ART AND DESIGN DEPARTMENT HANDBOOK
CONTENTS:
Art and design makes a unique contribution to school life and to the learning experience of all pupils. Art is for everyone, not only those who are considered naturally talented, since everyone is capable of creative and aesthetic responses to their environment. For this reason it is important that within a child's overall education there is an opportunity to be creative and to express individual thoughts, ideas and opinions in a variety of ways. Art and design teaching should make its contribution to this by developing within pupils an awareness of their visual world and the cultures that have shaped it. Courses should also promote decision making and problem-solving while also developing practical skills. Art and design is therefore an essential component of the curriculum for all our pupils.
In order to provide an environment in which learning can take place and to develop courses which are relevant, the department has set out aims with respect to the pupil, the school and the council.
For the pupil the department aims to:
1) Provide courses which are relevant to the pupils' experience and ability.
2) Provide a classroom environment which is stimulating, pleasant and disciplined.
3) Promote good study methods.
4) Develop visual literacy.
5) Develop an art and design based vocabulary.
6) Develop an awareness of art and design throughout history and in other cultures.
For the school the department aims to:
1) Contribute fully to the day-to-day running of the school.
2) Contribute to decision-making within the school.
3) Develop cross-curricular links and make the department accessible to everyone.
4) Be up to date with subject developments.
5) Be up to date with general developments in education.
6) Enhance the school environment with artwork.
For the council the department aims to:
1) Offer any relevant expertise for in-service.
2) Develop links with other art and design departments.
3) Contribute to the success of the subject.
4) Contribute to regional exhibitions.
It is the department's intention to enable all students to work to the best of their ability and to gain maximum enjoyment and satisfaction from their work. Art and design encourages individual responses, which are equally valid if they are the pupil's best effort. If pupils are given the opportunity to produce artwork in a pleasant, organised and well-disciplined environment, their interest, ability and expectations should rise steadily. This will inevitably lead to good exam results and to a healthy uptake into the Intermediate and Higher courses each year.
A mildly competitive atmosphere will be encouraged and achievements by all pupils will be rewarded with positive encouragement and prompt feedback. The most able pupils will be provided with additional opportunities to stretch themselves, to show leadership and to produce work of the highest standard, which will act as a benchmark for all other pupils. As far as possible all courses will be differentiated to meet the individual needs of each pupil and the least able will be provided for by relevant and enjoyable activities.
Artwork will be displayed around the school and a classroom and teacher will be available at least one lunchtime per week - for pupils to enter competitions or to undertake extra study.
All staff and pupils are expected to behave in a polite, courteous and considerate manner, which is appropriate to a classroom. Study skills will be developed through the regular issue of homework and all resources will be maintained to a good standard.
All classes contain a broad range of abilities and our teaching strategies and courses are therefore flexible in content and pace. All teachers, however, follow the agreed S1/S2 syllabus and National Qualifications units. These explore a core of themes and media which ensure that all pupils experience similar activities and are well equipped to progress to the next stage of their development. Critical activities are incorporated into all the practical work to develop the knowledge and understanding, which give meaning and purpose to the practical tasks. A large stock of visual resources are available to pupils to support their study and these are continually being updated and expanded. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and to adopt an organised and systematic approach to the completion of tasks by set deadlines and to carry a basic set of equipment. A trip to a major gallery is considered a key experience which all pupils should enjoy and we make every effort to utilise local resources, invite visiting artists and attend practical workshops and college open days, to generate a high level of interest in art and design as a career.
Effective teaching and learning depends on lessons being well planned and on the preparation of suitable resources and teaching materials. This will help ensure that all pupils achieve the maximum benefit from their time in the Art and Design department and that the content of each lesson is directed towards achieving clearly defined objectives. Lessons which are well prepared will foster enthusiasm and interest in the subject by being more enjoyable and will promote good discipline by showing that the teacher is organised and in control of all aspects of classroom management. To this end the teacher will prepare a Forward Plan for all classes at the start of every term which will be based on the outline syllabus. This Plan will list the practical activities which will be undertaken, associated critical activities, learning outcomes and resources which need to be prepared in advance. All Forward Plans should be written on the standard sheet and retained in a folder for future reference.
All practical and critical work will be marked and feedback on progress and grades will be given to pupils as soon as possible. This information can then be transferred to the pupil's personal profile. Regular assessment, both formal and informal will enable teachers to write accurate and detailed reports, which give a full picture of how well a pupil is performing in the Art and Design department. This information can then be conveyed to parents, Guidance teachers or Management as required. A regular review of each pupil's progress will allow any problems to be quickly identified and recognition given to those who are making good progress. Recording and Reporting will cover all aspects of a pupil's performance. Information on behaviour, attitude, achievement, progress and homework will all help to ensure that every pupil is achieving their best and that the pace and content of lessons are appropriate to the pupils' needs and abilities.
We believe regular homework is important for a number of reasons and the Art and Design Department issue homework to all pupils on a regular basis. This normally consists of an observational pencil drawing, which is given out once a month. Pupils are generally given a full week to complete the task and are expected to spend a minimum of one hour on it. This encourages pupils to make use of their homework diaries, to meet deadlines and to adopt good study methods. Pupils also begin to see their home as a place where study can be undertaken and where they can often achieve a level of concentration, which is not always possible in a busy classroom.
Teachers make an attempt to discuss the homework with each pupil individually and to give positive and immediate feedback, which is intended to bring about a gradual improvement in standards. Less able pupils are given plenty of encouragement as it is recognised that for them drawing can often be a demanding task. The recording of visual information is however something which we believe all pupils should attempt on a regular basis, regardless of ability. We try to link the homework to the unit of work being completed in class and a theme is given out with each drawing.