I believe that it is important to be able to explain why art is important. As art teachers, we must be able to make an argument for why time and resources should be given to the arts. This is why studies about the benefits of the arts for students are especially important. These studied are scientific, researched-backed, explanation for why the arts are important for developing brains. The findings of these studies (listed in the footnotes below) are as follows:
-the arts help students develop and understand the importance of community and inclusion -students who have art in their curriculum score higher on critical thinking and literacy tests -connecting art with other subjects helps solidify the content -students who participate in art education have more social skills and are more motivated -students who participate in art education have higher attendance and less disciplinary issues -art is proven to rewire our brain, for the better
For these reasons, I believe that art is essential for creating a well rounded individual. I think that assessment also plays a key role in this: we must make sure that students are hitting developmental milestones and understandings related to art, in order to ensure that they are reaping the benefits. Assessment can also guide teachers towards creating lessons geared around the key points that they want their students to know. I think that it is important to use both summative and formative assessment as an art teacher, while keeping in mind the major benefits listed above. We need to have evidence of these benefits in our students, so my assessment strategies are always based on this. In summative assessment, I grade students using a rubric based on effort, craftsmanship, problem solving, and ideas, but I mostly use formative assessment. The process of creating art is often more important than the final product. Some strategies that I use the most are open discussions and one on one discussions, exit tickets, and examples.