An Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta

Department of Education and Science

 

Subject Inspection of Art

REPORT

 

Virginia College

Virginia, County Cavan

Roll number: 70390L

 

Date of inspection: 23 March 2007

Date of issue of report:  6 December 2007

 

 

Subject inspection report

Subject provision and whole school support

Planning and preparation

Teaching and learning

Assessment

Summary of main findings and recommendations

 

 

Report on the Quality of Learning and Teaching in Art

 

Subject inspection report

 

This report has been written following a subject inspection in Virginia College conducted as part of a whole school evaluation. It presents the findings of an evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning in Art and makes recommendations for the further development of the teaching of this subject in the school. The evaluation was conducted over one day during which the inspector visited classrooms and observed teaching and learning. The inspector interacted with students and teachers, examined students’ work, and had discussions with the teachers. The inspector reviewed school planning documentation and teachers’ written preparation. Following the evaluation visit, the inspector provided oral feedback on the outcomes of the evaluation to the principal and subject teachers.

 

Subject provision and whole school support

 

Two teachers operate the art department at Virginia College, one of whom has a large commitment to other subject departments. It was reported that a good degree of collaboration exists between colleagues and this helps to ensure a good working environment.  

 

Art is not a compulsory subject and all first year students take part in subject sampling for each of the optional subjects. At the end of ten weeks students select two of the optional subjects. Senior cycle students choose their optional subjects in third year. It is reported that the majority of students have their subject choices accommodated. The numbers of students taking the subject at both junior and senior cycle are healthy. Students are of mixed ability in all class groups.

 

It was noted that in the present third year group there are thirty-three students. Clearly, this places a large burden on the teacher involved. It was voiced by management that this arrangement was unusual and unlikely to happen again.

 

A new art room with a store room and associated facilities including a kiln has been provided for the delivery of the subject. In light of the number of programmes on offer and the added experience use of the kiln would bring to the art department in general, it is recommended that the kiln be connected to the mains and put into use. For health and safety reasons it is also desirable that the wet area in the room should be tiled with a suitable non-slip surface. The room itself is used for its display potential as is the rest of the school building. Bringing the subject out of the classroom in this way is highly commended. A balcony space is also provided for creating and displaying larger pieces.

 

Currently, the art department is in possession of one computer and a colour printer and it has the use of a laptop and a digital camera. It was made known to the evaluation team that there is expertise in digital technology and image manipulation available to the department and one of the teachers has collected and generated a large collection of subject-specific digital teaching aids. It is recommended that a digital projector be obtained for the department as soon as opportunity presents so that this expertise can be utilised.

 

Budgeting and quotations for materials are organised by the subject teachers. It is reported that this system works well. Good care is taken of the facilities and of the consumable materials afforded to the department.

 

A wide and varied array of extra-curricular and co-curricular activities is offered in the art department at Virginia College. These include the design and execution of sets and props for school musicals, posters, past participation in Form and Fusion, extra tuition for senior students completing portfolios, and additional support for students who are in need of help with their project work.

 

Planning and preparation

 

The art department plan is well developed and presented. This document has been created with a focus on its practical use in the department and has resulted in ambitious intentions for all students and programmes. It includes details of the options structure, taster programme and department policies such as class organisation and routines, adaptations for students with special educational needs and cultural diversity. The document illustrates that importance is attached to structured lessons, effective teaching methodologies, innovative ideas and the use of affirmation as positive influences on learning in the classroom. The organisation of the department and presentation of both exemplars and students’ work is of a very high standard; the teachers are to be complimented on the time and effort that this entails.

 

Teachers have prepared some very detailed notes and lesson plans. Some plans around students photographing and painting water colours of the locality which they then exhibited were noted. Worksheets addressing the topic ‘What is Art?’ showed an ambitious and thorough investigation of the subject.

 

In general, the art department has a very sound educational approach to the subject. It is recommended, however, that the approach should be broadened, especially at senior cycle, to allow for more drawing and research from primary sources to be incorporated into the development of finished work.

 

Members of the art department have expertise in textiles and this awareness of the tactile quality of surfaces and materials emerges in the work of the students. It is suggested that facilities for textiles be developed in the future so that this expertise can be shared with students to maximum effect.

