Student leadership and agency are key passions of mine. It is amazing to see students driving their learning, willing to take risks and showing the ability to self-reflect to reach their true potential. These attributes come from the ethos and values that we as teachers instil into our students and classrooms with the belief that every child can succeed. The best challenge for us, as professionals, is to unlock the barriers to learning and embrace even the smallest of successes to inspire students to succeed. I have been teaching for 16 years and my specialism is Art. I have taught in UK schools and now within an international setting at GEMs Wellington International School.
Questioning and reflecting are both integral parts of the ACP and VAA skills and throughout this article, there will be many questions which provokes thought and discussion about how we approach art whether this be within primary, secondary or higher education classrooms.
Art is one of those subjects where students are immersed in activity, drawing, painting, modelling just to name a few. Students are buzzing with excitement and eager. They use various different mediums available, they are creating art work by process but are they really utilizing their creating HPL skill sets or is a common misconception that the CREATING ACP is purely for art outcomes?
Are students revolutionary thinking? Independently creating multiple solutions? Using evidence to decide on different solutions to a problem? OR are they able to build alternative solutions? Use their critical thinking skills to explore a variety of options to develop their work? Utilizing their imaginative skills to develop their own personal outcomes? If you answered yes, to any of the later questions then you have identified where students also hit other ACP skills within the HPL framework.
The ACP HPL progression framework is based around cognitive performance skills and supports us to identify approaches and progress made by students when fully utilized. All too often we hear that when Art is being ‘created’ the ACP skill of CREATING is used but what about the ACP skills? Is creating the only ACP in full use when students are developing or making a piece of art work?
‘Art is only the CREATING ACP, because students are ‘creating’ their art work’. How often have you heard this? How often do you only refer to the Creating ACP within lessons? Looking at the ACP progression map, it made me reflect on the other ACPs that also link to Art and when students are exploring final outcomes, experimental or observational work. What do we see when students are developing their work? Do see imaginative ideas where students are experimenting with different media and 3D elements? Are students questioning their work and reflecting on the progress of it?
The HPL progression framework links nicely to this as part of the LINKING ACP where it references students ‘linking together prior knowledge’ which is an example of what students would have to do in order for them to confidently create their work in the first place. Another section of the framework that can be easily referenced is the REALISING ACP. This ACP focusses on speed, accuracy and automaticity skills, surely students if confidently developing their work would be showcasing skills with ‘increasing accuracy’ and ‘effortlessly use ideas and draw upon a range of skills’ to competently showcase their knowledge and understanding of the skills being shown? These are just two examples of where Art can fall across other elements of the HPL framework but what other skills are we enabling within classrooms that support students to enhance their advanced cognitive performance skills?
It very much depends on the activity as to which skills are being explored but from looking at the framework it has provoked the question about how much does ‘art’ and the skills that students will be exploring are relevant across the ACP framework. The next time you come to plan for an art lesson or an activity in a subject that links to art, have a look again at the skills within the framework, how are students being challenged and developed to enhance a range of skills rather than just one, ‘creating’. Alternatively, have a think how the CREATING ACP can also be used in a much wider context than based at the creation of outcomes, how else do you assess fluent thinking in lesson time? Identify collaborative activities that showcase student originality or revolutionary thinking?
One thing that stands out as a reflection from this article is the wide approach the CREATING ACP can have in all subjects and activities. Have a think, how does it relate to your subject / activity? How are we building students with abilities to think flexibly, develop innovative solutions and ideas or demonstrate originality in what they do? Creating isn’t just creating an art final piece or piece of art work within a lesson, the creating skill is so much more!
I absolutely agree! Pushing the boundaries of creativity is vital especially for students at KS4 to achieve highly at GCSE.
I think the planning and discussion around KS3 is crucial to ensure students are prepared to take risks... what do they do from the moment they enter the door to challenge and excite them to take risks?
I'm no artist, but as an English teacher, I do plan opportunities for students to take risks, which, by its very nature, means that I have to take a risk. Often it goes wrong, but the payoff, in my opinion, outweighs the cost. One area where we spend a lot of time is trying to develop students' confidence in spoken English. Early in the year when I'm getting to know a group, I like to set them a group task where the roles are defined but what they choose to focus on is up to them. Often it's quite silly so, for example, it'll be twenty minutes to find an advert for a brand of food they think is revolting before one of them has to introduce the brand and its history, three of them have, collaboratively, to recite what is written on the advert in a dramatic manner before one of them has to explain how the designers have used visual and linguistic methods to sell the vile product. A few months later, this same task will shift to them doing pretty much the same thing but with a poem or a passage from a novel. By then, most quite enjoy it and the majority are far more used to addressing an audience. We then start to focus on them preparing things individually...all the time, they're taking risks and getting used to things going wrong. Obviously, some hate speaking in public, but when the rest of the class has a go, they often choose to fit in and surprise themselves.
Public speaking is a challenge for many including adults! I like the fact you mention collaboration, peer-on-peer discussion and support really encourages students.
I find students don't like it when things go wrong but that is all part of the risk element, the more we plan for this .. the stronger their perseverance and resilience skills will be too!
Hi Claire,
Couldn't agree more!
Teaching Art and Design provides a platform to introduce students to careers within creative industries. Many of these industries still have a higher percentage of male employees than women. For example, 76.7% of architects are men. So why is this not reflected in the classroom?
Rewriting schemes of work to focus on student interests and future career prospects, could encourage male students to engage in Art and Design at KS4 and beyond. Making the direct links between creative skills and industry roles, could make students aware of the connections and importance of Art and Design. Should we introduce more cross curricular links, to help support this?
Hi Amelia,
YES! This term is key to ensuring we plan effectively for the next academic year. Changing mindsets only come if we can show them the opportunities and bring the real-world context into our lessons.
Shaping projects with boys at the forefront of our minds will also support this. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
From a Primary education perspective, it is difficult to think of a subject within the primary curriculum that generates as much excitement and captivation, as art. When the students see the resources, the buzz that fills the room is fantastic - I often find it is extremely easy in intertwine history and geography aspects of the curriculum within art lessons as a way of utilising this buzz for larger purposes. I think overall, utilising art lessons for cross-curricular learning is an underused tool and is a practice we should be encouraging across its entire planning and delivery across an academic year.
Is this also the common practice in secondary school and beyond?
I found myself really reflecting on your question relating to the other ACP's we use in Art. From a primary perspective, the children use analysing to help them break down the steps needed to create the piece of art they are working on which really promotes independence and agency. It also really helps them to ask questions about the art, techniques used and the purpose of the art itself which ensures children really connect with their learning and develop their understanding within it.
We also use art for cross-curricular purposes, particularly in our topic lessons where children can explore the past through art and DT. Children can make connections using linking skills between the period and the art form and use these to enhance their learning experience. The impact of walking around a primary setting and seeing the curriculum brought to life through art and DT is immense and one we should not underestimate.
Is this similar in secondary school?
A great read! As a primary school teacher, I think children are more aware the creating ACP could be across any subject. Children are able to use their Creating ACPs to create different word problems in maths. In Science, they create investigations and evaluate their scientific findings. On top of this, they create diagrams to show their understanding of different science topics. As an English leader, the creating ACP plays a huge part in helping high performing children create extended, creative pieces of writing.
In terms of art, it has definitely made me question if I asked the children which ACP linked most closely to art, I am sure they would say creating- which of course plays a big part. When teaching art next, I am going to ensure the importance of other skills especially the realising ACP.