Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.

1. Do 6th graders still get art docent lessons in middle school?
2. What about art instruction for 7th and 8th graders?
3. How is the Art Docent Program funded?
4. What is involved in starting an Art Docent Program at a school?

Do 6th graders still get art docent lessons in middle school?

Yes!  All sixth graders get a regular art docent lesson each month with the
6th grade art docents.  The lessons are scheduled in the afternoons during
Per. 5 and 6, the students' Language 
Arts and History periods (12:45 - 2:30 pm).  The students come with their
homeroom classes to the Art Docent Room, Room 16 at San Benancio.    The
Picture of the Month docents  
meet with the students every month  for their Picture of the Month discussion
in the sixth grade homeroom classrooms.

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What about art instruction for 7th and 8th graders?

7th and 8th Graders spend from 16-18 class periods throughout the school year on Art Docent 
projects related to their curriculum in Language Arts and History. The units are taught during the 
regular class periods by the Art Docent Coordinator with the assistance of the 7th and 8th Art docent 
teams.  The themes for the year for the 7th Grade are: Perspective Drawing, Postermaking and 
Graphics, Landscape and Seascape, Chinese and Japanese Art forms.   The 8th Grade theme for the 
year is American Art--from Colonial Times through the Western Movement and Native American Art, 
African American Art and Modern American Movements.   The projects are graded by the students 
themselves, using a rubric, and are used as part of their grade for their Language Arts and History  
classes.

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How is the Art Docent Program funded?

The Washington Union Education Foundation raises the funds which pay for the
salary, benefits, and office costs of the program. The Amount of the grant for
2005-2006 is $60,000. The consumable art supplies are paid for by parent
donations to a "money tree" at the Spring Art Show. The 2006 art show raised over
$5,000 meeting the goal of $150 per class for each class in the district.
Thank you to all the art supply donors! The program also occasionaly receives
one time grants from individuals and foundations.

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What is involved in starting an Art Docent Program at a school?

STARTING AN ART DOCENT PROGRAM:  WHAT IS INVOLVED?

The Mission of the Art Docent Program  is to help all the students of the
district develop artistic perception and skills, a knowledge of the elements
of design, and the ability to discuss and think critically about art history
and aesthetics. The California Visual and Performing Arts Framework outlines
five main areas of curriculum: Artistic Perception, Creative Expression,
Historical and Cultural Context, Aesthetic Valuing, and Connections and
Application. See web site: www.cde.ca.gov/ci/vp/cf/   To Start an effective
Art Docent Program you need commitments from the entire school community.

COMMITTMENT FROM THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE:
The salary for the coordinator, part-time or full-time, and any benefits.
Room for a docent office with telephone and copier access and storage. 
Room with tables and a sink for holding docent hands-on trainings. 
Access to other services (parking, custodial, mail and fax) and equipment
(laminators, paper cutters) 
Budget for basic art supplies and equipment normally stocked in the school,
and budget for specific consumable art supplies if not provided by the PTA or
other parent group.

COMMITMENT FROM THE FACULTY TO PROVIDE: 
A prearranged 90 minute block of time for the hands-on lessons when the
teacher is in the classroom (no substitutes) and actively participating in the
hands-on project.  For Picture of the Month presentations: 15-20 minutes.
A quiet, supportive classroom environment; docents are not expected to handle
discipline problems. 
Regular evaluations sent to the program coordinator on the units presented.
A few basic classroom supplies for students--pencils, scissors, a sink with
paper towels, newspaper to cover desks. 

COMMITMENT FROM PARENT GROUP OR SCHOOL FOUNDATION TO PROVIDE:
One-time start up costs for purchasing high quality watercolors, quality paint
brushes, oil pastels, scissor sets, storage boxes and other equipment from
Nasco or another volume school art supplier. See sample order list. 
Start up costs for the necessary prints to be used for Art Appreciation and as
visual aids for the hands-on art units.  See sample order to Shorewood.  
The consumable materials cost for taking seven 90 minute hands-on units to one
class (25-30 students) each year averages out to $120 per year. 
Expenses for volunteer training (notebooks, office supplies, coffee, aprons, etc.)
Connections to sources of funding outside the school community, such corporate
and community foundations. 

Note:  It is important to have a good partnership between the docent program
and the parent organization at the school.  The parents who raise funds for
the parent organization know they are contributing to art education in the
school even if they do not have the time to volunteer in the classroom, and
the Art Docent Program is not put in the position of having to spend volunteer
hours fundraising in competition with the parent organization.  The Art Docent
program does not do independent fundraising or sales.  We do not ask students
to produce art for sale.  There is, however,  an �Art Supply Money Tree� at
the annual art show for parents to sponsor materials for a specific project or
grade level

COMMITMENT FROM VOLUNTEERS:  The goal for full volunteer staffing is one
volunteer for each classroom.  This creates enough two-person teams at the
grade level. 
The responsibilities of the docent volunteers include: 

Be a part of a grade level team to cover all classes at the grade level.
Attend all scheduled trainings - 2 hours a month for seven months, make-up any
missed trainings with appropriate observations. 
Volunteer two times per month in the classroom as part of a two or three
person team to present the unit in which they have trained. 4 hours a month.

COMMITMENT TO A CURRICULUM BASED ON ART STANDARDS:
The curriculum is designed to balance two-dimensional and three-dimensional
art experiences, and to incorporate information and vocabulary about the art
heritage and world cultures. Because each child learns differently from
different media, the program includes seven projects a year from six major
areas of art expression:

�Drawing (2 units) �Clay Modeling �Painting �Printmaking �Collage �Sculpture

The sequence of the lessons in each medium builds from one grade level to the
next, providing a continuity of experience.   At each grade level the lessons
provide a sequence of experiences that has both variety and repetition to
build self-confidence. 
All of the hands-on lessons involve looking, discussing, comparing, creating,
evaluating and appreciating. Allowing student to merely use art materials
without instruction and  critical thinking results in copying and handicrafts
rather than real art learning. An Art Docent Program is not �Arts & Crafts� time.

Every lesson is evaluated by the classroom teacher and by the docent team
after presenting the lesson.  These evaluations shape the curriculum year by
year to meet the students needs while following the Visual Arts Standards.

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