 

Care should be taken to maximise the learning potential of individual disciplines. This is not always achieved by making the task more complex; a well-executed lino print in one colour is as engaging and educationally sound as a print in three colours and perhaps more so if the design and execution of the three-colour print is weak.

 

Teaching and learning

 

Two class groups were observed as part of the evaluation; one junior and one senior group. Both class groups were clearly enjoying lessons, diligent and appeared to have a genuine interest and appreciation of the subject. It was noted however that some very few students were finding it difficult to remain engaged in the lesson and were presenting behavioural difficulties, even with good teacher monitoring and movement around the room. It is suggested that the relaxed atmosphere in the classroom, which allows student conversations to take place, may have to be restricted in order to help easily distracted students stay on task.

 

The junior lesson involved a very simple but innovative idea where students had to create a set of tactile surfaces inside a shoe box and to collect a set of tactile images to stick onto the outside of the box. Further interest was generated as students were expected to put their hands into these texture boxes and guess what materials had been used to make the textures in the following lesson. The teacher involved had planned to add to the experience by adding in some more unusual materials unknown to the students. This lesson was highly engaging for the students and was also useful from the point of differentiation. It would be good to see this type of lesson expanded to some sort of further texture or textile work perhaps in painting or embroidery.

 

On the day of the evaluation it was noted that classroom organisation was excellent. Materials were prepared in advance and placed at appropriate points around the room for easy access. Clean up was prompt and organised. Instructions were given in a clear and pleasant manner.

 

Another lesson was observed which attended to life drawing. The lesson was designed to improve students’ ability to record proportion, composition and facial features. These had been correctly identified by the teacher as areas of weakness among the students. Five students were working from a life model and using a grid whilst the majority of the students were studying facial features from magazines. Most of the students were engaged in their work although it appeared that some students could have worked harder. Appropriately, students were challenged by the teacher when levels of conversation became unhelpful and reminded to resume work.

 

The nature of life drawing at this level is such that students need to have a sense of confidence and energy in the work as well as a mastery of the individual components. Using proportional grids and fragmented facial features may not be the best way to address this. It is advised that life drawing be studied in the round using a model and a choice of materials. It is also suggested that attention be paid to joints and features from the model so that indicators of features are taken from the model itself and not from a preconceived idea from a grid or other type of diagram. To address life drawing in the long term it is recommended that approaches to its delivery at both junior and senior cycle be reviewed and that new strategies be established. A possible route is to include the life model as subject matter for observational drawing from first year. This strategy facilitates familiarity with the discipline and skills required and should be presented alongside inanimate subject matter as regular source material for drawing. Another way might be to borrow and draw the replica skeleton from the science department and to develop a project around it so that students become familiar with and interested in drawing the human form.

 

Completed work is generally of a good standard in a variety of disciplines. Work which is influenced by texture such as collage is of a particularly high standard. It is recommended that the standard of other disciplines should be influenced by examining how students can explore the use of materials to best effect. An example of this would be how the nuances in paint and colour could be used to achieve contrast or focus.

 

Assessment

 

Practical examinations are held for all students at Christmas and summer to test their drawing abilities, observation and use of materials. Assessments are also made of their sketchbooks and projects. Regular testing of the students’ understanding of the relevant terminology takes place in the classroom and critical awareness is also fostered during this time. In addition to summative grading, formative remarks are made on students’ notebooks and practical work. Behaviour and effort is also assessed. Written reports are sent home twice yearly.

 

Senior students are encouraged to use marking schemes to assess their own work in order to find routes to progress and improve. It is suggested that an adapted version of this system should be used in junior cycle.

 

Excellent records are being kept of students’ work and achievements. Records of materials and books borrowed by students are also retained.

 

All juniors have sketchbooks in which they record simple exercises and notes. These notebooks are tidy and are very useful reference notes for students. Students are also encouraged to keep a folder with history and support study notes. Appropriate and relevant homework is given and checked regularly.

 

Summary of main findings and recommendations

 

The following are the main strengths identified in the evaluation:

 

 

As a means of building on these strengths and to address areas for development, the following key recommendations are made:

 

 

Post-evaluation meetings were held with the teachers of Art and with the principal at the conclusion of the evaluation when the draft findings and recommendations of the evaluation were presented and discussed.