Sara E. Thomas
I assess my students in a variety of different ways and think that using rubrics is extremely important, especially since art is such an objective subject to grade. In order to assess students and hold them accountable for attending class each student is given a daily participation grade. This grade will be extremely important on the days in which the students are doing group work and presentations. Students will also receive a group grade for their presentations.
Throughout the process students will be asked to complete peer critiques. While I think that it is important for me to track the students progress, I also think it is important for them to see each other's progress. I find that the students are each other's best critics. If part of a drawing does not look correct they will be quick to offer a suggestion. I try to train them to be specific and to also offer suggestions if they are going to comment on a peer's artwork. Towards the end of each project I also have students fill out a peer critique form. This allows a new set of eyes, besides mine, to look at their artwork and respond.
Their final piece of artwork will be graded using a rubric. The criteria on the rubric will be given to students at the beginning of the assignment. The rubric will include the following criteria: researching futurism, brainstorming current technology, breaking down technology into geometric shapes that make sense, repeating shapes to create motion, drawing basic geometric shapes correctly, dulling and tinting so that shapes look three--dimensional, creating volume and capturing the idea of speed, movement and the future. Students will be given a self--evaluation containing this rubric to fill out before they hand in their artwork. The teacher will then fill out the same rubric to determine the grade. (See Appendix)
