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Guidelines for Classroom Presenters

Classroom presenters are those volunteers who present an artist or culture to the classroom

volunteers at the monthly meetings. Presenters use the resource materials provided with the

Blocks to prepare for their presentation. Although the material provided is enough to help you

prepare, you are encouraged to do additional research on your own.

It is recommended that you begin preparing at least four weeks in advance of the monthly

meeting.

Preparation

Review all slides and written materials. Pay special attention to the Art Elements and Art

Principles on the Cover Sheet. For each artist or culture you will be provided with a binder

containing:

1. Slides/Powerpoint Images: Illustrate the important characteristics of the artist or culture, while

emphasizing the Art Elements and Principles selected for the unit. Each unit

contains 15 images, all of which are to be included in the training presentation.

2. Artist Overview: Summarizes information about the artist or culture and defines

vocabulary, Art Elements, and Art Principles.

3. Scanning Questions: Designed to guide students in a discussion about the artwork.

4. Artist Write-Up: Describes the images.

5. Artist Biography: Provides biographical and historical information about the

artist or culture.

6. Hands-on Project: Includes project instructions, required materials, and an

example.

7. Music CD: Includes music related to the artist or culture for use during

the hands-on project, if desired.

8. Other Materials: Maps, time line, magazine articles, and books.

Once you feel that you are ready, you might consider a dry run where you practice

presenting the material to a small audience to refine your presentation.

District Policies for Classroom Presenters

The Art Literacy Advisory Board proposes the following policies to ensure the best possible

classroom experience for our volunteer classroom presenters, the students, and the classroom

teacher. This list reflects our own combined classroom experience and incorporates feedback we

have received from coordinators and teachers over the years.

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1. In order to ensure a mastery of the material to be taught, you must attend the monthly

training meeting. If you are unable to attend, try to find a substitute to teach your class. If you

can’t find a substitute and must teach the class yourself, prepare yourself by studying the written

materials and sitting in on another class presentation (including the hands-on project) before you

teach. None of the following suggestions is as important as a thorough knowledge of the

material.

2. The classroom teacher should remain in the classroom during the presentation.

3. If possible, have someone else advance the slides or powerpoint images so you can stand in front of the

room during the presentation.

4. Introduce yourself and review the artist presented last month. Find some connection between

that artist and the new one (similarities/contrasts in style, nationality, subjects) to segue into the

new material.

5. Explain the elements and principles that the students will see illustrated in the presentation;

go over vocabulary words.

6. Use a Question and Answer format for your presentation to allow students to be actively

involved. Reading notes or lecturing is strongly discouraged.

7. Keep questions simple and frame them so that students can answer by looking at the artwork.

8. Watch the clock and pace yourself so you are able to complete your presentation. However,

if students are engaged in a productive discussion about a slide, allow it to develop even if it

means skipping a slide or two later. Getting students involved in the presentation will help them

learn the material.

9. Student involvement should not include having students do the presentations. The only

persons who should be giving Art Literacy presentations are trained, adult volunteers. If a

classroom teacher or a volunteer asks to have students do the presentations or is using students as

teachers, please explain the policy and if necessary, contact the Advisory Board so we may

follow up with the teacher or volunteer.

10. At the end of the presentation, review the elements and principles and ask for examples seen

in the artist’s work. Thank the students for their attention and participation. Tell them that

you’re looking forward to seeing them next month when you will present another artist.