Planning a scheme of work in art, craft and design

Art, Craft and Design - think piece 2

This is a first reflection on planning a scheme of work. There is much more thinking to come. It is intended to start the process of discussion and not as a final work in planning.

We must remember that the subject should develop students skills, knowledge and understanding through experiential and theoretical learning, that explores art, craft and design (the work of artists, craftspeople and designers from different times to contemporary practice, and from our own and other cultures). It should provide a blend of visual, tactile and sensory experiences that enable students to develop works that communicate ideas and meanings.

The other way of defining a breadth of experience is to plan a curriculum that sets out 6 key areas of experience, these are:

1. The perceptual (interpret and visually read and understand all things visual and experiential)
2. The conceptual (imagine and conceive of new ideas and meaning)
3. The practical (technical skills and competence to use media and techniques)
4. The critical (consider, analyse, compare and evaluate)
5. The cultural (respond to and understand cultural traditions, styles and genres)
6. The creative (imagine, innovate, respond and represent or express with originality and purpose)

The curriculum should ensure these learning experiences are gained through using both traditional media and new media. All students should be able to engage with works of art, craft and design as critically as observers and as creators.

 

We must also remember that The subject is called Art and Design. It is not called Art.

 

Dividing the blocks into projects or units

When planning a scheme of work at key stage 3, we might plan this as 9 x one term blocks of study
Alternatively, as 18 x half termly blocks/projects (6 per year)
The recent exemplars published as National Standards Exemplars, suggested projects of 2 x terms duration, but each made up from several closely related activities, sharing common themes, areas of investigation and concepts.

 

Different planning models

There are many different ways to order the learning in art and design and I am not sure if there is one correct model. However, the consequence of secondary art and design teams not get this right, will result in a potential lack of essential skill, knowledge or understanding.

 

We could start by asking "What do we expect all young people to know, understand and be able to do, by the time they take their last art and design lesson in year 9?"

 

Do we expect that they can draw, paint, make images with meaning and be able to appreciate a work of art? Or, do we also expect that they can design, have craft skills, be able to appreciate contemporary works of art as well as the work of other cultures? In, addition, do we have expectations of the quality of their skills, or their ability to use colour? And might we have expectations of their taste or judgement in things creative?

 

We have to be realistic. In one hour per week and with uncertain and inconsistent skills and experiences on entry to secondary school, we cannot expect to produce young people with the sophistication of the 'grand tour' and the awareness of a world of contemporary practice; despite the readily available access to a world of visual and creative information that the Internet has made accessible to us all.

 

How then should we begin to plan? Here are some of the most common starting points:

Areas of experience ie drawing, painting, 3D, print, digital, textiles.
Periods and genres ie Ancient Classical, Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo, Neoclassicism, Modern art, Contemporary and Post Modern.
Different cultures eg Islamic, Aboriginal, African, Indian, Chinese etc.
Skills ie drawing from observation, memory and imagination; designing for a purpose, function and the aesthetic; making in 2 and 3 dimensions; creating for physical and virtual presentation;
The artistic elements ie line, tone shape, colour, texture, pattern, surface, form, space and composition.

 

Whichever of these we use, or whether we amalgamate all of these and other requirements, we still need to ensure that young people are visually literate and perceptive. Even if they do not become accomplished at drawing or painting, that they are able to appreciate and read an image, comprehend a sign, symbol or understand meaning and inference or some references in a work of art, craft and design.

How do we achieve balance in art, craft and design?
We know how important it is for young people to 'see the bigger picture' of Art. One aspect of this is to realise the breadth and scope of the subject. But we also know that it is not really just one subject. In the same way that DT references many different industries, so also does art, craft and design point to the creative and media industries, the design industries and craft industries. Work in any of these industries will more than likely mean you are self-employed, or work in a small group of partners (2-5 people). Very few creative industry companies are large communities.

How then do we provide access to an understanding of the diverse range and culture of each of the art, craft and design industries, how do we provide some sense of the history of these aspects and how do we set this within a contemporary industrialised context, so young people understand the wealth of employment opportunity available to them?

We could map and plan our curriculum to include several elements concurrently, such as:
Fine Art (area of experience), Painting (skill), Composition and study of an artist (knowledge and understanding), Cubism (genre), European art (culture).
Animation (area of experience), Design in digital media and process (knowledge and understanding), Photography and image manipulation (skill).
Print (area of experience), Mono-print (knowledge and understanding), Drawing, design and making (skill), Japanese wood cuts (culture).

 

 

But what do we expect students to know, understand and be able to do?
By the end of year 9, should students be able to:
Draw from observation, memory and imagination? But how well?
Paint and create an image from observation, memory and imagination? But how well and including what range of techniques?
Design for a purpose? But what range of purposes?
Develop craft skills, to make a functional object or outcome that they can use? But which craft skill and which medium? And how skilful should this be?
Be able to read and understand an image, artefact or creative outcome of any kind? But what might that include?
Be able to design and create outcomes in a variety of media? But which media and what range?
Be able to appreciate works of art, craft and design and use this to help them create their own work, with meaning?

Should students be able to:
Understand and use Perspective when drawing or designing? But what form of perspective and to what level of competence e.g. 2 point perspective, including a horizon.
Be able to create calm and dynamic compositions for different purposes?
Be able to plan and design a poster for a purpose?
Be able to engage intelligently and with respect for works in a gallery, museum, collection or online/virtual sources?
Be cultured - know and be able to identify works from the major periods or genres of art, craft and design - major cultures from across the world - major concepts or conventions.
Know how to read and understand signs and symbols, and to interpret meanings.
To understand basic colour theory and be able to mix colour for a purpose and context? But what level of knowledge and understanding is expected?

What we do know, is that this curriculum should be and entitlement for students and not the teacher. This will involve change every year and the curriculum will be an expanding and evolving range of experiences that build and reinforce skills, within changing contexts of culture, form and genre.

Students should achieve an appreciation and respect for the creative, media and design outcomes they engage with. They should learn how to apply the skills they have learnt and how to proceed with further study, or enjoy the visual arts as a leisure activity later in life. They need sufficient knowledge and understanding from their studies to know how to learn to read, understand and respond intelligently and emotionally within spiritual, moral, social and cultural contexts.

In summary, we do need to reflect on how we plan, as well as what we choose to include within the planning. I have said little yet about the taste, preferences and interests of the teachers themselves and how these may influences the choices they make. For example, we know that teachers will include artists in their scheme, that interest and engage them. For many reasons, this is a positive characteristic, as teachers will then communicate their love and enthusiasm for the subject to their students. However, where this can lead to a negative impact, is where these choices by the teacher lead to a disproportionate emphasis on certain artists, genres, styles or types of media in art and design.

This can become a particular issue when teachers do not choose to include, for example, digital media or sculpture in their curriculum, because they personally do not like the medium or feel they have the personal skills and confidence to teach it. This may be justified by suggesting that they cannot teach it without the right equipment, facilities or software. However, these reasons can become an excuse for non action and may be a way of avoiding the issue of planning a balanced curriculum. This may also lead to them not making a strong priority for these developments. They may not have built this into their development plan or CPD programme, for fear of having to act on the consequences of receiving funding and support for these developments. We may conclude that this is a form of prejudice, and has little to do with teaching a broad and balanced curriculum, a socially and culturally relevant curriculum, or a technically contemporary curriculum.

Whatever the reasons. Our curriculum has to reflect the national expectation, local context and needs of the students themselves. It has to reflect the traditions of the subject balanced with the needs of the 21st century, the interests and aspirations of the students.