How do you design authentic and meaningful assessments for your art students?

One thing I consider is the ages of my students, because you never want a students creativity to be dampen. We must meet the benchmarks and curriculum to please the school district while giving them something that will keep them engaged as well as challenging them to expand their imagination and creativity. You want to stir up a burning desire that will encourage them to create outside of the box while keeping ot classic, humbling, therapeutic, and without putting limits on their works. Keep it simple and strong to show off their skill but you big, bold and brave to deepen their creative passions. Not only meeting the standards of what the school is assessing but what you are expecting for each student. Freestyle!!!!!

I alway communicate those goals to the student too, with a reason or real life example of why it is important to undertake this learning journey.

Actually, assessing my students' abilities & progress depends on regular practice workshops, not just tests or exams. This is the core point.

Completion of assignments within the requirements of the syllabus is one of the criteria I always used. If students didn’t complete depending on sickness or a family death they were able to get an extension

Giving students choices and options at every step of the way has been a game changer in the classroom. When students have more agency over their assessment, their is an increase for better performance, teacher to student communication, and much more.

Involving students is definitely a wonderful aspect. It brings in the much neglected 'assessment as learning ' into fore. This is so powerful. Students get to own their learning and growth. They are more conscious and mindful. We struggle so much as teachers but forget that giving away control and making students take responsibility for their learning is important for learning as well as value/skill building. We need to empower them more.

Flip the script: students design their own assessment as the first part of the assignment. The assessment is based on THEIR vision of the assignment, their process and goals for completion. This “assessment assignment” directly aligns with CASEL’s social-emotional competencies of self-awareness, self-management, and responsible decision-making. Additionally, and just as importantly, this task fosters creativity, and critical thinking.

Having students present their work at multiple stages of projects helps train them in communicating the elements of their work. Sharing ideas behind media, technique, and subject gives everyone the opportunity for feedback along the way that isn't only critical, but opens students up to multiple perspectives on the meaning behind their pieces. The creative process is fluid and dynamic, so training students to think creatively and be open to new ideas is as important, if not more so, than technique.

Flip the script: students design their own assessment as the first part of the assignment. The assessment is based on THEIR vision of the assignment, their process and goals for completion. This “assessment assignment” directly aligns with CASEL’s social-emotional competencies of self-awareness, self-management, and responsible decision-making. Additionally, and just as importantly, this task fosters creativity, and critical thinking.

Make time in class to have everyone go over their feedback, by having them write a reflection or taking some action related to that feedback. If you don’t, most students will not pay attention to the feedback you spent time and effort on giving.

As a music instructor, I build time for individual students to perform for the class. After their performance, I provide positive feedback and constructive criticism. Then the floor is open for other students to do the same, as long as their comments are encouraging. By allowing all students to be a part of the feedback process, it teaches students to take criticism seriously while also teaching them to be honest and respectful in their critiques of others. It also gives students the courage to perform and take pride in their work!