AN ITINERANT TEACHER'S

GUIDE TO CREATING
MEANINGFUL ART
CURRICULUM
A RESEARCH PROPOSAL CREATED BY: ANNETTE SALDAA

ABOUT ME:
Visual Arts Teacher at Livingston Academy
High School in TN
PhD student at University of MissouriColumbia
2013-14 Teacher of the Year Award
Recipient in the Cumberland County, TN
District
2015 Tennessee Art Education Association
Secondary Art Teacher Award Nominee
Publications in both the University of Florida
Library and SchoolArts Magazine

STATEMENT OF THE
PROBLEM:
What is the problem?
Itinerant teachers face many
struggles in
strengthening their art curriculum
and
programs.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
PROBLEM:
Why should it be studied?
With more research development art on a cart teachers
could discover ways to create more meaningful lessons,
better organize lessons/activities that cover a range of
multiple age groups, and help build upon visual art
advocacy.
To whom is the problem relevant?
Itinerant art educators (Also know as traveling, floating,
art
on a cart, and sometimes even homeless teachers)

RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
How are curriculum frameworks affected
when art on a cart/travelling art
educators do not have designated studio
classroom spaces?

MEANING

What are the best practices for travelling

and art on a cart art educators as they
develop curriculum lesson plans for
multiple grade levels?

ITINERANT
CURRICULU
M
FRAMEWOR
KS

How might itinerant art teachers use

theme-based frameworks to create
meaningful K-12 curriculum?
How might travelling and art on a cart
educators advocate for the Arts through
the use of their constructed curriculum
frameworks?

ADVOCAC
Y

BEST
PRACTICE
S

DEFINITION OF TERMS
General Terminology:
Itinerant TeachersMany art educators today go from room to room to teach in
others classrooms, some conduct activities in rooms that are
ever-shifting/temporal spaces, and then there are those who
actually drive to multiple school buildings to visit various rooms
throughout the day. These teachers who travel back and forth
are called itinerant. They are also sometimes referred to as
floating or art on a cart educators as well.
Educational ClimateTransforms and informs the quality and character of school life.

DEFINITION OF TERMS
Curriculum-based Terminology:
Big ideas-powerful concepts that are central to the
lesson
Ernest Boyer Framework-ex. human commonalities
TETAC (TransformingEducationThroughtheArtsChallenge)
diagrams for enduring ideas and essential questions
Backward Design-identifying outcomes/themes before
planned instruction
Cross Curricular-connecting to more than one
academic
discipline at a time

DEFINITION OF TERMS
Method-based Terminology:
Phenomenological Methodology A study that attempts to understand people's
perceptions,
perspectives and understandings of a
particular situation
(or phenomenon)

Hello dear, I just got my

new office and I think
they're trying to tell me
something.~Joseph
Farris

ASSUMPTIONS:
That many itinerant teachers face curriculum challenges
(Limited space, curriculum hurdles, no voice, feelings of
being undervalued, etc.)
That many itinerant teachers are unaware of how to turn
negative aspects of their jobs into positives
That big ideas can be used to develop a more cohesive and
meaningful art curriculum that spans diverse grade levels
That itinerant teachers desire research that can help them
strengthen their art programs.

LIMITATIONS:
Truthfulness
Time
Travel
Limited Resources/Literature

LITERATURE REVIEW:
How are curriculum frameworks
affected when art on a
cart/travelling art educators do
not have designated studio
classroom spaces?
The effectiveness of the art program
is directly related to the quality of the
environment within which the
program operates For optimum art
learning in the classroom, the school
administration should provide
adequate and flexible facilities,
quality equipment and materials,
sufficient time, and properly trained
and experienced teachers and
supervisors.
(NAEA, The Essentials of a Quality

LITERATURE REVIEW:
What are the best practices for travelling and
art on a cart art educators as they develop
curriculum lesson plans for multiple grade
levels?
Best practices in art on a cart instruction would
most likely include an effective management
system for student art as well as project materials
and supplies. (Lung, 2013).

