Term Time Kids Classes at The Art Train

I have been teaching term time art classes since 2014. Over time I developed a curriculum which I felt gave kid’s a good knowledge of the nuts and bolts of making art and an appreciation of art history.  I teach good technique and provide a solid understanding of the elements of art.

I theme each term with an element of art. I know some teachers think you shouldn’t be so specific. It’s true an element cannot be taught in isolation, but I have found kid’s come to understand an element more thoroughly if it is the focus.

There are six elements, so it takes me 6 terms to run through them. Term two of 2019 will see the final element “colour” for the third time. There are 4 school terms in Queensland. Each term I concentrate on one element. For the final two terms of an 8-term rotation (over 2 years) I teach drawing.

I now have around 30 lesson plans for each element. I know I could have used the same lesson for each rotation and taught the same 10 lessons of value 3 times, but I have a student called Charlotte who started coming to classes as a very shy seven-year-old. Charlotte has now done most of the elements three times and if I erroneously present a repeat she isn’t shy too let me know.

Each term is usually 10 weeks. I spend the first part of the term introducing the element through weekly exercises. Through these the kids are able to try a range of media and gain a good understanding of the theme element. Towards the end of the term we work on a finished piece. I will often introduce the work of a famous artist whose work is a good example of the theme element. The kids then go home with a lovely finished piece by the end of term.