WORKSHOP | RPIC323: Building Students’ Confidence and Motivation for Art Learning through Differentiation – A Creative Portrait-Making Experience

Differentiated art classrooms are often misconstrued as complicated and chaotic because of the shift to keep the needs of students and demands of subject matter in check while creating true communities of art learning. What is key is to view the shift as an opportunity for the manifestation of growth mindset, an endeavour which is essential for effective differentiation to take place, particularly in developing young artists who are so varied in terms of their readiness, interests and learning profiles. According to Heather (2014), in designing effective curriculum, teachers ought to be proactive in considering students’ learning differences, without denying them a chance to experience success and display their artistic talents with confidence. At the same time, it requires teachers to lead and manage differentiated classrooms that balance the need for predictability and flexibility in teaching and learning (Tomlinson and Imbeau, 2010). This workshop aims to share a proactive approach that Art teachers can take to deliver the curriculum content effectively, maintaining fidelity to the desired learning outcomes. It will also discuss the environment Art teachers can create to foster the learning of the students and reduce the amount of frustration students might experience during class time. These will be articulated through the lens of a primary school Art teacher in Singapore, enacting a creative portrait-making lesson in a Primary Two class of mixed readiness learners with a repertoire of instructional strategies in differentiating process and environment. Authentic examples of proactive lesson design and classroom practice, which help to preserve the dignity of every individual learner, will be shared. Participants can look forward to hands-on orientation where tiered learning activities and various tools, such as those that increase students’ self-awareness, engagement and confidence by involving them in the assessment process, will be introduced to facilitate their understanding of how differentiated instruction can be planned and enacted within an art classroom.