Let's Play a Game!

Formal assessment in the art room can be difficult to master as educators and provides unneeded pressure upon students. At the elementary level students are still developing their artistic and creative skills, so a grade on the back of an artwork can inhibit their confidence and growth as artists. A low mark on a project can even set a child down the path to become an adult who dislikes art. At the same time, some of my best artists struggle with traditional paper/pencil tests. Faced with these two scenarios and a limited amount of time, I was inspired to develop interactive games and activities with the desire to have authentic assessments that allow my students’ artistic freedom. These tasks are fun, quick, accessible, and help to build positive teacher-student relationships. 

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In my classroom, students are free to take charge of their creativity, explore, experiment and make “mistakes” in their artwork without the fear of a bad grade. I no longer grade their artworks or give traditional paper/pencil tests. Instead, I have created authentic assessments, like the one above, that take the pressure off of children to make a perfect project. I invite students to show their art learning through the use of manipulatives and games in a one-on-one setting with me. Each assessment takes only a few minutes and can be done while the rest of the class takes part in studio time. I address incorrect knowledge on the spot, re-teaching core concepts in a timely manner. Students are able to take immediate ownership of their art learning and celebrate their growth and accomplishments. I am able to enter grades immediately eliminating the need to take stacks of papers home to grade, saving me precious time. Each activity has the ability to be tailored to scaffold for a variety of learners. Manipulatives are used to aide students who may have language or processing barriers. Students are able to provide as much or as little information as they would like to share with me in a safe environment. These tasks are not timed, eliminating the pressure to outrace their peers. Since initiating this process in my classroom five years ago, I have not only seen student scores improve, but the overall environment has become more positive creating a well-balanced learning environment.