Innovative Approaches to Teaching Art

'Overall, this course has changed how I will teach Art and I am so excited to get back to teaching and using all that I have learned!!'

'Art has always been an area which I have found difficult to teach and I sometimes lack creative ideas to use in the classroom. However, I have lots of new and imaginative ideas which are practical and easy to teach in the classroom.'

'Art is always a subject I enjoy teaching and I found lots of tips, inspiration and useful activities throughout these modules'

'As a Newly Qualified Teacher last year I felt that Art was one of the subjects that I was lacking ideas, from this course without a doubt, I have a much better understanding of the Visual Arts Curriculum and I have learned amazing innovative approaches to teaching Art'

'I loved the format of the course and it helped me greatly to plan my monthly lessons.  Having a structure and a better focus has re-awakened my enthusiasm'

'I wouldn’t consider myself overly Artistic but on completion of this course I really feel I have a great many ideas and activities that I can try with the pupils and remain confident and satisfied that I am properly covering the curriculum in a fun way'

'This course has left me feeling excited and reinvigorated about teaching Visual Art and trying out the great many ideas suggested on the course.'

'I can genuinely say I was excited the see what would come up on this course in each module and feel much better equipped for teaching art in the future.'

Art class doesn't always have to involve paint and a big messy clean up. Alternative art activities such as map mapping, photography, collecting pictures from magazines and online resources to produce collages and discussion workshops, will be central to this module.  Art interaction and art appreciation also form part of this module and can result in excellent oral language lessons, as well as opening up integration with SESE, maths, SPHE, music and drama.

In this module you will:

•    Explore the art concepts line and pattern and rhythm

•    Identify and discuss relevant artists and their work in relation to the above concepts.

•    Foster your sense of creativity and develop a sense of awareness of your surroundings in relation to the concepts of line and pattern and     rhythm.

•   Consider art making resources and plan and develop lesson ideas

Colour and tone can be expressed with lots of different medians and can be used to communicate emotions and feelings.  Event art such as St. Patricks day, Easter, Halloween etc can highlight colour as a focus and can become much more meaningful and creative in terms of the art we teach.

In this module you will:

• Explore the art concepts colour and tone

• Identify and discuss relevant artists and their work in relation to the above concepts

• Consider how we interact with colour and tone in our environment

• Consider art making resources for the concepts colour and tone 

In this module, 3D Construction, print making and collage will provide imaginative sensory lessons. Clay will also be explored and this is a means of integrating form and texture and providing weeks of fun when you delve into pinch, coil and slab vessel making.

• Overview of art concepts form and texture.

• Identify and discuss relevant artists and their work in relation to the above concepts.

• Foster your sense of creativity and develop a sense of awareness of your surroundings in relation to the concepts form and texture.

• Consider art making resources and lesson ideas. 

A variety of concepts and art mediums can to integrated and investigated to develop the ideas of shape and space in this module. 

In this module you will:

• Explore the art concepts of shape and space

• Identify and discuss relevant artists and their work in relation to the above concepts

• Foster your sense of creativity and develop a sense of awareness of your surrounding environment in relation to the concept of shape and space

• Consider art making resources and lesson ideas for the concept shape and space 

Teaching art for art's sake is very important and this can be achieved successfully through integration with other subject areas. Thematic teaching, as highlighted in this module, demonstrates how each subject can deliver its own objective, whilst valuing the influence of others.

 In this module you will:

• • Identify, discuss and explore the numerous ways integration can be achieved with other subject areas.

  • Explore the practice and benefits of the  STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths)   approach.

  • Consider how to plan and structure your art lessons.

  •  Discuss how a whole school approach to art can positively influence teaching and learning outcomes across the primary school  through self-evaluation and school improvement.