
minimal understanding of
them. The interpretation
of the piece is not
grounded in evidence
from the analysis or
description. The judgment
is based more on opinion
that evidence.






Essential DETAILS:

The practitioner describes
the image using details,
focusing on only things
you can see. The analysis
is grounded in the
elements and principles of
art and shows a mastery
of them. The interpretation
of the image is based in
evidence from the piece.
The judgment is mostly
based in fact with one or
two opinions.

Essential DETAILS:

The expert is able to
describe using details from
the piece, specifically only
things you can see. The
reader would be able to
visualize the image from the
description. Analyze using
all of the elements and
principles of art with
mastery. The expert would
be able to interpret the
image grounded in evidence
from the description and
analysis. The judgment
would also be grounded in
evidence from the analysis
and description, as well as
free from personal opinions.
So what? What is important to understand about this?

The importance of understanding The Steps of Art Criticism is because it the basis for
all interpretation of the visual arts. It combines everything that students have learned
from the shell of creating (The Elements and Principles of Art) to the judgment of
other artists, and the process of their creating.


The steps of art criticism create the basis for how people look at art. The steps
are broken down in a way that allows the viewer to really analyze the artwork piece by
piece. Understanding the steps of art criticism is important to creation because it allows
students to see what other artists have done before them. They can then use some of
those ideas to create their own art.
The first several times students look at art, they place themselves in the artwork.
Students think about how the artwork makes them feel when they are looking at it, as
well as the connections they can make to their own lives. When students begin to learn
about the process of art making and the design elements that go into the artists
decisions, they are able to begin breaking down the different aspects of an artwork.
When first learning about the steps of art criticism, many students begin by stating what
they think they see. For example, when looking at a still life a novice would describe the
image by saying that the artist was painting food, probably his breakfast because of
types of foods depicted. They would have a difficult time analyzing the piece for the
elements and principles of art because the novice would have a very minimal
understanding of how to find them in an artwork. The interpretation would be weak as
well; typically the novice would say they do not know what is going on or if they can
make an interpretation they cannot give evidence from the description or elements and
principles. Because the novice has such a weak interpretation of the piece, theyre
judgment of the artist and artwork is weak as well. The novice cannot figure out the
artists intention for creating the piece.
On the other hand, the expert in art criticism can separate himself or herself from
the artwork while analyzing. The expert describes the work by stating just what they
see, not making interpretations about items. If there were a skeleton the expert would
describe the skeleton where a novice might say that there is a dead person in the
artwork. The expert uses the elements and principles of art in their analysis and can
accurately find them within a piece. The interpretations of the expert are grounded in
evidence from the description and analysis, free from the students personal opinion.
The judgment would not only be grounded in evidence from the steps before, but they
would be able to use what they know about art, the movement, artist, medium, to decide
the artists intentions and whether or not they were successful. The practitioner would
be between both the novices and experts, shifting between personal opinion and
evidence based analysis, interpretations, and judgments.
Students that become experts in the steps of art criticism begin to think critically.
They must step outside of what they know, to determine what someone was trying to
say, sometimes hundreds of years ago. Students need to have an understanding of
cultures at the time, as well as symbolism. They are required to do some abstract
thinking in order to looking into some artists minds. The analyzing of artwork needs to
be scaffolded for students to be most successful in looking at artwork. As students
became more successful they should be able to look at artwork with less help from their
peers and the teacher. As well as, looking for students to make connections to other
artists and movements.
The article by Fredrick Mosher, The Role of Learning Progressions in
Standards-Based Education Reform, states learning progressions as the basis for the
Common Core. I think that it is interesting to see how the idea that one subject or unit
builds on to another transfers to such a large scale. Until there are Common Core
standards in place for the visual arts, I would like to use learning progressions as a
basis for planning my curriculum. I want to try building a curriculum across grade levels
that builds from one thing to the other. I think that Mosher brings some good examples,
especially about how learning can span across grade level. By getting a better idea of
how my students learn from one year to next, and from lesson to lesson, I think that I
will become a more effective teacher.
To guide my teaching I would need to break down the skills necessary for
students to critic work. Throughout the year students would be working on
understanding and using the elements and principles of art. I plan on making that my
guiding focus for the year. With the repetition and practice I hope that students will be
able to understand the elements and principles and be able to locate them in a piece. In
order for students to practice description I would make this a regular Do Now in the
classroom. Students would have to describe the piece in writing or verbally. This is also
one of the main ways in which I will be assessing students throughout the year.
Interpretation would come from two places, Do Nows and discussion. I would
include times throughout the year where students would interpret work based off of what
they see. While this would not include the elements and principles of art, it is a great
beginning for students to continue working on those interpretation skills. There is also
the fact that students are now doing a different type of reading, visual. Many students
have the skills to read visually, but they are not used to doing that and there are many
others who do not have the innate skills. This is something that needs to be taught and
reinforced. That will happen through whole class, group and pair discussions. Students
can practice looking at artwork and making interpretations, and watch me interpret
images as well. Through discussion we can work out the misconceptions or gain new
ideas.
I think that judgments would come at the end of a unit, when students have
gained a better understanding of the materials they are working with and what the
artists intentions may have been. I think that the assessment for this would come from
a full criticism of a piece. Students can practice putting the different pieces together to
judge a piece of work.
I think that in order to become a more effective teacher I need to work on my
data implementation. The way that I collect data will be important in determining how I
reach my students. I plan on using formative assessment consistently to gain a picture
of my students understanding through, discussions, Do Now and Exit Tickets and
informal writing and art samples. I want to continue finding better ways to assess my
students.
I also want to work on how I am looking at students work. I want to use a
sketchbook or notebook for each student where I can give them direct feedback on their
Do Now tickets, Exit Slip tickets and sketches. By giving students feedback each time
they come to class they can more easily see their growth or where they may have
misconceptions. The sketchbook can become a forum for communication with my
students.