Through these process-focused projects, my students began to recognize that there was more than one way to approach the problem, and that every solution, when well executed, offers a unique perspective. And this was because they had a safe place to explore their own ideas, tell their own stories, and yes, make and solve their own mistakes. Suddenly, ALL the kids were engaged, not just the kids who were already inclined toward art. So, I began designing my own projects that would build their knowledge of art content but allow room for students to create their own artwork. By assigning projects that were effectively вЂfollow-the-leaderвЂ™ prompts, I found I didnвЂ™t know anything about their diverse backgrounds, ideas, or personalities, nor was I connecting to what they were learning in a meaningful way. My background is in studio art, and as a new art teacher, I immediately saw that my students were not engaged with projects such as these. It is setting them up to define success in whether or not their picture looks вЂrightвЂ™ or вЂwrong,вЂ™ and offers little opportunity to experiment, question, and grow. However, with projects such as these, kids are demonstrating little more than that they can follow directions. And, frankly, they are pleasing to look at. They provided an easy check-off of objectives and the results were simply assessed. When I taught art at the elementary school, these were the type of projects expected. Search Pinterest for вЂart lesson,вЂ™ and youвЂ™ll find many beautiful examples like the ones below.

Art projects for students