P o i n t o f V i e w

Whitney Carter,
grade ten, collage

A Combo I
am an artist-turned-art-teacher From the start, I was free to
who designed my school’s art design and implement my program,
program two years ago. I based choosing which areas to emphasize.
my curriculum on my own Because my main focus was based

Platter of
formal training, on a fine-art
the elements of Because my main focus background, TAB
art, and research was based on a fine-art (Teaching for
done on the Inter- background, TAB Artistic Behavior)
net; particularly Choice felt like a

TAB &
the Incredible Choice felt like a natural natural addition
Art Department. addition to my curriculum. to my curricu-
Consequently, lum.
my yearly plan

DBAE
goes as follows: Making the Conversion to TAB
I begin with a self-identity project, I had been thinking of my high
moving on to the basic elements of school projects as open-ended, when
art, then color theory, art history, in reality, they were a sort of combo
Stephanie M. Corder and sculpture. platter of TAB Choice and DBAE

SchoolArts August/September 2006 WEB

 (Discipline Based Art Education). “free,” their only restraint was that their ideas and knowing that they providing an assignment and the
I barely knew about TAB at this they must stay within the specified had fun while completing them! I opportunity to learn the concept
point! The head of the arts educa- format, concept, or medium the think that’s what appeals so much in an alternate manner of students’
tors group on Yahoo! began urging project endeavored to explore. to me about TAB Choice. Many own choosing seems to be the way
us to research TAB Choice, and For example, teenagers have to go for me. This manner of Choice
incorporate it into our programs. All I expect all my Their only restraint was that so little control will offer support for the kids who
year, I had been having difficulty students to they must stay within the in their lives; it’s need direction as well as those who
engaging many of my seventh- and produce a color nice to be able to are exploration oriented, a win-win
eighth-grade students’ enthusiasm wheel while we
specified format, concept, empower them situation. My plan for next year is
towards our projects. After trying are studying or medium the project with freedom to implement my version of Choice
a variety of different approaches to color theory. endeavored to explore. within their art into ALL my classes, and I can’t
spark their artistic interest, I intro- When the high experience, while wait to begin!
duced my principal to the idea of school students began their color ensuring they learn the concepts so Thank you to the following
TAB Choice and the possibility of wheels, the only stipulation was important to the art process. people who helped educate me on
applying it to my class. With her for their colors to follow the proper the process of Choice: Judy Decker,
approval, I set up a pilot program for arrangement. Other than that, size We’re on Our Way Rebecca Burch, and the TAB Choice
the middle school. and media were optional, based on I believe I’m onto finding the right Group on Yahoo!.
their preference. formula of TAB Choice and DBAE
Color Wheel TAB Choice Style They responded with a multi- for me and my school. I don’t think Stephanie M. Corder teaches art at AZ
tude of ideas; they did everything Academy, U.S. Virgin Islands. stephaniem-
The majority of my middle school I could do total Choice with every
[email protected]
students seemed thrilled with the from collages to linoleum carved project—my students and I need a
prospect of doing “free art” for the stamps and stencils for their for- bit more structure than that. Apply-
rest of the year. Well, not totally mats. I loved seeing the range of ing the foundation of Choice by
WEB SchoolArts August/September 2006 SchoolArts August/September 2006 WEB
Top left: Love, Peace, and Chicken Grease , Nicole Dickinson, grade nine.
Bottom left: Brandon James, grade seven, acrylic.