Children's work
Assessment of children's development in art must take into account a whole series of discovery and learning activities that may or may not lead to a finished product. It requires a range of assessment tools, which include teacher observation and teacher-designed tasks as well as work samples, portfolios and projects. Together they provide the teacher with a comprehensive overview of the children's development in art and indicate the effectiveness of the teaching programme.
Teacher observation
Art activities provide an important context for assessing progress. The whole process of making and responding to art can be monitored by observing children as they work and, as appropriate, discussing it with them or offering positive intervention. It is not necessary, nor would it be possible, to assess every aspect of children's work. The teacher may occasionally focus on particular aspects of a task, on individuals or on groups of children for the purposes of assessment. By setting clear objectives for the activity, he/she can observe how the children respond to a stimulus, approach the task and evaluate their own work and the work of others.
The stimulus could include a personal experience, a story, a medium such as paint or clay, an object from the natural world or a work of art. Through observation and discussion, the teacher notes the possibilities for visual expression that children may see in the stimulus, their willingness to explore ways of expressing ideas it suggests, and any problems they are experiencing. The teacher could ask
- has the stimulus sparked a visual and personal response?
- are the children eager to talk about choice of materials and tools and how they will use them?
- are there non-participating children?
In observing how children approach a task, the teacher would note how involved they are in the many decisions they must make as they struggle to express their ideas in visual form. Things to look for would include the ability to handle materials and tools and to use them with confidence and sensitivity, for example the ability to mix paints, to form clay, and to show variety in their mark-making. The connections they may make between what they observe closely and their own work should also be noted. Other developments to look for would include the ability to take the initiative and to work independently; a willingness to follow directions; and the interactions that occur within groups, and with the teacher, as concepts and skills are developed.
Questions to ask could include:
- Are the children absorbed in the activity?
- Does their work show a visual vocabulary appropriate to their individual stages of development in art?
- Are materials and tools used with confidence and discrimination?
- Are the children willing and able to discuss their ideas and how they might adapt them to the challenges they meet?
In assessing children's responses to and evaluation of their own work and the work of others, the teacher could note their ability to describe the object or image and to perceive its essential characteristics. Their ability to view it with openness, to make discriminating judgements and be moved by it could also be noted. The teacher could ask:
- Do the children value their own work and the work of others?
- Do they respond enthusiastically to art works?
- Can they use an appropriate vocabulary when responding to art works?
Teacher-designed tasks
The teacher may occasionally devise tasks with very specific objectives in mind. Tasks such as these can help to emphasise children's strengths and interests and are useful for planning. It is important, however, that the objectives are clearly understood by the children and that they are within their range of ability. The tasks could include
- doing colour studies
- interpreting a variety of textures in different media
- making quick sketches of objects or of a view
- making a plan for a simple structure
- making a structure to certain specifications
- looking at an art work for a specific purpose.
Work samples, portfolios and projects
Portfolios are a particularly important tool in assessing children's development in art. They provide the teacher with a long-term and comprehensive record of that development and draw attention to individual children's particular strengths. Samples of work in progress should be included, for example their experiments with mark-making and colour mixing, sketches done from observation, different print techniques and elementary plans and designs for three-dimensional structures. Representative examples of completed work should also be kept. These, together with photographs or similar records of three-dimensional work and of their participation in largescale projects, and including their own records of achievements, would comprise a portfolio.