Back to Basics: Do We Need to Grade Everything in the Art Room?

The stacks of artwork, bellringers, and artist statements pile up fast, and it can be challenging to keep up! You may have wondered, Do I need to grade everything? If you’ve asked yourself that question, you’re not alone! The good news is that there are several avenues to assess learning in meaningful ways. Let’s demystify assessment and determine if we need to grade everything in the art room. 

What’s the difference between assessing and grading?

Both assessment and grading gather information about students’ knowledge and progress. Assessment provides insight into the skills, understanding, and creativity students demonstrate. Grading assigns a simplified score to complex learning. Both are extremely important in the art room for your students’ growth as artists and your growth as an art teacher. 

What are your goals?

The first step in solid assessment practices is to determine your goals. What do you want your students to learn? Oftentimes, these goals are predetermined by national or state standards or district scope and sequences. You may also have your own goals you want students to achieve while they’re in your class. Whatever your goals are, ensure they are clear and specific. The goals should be about the skills and concepts students will learn and not just the finished product or how students behave.

For example, in a clay unit, your learning goals may include:

1. Understand the importance of planning before creating.
2. Demonstrate the coil technique and use the slip-and-score method to build structurally sound pieces.
3. Explore 3D design principles through hands-on creation.

What is the evidence of learning?

Now that you have your goals, it’s time to make them measurable. For each goal, think about the evidence you’d need to see to know the students’ learned and achieved mastery. Students may need to turn in a final artwork, show their process, or articulate their choices.

Let’s tie the same clay goals to evidence of learning:

1. Understand the importance of planning before creating.
   Sketchbook pages with three brainstorm thumbnail sketches, one detailed final sketch from three different angles, and a timeline of due dates for each clay stage.
2. Demonstrate the coil technique and use the slip-and-score method to build structurally sound pieces.
   8-inch sturdy ceramic coil vase with decorative coils and smooth areas.
3. Explore 3D design principles through hands-on creation.
   6×6 inch ceramic tile with a surface design that emphasizes one element and one principle of art.

How will you let students respond?

Student learning and assessment are not “one size fits all.” Each student artist is unique, with different learning styles and preferences. There are multiple ways to assess students and gather feedback and data on their learning. Offer students multiple ways to show their learning. Flexibility in assessment can make a massive difference in student engagement, communication, and final work.

Here are some ways to offer varied responses for a finished artwork:

• Verbal Sharing
  Present their work to the class (or the teacher in a one-on-one conference), explaining their process and reflecting on their challenges and successes.
• Written Reflections
  Offer the option of writing about their work, including explanations about their decisions and reflections on the artmaking process.
• Project Displays
  Display the final artwork and consider how the viewer will interact with their piece. Accompany the artwork with a curatorial rationale explaining the exhibit choices and how those choices support the artwork.

Do you need to rethink the grade book?

Number or letter grades are a way to systematize the abstract concept and process of learning. Grades are also helpful to provide measurable data over time for individual students or a class as a whole. For some families and students, grades can be a very motivational factor in learning and pursuing post-secondary education.

Specific feedback can be just as helpful as a number or letter grade. Meaningful feedback provides concrete takeaways for students to apply to future learning. It can also be more encouraging and gentler when a student is feeling discouraged or anxious.

Try pairing grades with feedback for a balanced approach. For example, jot down notes on a project rubric for areas the student excelled at and a skill they can refine. They’ll end up with a final rubric grade plus examples from the artwork that exemplify their score.

Whatever form of assessment you implement, remember to make it regular, timely, and relevant. When you give feedback on a consistent basis, it encourages students to get into a reflective habit and gives them many chances to practice receiving constructive criticism. When grades and feedback are immediate and relevant, it provides students with an opportunity to make changes before the next assignment or project is due. When grading and assessment are a two-way open conversation, students are more likely to be honest and ask for help as well as more motivated to apply themselves to their work.

Do we really need to grade everything?

After this dive into assessment versus grades, the new question is, Do we need to assess everything? At the end of the day, you probably don’t need to grade every single assignment. However, your district or school policy may indicate how many grades you are required to enter per week. As far as assessing, art teachers naturally assess everything! We are continually observing, providing feedback, reflecting on how a demonstration or assignment went, and having chats with students to check in. We have a good handle on where learning is in the art room—including ours!

If you want to grow in your assessment practices or you’re just an art teacher who geeks out about assessment, check out the following resources:

• How to Take Letter Grades Out of Your Art Room to Refocus on Learning
• How to Motivate Your Students Beyond Grades
• Designing Effective Assessment Practices Pack in PRO Learning
• Assessment in Art Education Graduate Course

Whatever your district or school grading policies are, you have the power to make a culture shift in your art studio that prioritizes artistic growth. Actively assess your students and their work by setting clear, measurable goals tied to standards and evidence of learning. Provide multiple ways for students to demonstrate their learning so you get their best work. Consider how you can pair customizable feedback with grades to spur motivation and improvement. With these methods, your students will not only produce beautiful artwork but will also blossom into strong artists who value reflection and constructive criticism.

Do you grade everything in your art room? 

How do you provide regular, timely, and relevant feedback to each of your students?

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