Docent Suggestions

The Art Docent Company
Suggestions for the
Art Docent

            1. Docent, please express to your students that we at The Art Docent
              Company are excited for you young people to take our classes because
              you will learn many new things most people don’t know. Even most
              adults do not know much of this information.
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            2. When Lesson Plan says wait for a response, please give the children 5
              seconds to respond. This has been proven to be the proper length of
              time to respond according to Rowe 1974.
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            3. Whenever possible create an Art Gallery atmosphere. Have easels
              placed around the room with relevant lesson visuals on them for that
              days lesson if possible. Display a map of the world as well as having your
              digital one on your screen.
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            4. It is a good idea to have your students stand up or shake their hands
              every 20 minutes to replenish their energy and concentration. It will
              help increase brain performance according to Chung 2009.
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            5. Docent, when you see words repeated in your Lesson Plan it is
              important that you know if the children are absorbing them. YOU are the
              ultimate decision maker of this objective. This is in keeping with our
              repetitive teaching method. YOU are ultimately responsible to make
              sure your students understand the material.
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            6. Docent, alternative projects may be implemented if they are tied into
              students current curriculum so long as they are in context with The Art
              Docent Program’s Lesson Plans.
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            7. For all those Docents who are novices it is helpful to practice giving a lesson in
              a mirror. This will give you more confidence when you instruct each lesson.
              Please Don’t Forget to Smile!
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            8. Docent, it is important that after your students have taken a few lessons, for you
              to encourage them to analyze, critique, and recognize the Elements of Art and the
              Principles of Design in Art Works that they may encounter locally in newspapers
              or in museums or even on posters on the street. This will reinforce this very
              important knowledge of what it takes to produce visual art. Practicing drawing
              or painting at home will also reinforce this knowledge.
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            9. Docent, we encourage you to read The New York Times Arts and Leisure section
              weekly (at your local library or online) or any local newspapers so that you will be
              familiar with art events that are taking place. You can impart this information to
              your students at the end of class. You can even encourage your older students,
              perhaps 6, 7th, and 8th graders to read these publications as well. They will get
              excited about a local exhibition of Periods of Art that they already learned about.
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            10. Docent, we encourage you to take the opportunity to have a local artist come to
              your class and present his or her artwork to your students. As the artist presents
              his or her work, perhaps you might ask what Elements of Art or Principles of
              Design the students recognize in the artworks or what Genre the artwork is,
              for example: landscape, portrait, or still life.
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            11. Docent, if possible after students complete our program give out a Certificate
              of Achievement
              to each student. You may find one under Docent on our
              Menu Bar
              . You may make a copy of this one for each student. Please fill in the
              name of the student. Students will be proud of their accomplishment. This builds
              self esteem!