Choice Continuum
Choice Continuum
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There's a wealth of different ways to design your choice-focused curriculum, but first and foremost it's important to remember that choice is a continuum with very minimal choices on one end and complete freedom on the other. In this diagram, I've given a range of choice methods used by art educators across the pedagogical spectrum and placed them in order from least to most student choice.
Choice advocates may refer to minimal choice negatively () because these types of choices are relatively shallow in terms of the student expressing themselves. However, students must be taught to make choices and constraints are important to that process (Thomas Brown, 2011; Castro 2007; Purtee and Sands 2017; Denton 2005). When students are not accustomed to making choices, and they're thrown into an environment of total freedom, they often struggle to make decisions (Purtee and Sands 2017; Brei 2011). Therefore, smaller choices act as a gateway to dislodging firmly held teacher-directed learning expectations of students (Purtee and Sands, 2021).
Regardless of where you and your students start on this continuum, the goal of a choice-focused curriculum is to create a framework for experiences that, over time, develop the skills necessary for self-directed learning. Whether your goal is to make artists as Purtee and Sands describe their Choice-based inspired methodology (2021), or to create lifelong learners as others have advocated (Thomas and Brown, 2011; Falk and Dierking, 2002), teaching students how to direct their own learning is a skill that serves them not only in the classroom but in society and their life beyond the art room (Dewey? Hetland; ) and by creating spaces for students to learn these skills, we, as art educators, are creating spaces for possibilities.
"That is, we do not see education in linear-causal terms of achieving preset objectives or re-presentation of established truths, but as a participation in the ever-unfolding project of becoming capable of new, perhaps as-yet unimaginable possibilities"
(Davis and Sumara, 2008 pp.20-21).
One of my favorite anecdotes...
One of my favorite anecdotes...
about my first days teaching with Choice-based methods was a moment when I walked by a student painting on a plastic texture rubbing plate. The whole class was chaotic with 1st graders moving all over the room and using every one of the many materials I had provided them. When I saw this student painting on a tool that I had determined was being used "wrong," I frantically corrected the behavior. I told him to wash it off and return it to it's proper place, but as I began to walk away, I stopped myself. I thought, why am I so stuck on preconceived limitations for that particular tool? So, I asked him what he planned to do. He said he was going to paint on it, then press his paper against it. I suddenly got very excited and told him he was attempting to make a print, a word that hadn't been introduced before. My demeanor shifted from teacher to researcher as I expressed that I wanted to hang around and see how it worked out. The watercolors he was using didn't make much of a mark, so I told him that wetting the paper might help the paint to transfer better. We tried it again. As we worked through this process of trial and error, other students began to gather. They saw my participation and excitement and wanted to see what was going on. By the time the student and I had finished our research, there was a small crowd. The new students who had arrived wanted me to show them too, but instead of taking the lead, I was able to explain to the crowd that the student was the expert and that their requests for instructions on how to do the same thing should be directed to him.
Choice-based art education
Choice-based art education
What is CBAE?
What is CBAE?
Through the application of media centers and mini-lessons, students spend the majority of their class time engaging in play, experimentation, and artworks of their choice. "Choice-based art education provides for the development of artistic behaviors by enabling students to discover what it means to be an artist through the authentic creation of artwork" (Douglas and Jaquith, 2009 p.3).
What are the benefits and shortcomings of CBAE?
What are the benefits and shortcomings of CBAE?
Treating the student as an artist demonstrates trust in the student and respect for their ideas.
Allowing complete freedom for the student-artist creates spaces of possibility that the teacher could not have planned.
There is no discussion of scaffolding or teaching independent learning skills.
Stations are very important to the classroom organization and can be difficult to manage for different classroom environments.
What connections does this curriculum have to CBAE?
What connections does this curriculum have to CBAE?
Each lesson has an artistic behavior attributed to it.
Lessons use a range of methods along the choice continuum
Studio thinking and studio habits of mind
Studio thinking and studio habits of mind
What is Studio Thinking?
What is Studio Thinking?
What are the benefits and shortcomings of Studio Thinking?
What are the benefits and shortcomings of Studio Thinking?
Doesn't provide a framework for application, only exemplar lessons.
What connections does this curriculum have to Studio Thinking?
What connections does this curriculum have to Studio Thinking?
Students are asked to use the Studio Habits of Mind to reflect on their processs in daily journals.
Smart Goals
Smart Goals
What are SMART goals?
What are SMART goals?
SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
George T. Doran first wrote about using SMART goals in his 1981 article "There's a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management's Goals and Objectives," but I was first introduced to them as part of district professional development learning to write data-driven goals for our classrooms and for our annual teacher evaluations.
What are the benefits and shortcomings of SMART goals?
What are the benefits and shortcomings of SMART goals?
When writing a goal this way, you address all aspects of the process.
They can be challenging for many students (and teachers) to write meaningful SMART goals independently.
How does the curriculum use SMART goals?
How does the curriculum use SMART goals?
Before extended periods of "studio time," students are expected to write a goal for themselves.
In the past, I used a much longer version that involved too many aspects for Art 1 students to handle all at once.
I will learn ___ to create ___ about ___ in 2 weeks.
goal setting and self-determination theory
goal setting and self-determination theory
When giving students opportunities for intrinsic goal-setting in an autonomy supportive environment, students were much more successful than when given extrinsic goals or were placed in a controlling environment (Deci and Ryan, 2007).
See Student Needs for more.
How does choice apply to the Plug and Play curriculum?
How does choice apply to the Plug and Play curriculum?
content
content
These lessons and units have very little, if any choice, but always ask the student to perform a task that allows them to practice an independent learning skill or apply the learning to their own experience.
The content contained in these lessons is needed by every student in order to meet standards or build knowledge and/or experience for independent learning.
Skill goals
Skill goals
These first goals introduce students to the process that will ultimately become fully student-directed.
To begin, students choose an art skill from a list and work through a prescribed artistic process. After writing a goal based on the skill they chose, they then research and practice before using their newly developed skill to create an artwork. Each day, they reflect on their work in their digital journal with a photo and at least 3 sentences.
expression goals
expression goals
After practicing the goal process and participating in some content units on expression and copyright, the goal process shifts from one focused on skills and practice to expression and planning.
The goal process continues to require students to reflect on their work each day in their digital journal, but they are now responsible deciding when and how much they need to practice and research.
references
references
discussion
discussion
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