Guide for Docents
Dear Art in Action Docent:
Welcome to the wonderful world of Art in Action and children's learning! We want your time as an Art in Action docent to be both exciting and a source of personal development. This guide will answer some of the questions you may have. Please contact your school's Art in Action coordinator if you have other questions or concerns.
What are my responsibilities as a Docent, Assistant, or Curator?
Docent:
- Teach Art in Action lessons in the classroom. Review the lesson before class. Lead the discussion of the masterpiece and show students how to do the project. Teachers help with classroom discipline. Most classrooms have one lesson every two weeks. Lessons last about 60-90 minutes, depending on classroom schedules.
- Coordinate lesson schedules with the classroom teacher. Teachers may reorder lessons to match their curriculum plans.
- Attend a fall training workshop and use the Online Lessons to learn more about the artist, the masterpiece, and how to do the project. Many additional resources and ideas are found in the Online Lessons. Encourage the teacher to review the Online Lessons and to use the Assessment questions to measure student success.
- Select art for one monthly Library Art Show.
- Coordinate with art show curator and help select and mount artwork for Spring Art Show.
Docent Assistant:
- Review the lesson before class and assist with setup.
- Prepare classroom for the lesson and clean up, help students as necessary.
- Assist with setup and cleanup of the school Spring Art Show.
Art Show Curator:
- Coordinate the monthly selection and delivery of student artwork to the Public Library Art Show or a local business.
- Arrange facilities and materials for the Spring Art Show and help advertise it.
- Help docents and assistants select, mount, and display student artwork for library shows and Spring Art Show.
- Assist School Coordinator and Art in Action Program Director with Summer Art Show.
I don't know much about art or teaching. Can I still participate in the Art in Action program at my school?
Absolutely. No experience is necessary. Art in Action provides comprehensive, program level specific training for all docents in a fully illustrated Docent Handbook and in the Online Lessons. In-person training is available in many areas. Clear directions and support are available online, You can watch the videos and get advice from other users on how to do each project. The in-person training workshops introduce docents to the masterpieces, themes, and projects in each level. Docents learn how to lead discussions and demonstrate the important skills, concepts, and features of each lesson. They master basic drawing skills and techniques for materials use, and they learn tips for helping students extend their skills.
How do I get access to the online lessons?
Create your personal Art in Action account. Make sure to include your school in your profile. Then ask your school coordinator to add you to the user list for the school.
Where do I get a curriculum book?
Curriculum books are available for purchase at Art in Action by all active subscribers. One curriculum book is also included in each grade level Starter Kit. School coordinator provide these books, or you can purchase your own copy if you are a qualified docent at an active Art in Action school. Please contact Art in Action directly to purchase a book.
Where do I get art prints?
Art in Action provides one set of art prints in each grade level Starter Kit. Additional sets of prints are also available for purchase. The school coordinator at your school will have prints available for your use. Schools may store the prints in individual classrooms or in an art room or art supply room. Check with your school coordinator to locate the prints at your school.
Where are my school’s art materials?
Some schools buy ARTboxes, art supply kits that contain all the materials needed to teach the twelve lessons in each program level; some schools purchase their own materials separately. Art supplies are generally stored in your school’s art room or in individual classrooms. The school coordinator at your school can tell you where to find the materials you need.
How do I schedule lessons with the teacher?
In some schools, the school coordinator sets up a schedule for all the teachers and docents. If this is the case at your school, you should receive a schedule from your School Coordinator. If not, you may need to work directly with your classroom teacher to set up a lesson schedule. Check with your School Coordinator to find out how to proceed.
How long do the lessons take?
The K-3 lessons last 45 minutes to 1 hour. The 4th-8th grade lessons require between 1 and 1 1/2 hours. Setup and cleanup take approximately 15 minutes each.
What if we don’t have time to do all 12 lessons? How do we choose which lessons to do?
The Art in Action program levels are discipline-based, sequential, and thematic with lessons built on concepts and skills learned in previous levels. We recommend teaching lessons in the order they appear in the curriculum book. If you don’t have time to complete all 12, we suggest that you consider the variety of medium, the skill level of your students, and the curriculum of your individual school when selecting the lessons for the year.