Hello! Today I wanted to discuss grading art. As a future art educator, I understand that, for the most part, grades are unfortunately necessary. I’ve always felt conflicted about grading art. Many students’ work is extremely personal and stylistically different. How can you put a number or letter grade on an abstract and individual concept?
Something I’ve come across when creating rubrics for my Art Education classes at Marywood is a few distinct categories that can help guide the grading process. One being craftsmanship. In my mind, craftsmanship relates to the consideration of materials used in the project. This category allows room for variation in styles and materials. For example, if a student went above and beyond with their attention to detail and consideration of the classroom materials, they would receive an exemplary grade in this category.
The second is originality. In this era, I think this is an essential category. Since AI has become such a prevalent resource for students, reviewing the originality of an artwork is sometimes necessary. However, this category can also include the creativity of students. Thinking outside the box and exceeding the project expectations in creativity would be ideal behavior in this section.
The third is completion. This is where things get a bit flexible for me. I want to be as understanding as I can as a teacher, however, it is also important not to be taken advantage of. Sometimes project deadlines lead to work the student feels unsatisfied with. Additionally, sometimes life events and mental health can take a toll on completing projects. Another aspect of this category can include effort. If the student tried their hardest and visibly put in a lot of effort, then I think that warrants a good grade in this section. Really, each of these is up to the individual teacher’s interpretation.
The last category I use is engagement/participation. For instance, if the student is awake, ready to ask or answer questions, listens to feedback, and works during class. I think this section relates to the last, in that it can be flexible. Overall, just being present and ready to engage with class are the most significant aspects. All these categories should be specific to the project or unit to grade effectively and fairly. I just wanted to give a broad outline of what I use to start my rubrics.
Ultimately, I believe in flexible grading and giving students opportunities to succeed. It is hard to say what everyone goes through personally. As a future teacher, I believe it’s important to be mindful that each student is different, handles things differently, and has to deal with different situations. I hope these categories offer a thoughtful way to approach grading without discouraging the individual.
Thanks for reading!
~Eleora