Teaching Talented Art Students

Provides information on creating a curriculum and programs for artistically gifted students.

Arts Education for Gifted Learners provides information for teachers and parents interested in supporting an artistically talented child. It reveals the characteristics of artistically talented students, describes program options, and shares an approach for supporting the affective needs of these students. This is one of the books in Prufrock Press' popular Practical Strategies Series in Gifted Education. This series offers a unique collection of tightly focused books that provide a concise, practical introduction to important topics concerning the education of gifted children. The guides offer a perfect beginner's introduction to key information about gifted and talented education.

Major themes include nature versus nurture in arts talent development, teacher empowerment, and collaboration with community members.

Programs for artistically gifted and talented art students give recognition to students who, due to their outstanding visual arts abilities, require educational support, experiences, and facilities that go beyond what generally are available in art classrooms. This guide examines programming opportunities for these students, focusing on mixed- ability grouping, ability grouping, and acceleration. Presents research on the topic through national surveys, case studies, and evaluations of local and regional programs, discusses assessment, and makes programming recommendations.

Educators at all levels want their students to develop habits of self-directed learning and critical problem-solving skills that encourage ownership and growth. In The Learner-Directed Classroom, practicing art educators (PreK–16) offer both a comprehensive framework for understanding student-directed learning and concrete pedagogical strategies to implement student-direct learning activities in school. In addition, research-based assessment strategies provide educators with evidence of student mastery and achievement. Teachers who structure self-directed learning activities can facilitate effective differentiation as students engage in the curriculum at their level. This book provides evidence-based, practical examples of how to transform the classroom into a creative and highly focused learning environment. Book Features: Guidance for implementing a learner-directed program, including advocacy, management, differentiated instruction, and resources.Attention to the needs of specific groups of students, including preadolescents, gifted and talented learners, boys, and those with learning differences.Insights into reflective practice and strategies for assessment of learning. Contributors: Catherine Adelman, Marvin Bartel, Katherine Douglas, Ellyn Gaspardi, Clyde Gaw, Lois Hetland, Pauline Joseph, Tannis Longmore, Linda Papanicolaou, Cameron Sesto, George Szekely, Ilona Szekely, Dale Zalmstra “In the present standards-based learning environment, this book is a welcome addition because it presents an alternative pedagogy that puts learners’ needs and interests at the core. Experienced and novice art teachers at all levels who read this book will be motivated to teach in open-ended environments where their choices can make a difference in their students’ lives.” —Enid Zimmerman, Professor Emerita of Art Education and High Ability Programs, Indiana University “From the comfortable couch of the foreword to the exhortative poem at the book’s conclusion, the reader journeys through remarkable classrooms with insightful educators. Practical AND inspirational, the educational principles and points so deftly illustrated herein apply across the disciplines and age spans. An important read for all teachers. A timeless and necessary pedagogy for all classrooms.” —Jacqueline Grennon Brooks, Professor, School of Education, Hofstra University “It is easy to proclaim creativity important and criticize current practices and then offer no actual solutions. This volume is filled with practical tips and hands-on advice aimed at improving self-directed student learning. Any classroom teacher interested in helping students learn, discover, and create will want to read and reread this book.” —James C. Kaufman, Professor of Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino, and Editor, International Journal of Creativity and Problem Solving “Here at last is a meaningful, practical, and hands-on textbook giving guidance to the classroom teacher about beginning or enriching a choice-based program for students, rather than the traditional regimented art curricula meant to please adults. I highly recommend this book to all who are involved in pedagogy, including parents” —Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Artist Diane B. Jaquith is a K–5 art teacher in Newton, MA and a co-founder of Teaching for Artistic Behavior, Inc., a choice-based art education advocacy organization. She is the co-author of Engaging Learners Through Artmaking: Choice-Based Art Education in the Classroom. Nan E. Hathaway is a middle school art teacher in Duxbury, Vermont. She is a gifted education specialist and is on the board of directors for Teaching for Artistic Behavior, Inc.