NAEA Position Statements: Instruction

Characteristics

The craft of teaching of art requires sensitivity to quality and maintaining rigorous standards for self and students. Quality art instruction uses a variety of teaching methodologies, which incorporate reflective practice and assessment. Quality art instruction differentiates among student needs, provides choices for students in creative thinking and problem solving, and supports improvisation. Art educators are responsive to students, include students in planning their learning, and encourage collaboration to develop a community of learners.

Content

Quality art instruction requires a varied and deep understanding of the visual arts, sets a high standard of excellence and demands planning. Art educators engage all students in learning that promotes the arts to enrich their lives using examples reflective of the real world and its diversity. Quality art instruction inspires students to understand art making, the world of objects, the impact of visual images, and performances that incorporate the visual arts. Art educators are aware of the relationship between the students and the specific art making materials they are using to create work.

Learning Environments

Quality art instruction takes place in a variety of places, including classrooms, museums, and community settings. Learning environments dedicated to the arts are properly equipped and provide access to a variety of media and technologies. It is important that these environments create a stable, safe, and equitable space that values the arts and supports the exploration of new ideas, creativity, and innovation.

Quality visual art instruction is vital to the development of individuals, communities, and society through creative expression and critical processes.

NAEA Position Statements in this Category:

• Benefits of Art Museum Learning in Education [Adopted March 2012; Reviewed and Revised March 2015; Reviewed and Revised March 2020]
• Connections Between Instruction and Assessment [Adopted March 2015; Reviewed and Revised, March 2018]
• Digital Citizenship [Adopted March 2018; Reviewed and Revised February 2021]
• Distance Learning in Art Education [Adopted March 2013; Reviewed and Revised March 2016; Reviewed and Revised February 2021]
• Ethical use of Copyrighted Imagery and Primary Sources [Adopted April 2014; Reviewed and Revised March 2017; Reviewed and Revised March 2022]
• Field Trips/Field-Based Learning/Equity [Adopted March 2016; Reviewed and Revised March 2019]
• PreK-12 Educator Evaluation in the Visual Arts [Adopted March 2011; Reviewed and Revised April 2014; Reviewed and Revised March 2019]
• Scheduling, Time, Funding and/or Resources for Visual Arts Education [Adopted March 2011; Reviewed and Revised April 2014; Reviewed and Revised March 2019]

View all NAEA Position Statements here.