LITERATURE REVIEW:
How might itinerant art teachers
use theme-based frameworks to
create meaningful K-12 curriculum?
Fundamental to quality art teaching is
planning for lessons that: 1. seek to find
meaning in works of art; 2. span
consequential themes; and 3. address
long-term, overarching ideas that will
inform student learning now, as well as
when they are adults. (Stephens,
Planning with Meaning).

LITERATURE REVIEW:
How might travelling and art on a
cart educators advocate for the Arts
through the use of their constructed
curriculum frameworks?
Cross-curricular lessons: When you can
fit it into your curriculum, its a wonderful
partnership when you combine lessons
with another teacher. In doing so, you are
re-enforcing the objectives of the lesson,
and students have fun in the process.
(Capetta, Tales from the Travelling Art
Teacher).

THEORETICAL
FRAMEWORK:
The topic to be investigated has been constructed in order to
further examine the curriculum challenges and advantages of
producing art on a cart curriculums, connective lesson plan
development for diverse age ranges, and classroom activities
that promote advocacy for these types of teaching
placements. Literature research (though lacking in regards to
the topic) will be completed in order to obtain more
information based on itinerant teaching positions in art
education. Phenomenological inquiry (both quantitative and
qualitative) will be utilized to gain more information about the
perceptions and perspectives of art educators who teach (or
have taught) from a cart.

RESEARCH DESIGN:
Methodology-Mixed Methods
Data SourcesQuantitative (Statistics and Rankings based on art on a cart teacher population)
Qualitative (Art on a cart perspectives)
Data Collection Resources/Tools-Demographic questions, Likert Scales,
Surveys, Interviews,
Observations, Recordings, etc.
Data Analysis-Phenomenological (ex. collecting qualitative data to
contrast/compare teacher
viewpoints and reveal findings)

IRB PERMISSIONS/CONSENT:
Because human subjects will be surveyed and interviewed, IRB permission
would be needed. Consents from participants would be a requirement for
publication purposes.

POSSIBLE FINDINGS:

Classroom environment (or lack of a designated art classroom space)

can have a direct effect on quality of learning.
Classroom environment is directly correlated to how an art on a cart
teacher designs their curriculum.
Many itinerant teachers face challenges and struggles in the
development of meaningful K-12 lesson plans.
Collaboration and communication is lacking between art teachers and
stakeholders.

Happy trails to you!

REFERENCES:
Bickett, M. (2015, March). Art cart tales. SchoolArts, 16.
Cappetta, A. (1993). Teaching from an art cart. NAEA Advisory [Web document]. Retrieved
from
http://www.getty.edu/education/teacherartexchange/archive/Aug97/0150.html
Jaquith, D. (2009, March 3). Art on a cart [Web log]. Retrieved from
http://naea.typepad.com/naea/2009/03/art-on-a-cart.html
Keel, J. (1964). How special is the art specialist. Art Education, 17(7). 7-8+14.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/3190611.pdf
Lung, H. (2013). Art on a cart: A national mixed methods investigation of elementary art
teacher experiences and perceptions. (PhD thesis: University of Missouri-St. Louis).
Retrieved from
Main, M. (2006). Surviving the art cart. School Arts, 106(1), 28.
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Surviving+the+art+cart!-a0150743912
National Arts Education Association. (1973). The essentials of a quality school art school
program: A position statement. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/3191853.pdf
O'Hanley, H. (2011, September 29). Tales from a traveling art teacher!: Knowing that you
are just as important as everybody else [Web log]. Retrieved from
http://naea.typepad.com/naea/2011/09/index.html
O'Hanley, H. (2011, September 8). Tales from a traveling art teacher!:Pros and cons:
Balancing the scale [Web log]. Retrieved from

REFERENCES (CONTD):
Papanicolaou, L. (2001). Art on a cart [Web log]. Retrieved from
http://www.getty.edu/education/teacherartexchange/archive/Jun01/1018.html
Stephens, P. (2009, May/June). Planning with Meaning [Web]. SchoolArts. Retrieved from
http://www.davisart.com/Promotions/SchoolArts/PDF/STSG_9_08.pdf
Wong, H. & Wong, R. (2007). Effective teaching: The floating teacher. Retrieved from
http://www.teachers.net/wong/NOV07/