This document outlines an agenda for a teaching assistant training session focusing on engaging critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills. The agenda includes activities like sketchbook prompts, critique sharing, discussing differentiated instruction experiences, defining key terms, and practicing differentiated critique approaches. The document emphasizes that differentiation, assessment, reflection, and the critique process are important for developing students' critical thinking and problem solving abilities.

1. Engaging Critical Thinking, Problem
Solving and Performance Skills
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Sarah Cress
Art Ed 4273

2. MoStep Madness Agenda…
• Xtranormal Videos
• Sketchbook Prompt
• Sketchbook Discussion
• Critique Share
• MoStep Five, Can I Have a Volunteer?!
• Differentiated Instruction Class Recap
• Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and
Performance Skills
• Assessment
• Break
• Critique Activity
• Steps for Success!
• Artifact Brainstorm

3. Sketchbook Prompt…
Describe in detail your earliest
formal critique experience.
Paint us a picture of the
following:
• the setting
• the critique protocol
• the order of events
• the way in which you and your
fellow classmates felt before,
during and after the event.

4. The Good and the Scary…
Within pairs, share with
each other your most
positive and most
negative critique
experiences. Utilizing a
large piece of paper,
map out the differences
between the good and
the bad.

5. MoStep Five…
• 1.2.5 The preservice teacher uses a variety of
instructional strategies to encourage students’
development of critical thinking, problem solving, and
performance skills.
• Performance Indicators: The preservice teacher
• 1.2.5.1 selects alternative teaching strategies,
materials, and technology to achieve multiple
instructional purposes and to meet student needs;
• 1.2.5.2 engages students in active learning that
promotes the development of critical thinking,
problem solving, and performance capabilities.

6. MoStep Five Rubric…
The preservice teacher exemplifies uses and
subsequent evaluations of the impact of a variety
of instructional strategies, materials and
technologies to meet individual student needs and
to encourage students’ development of critical
thinking, problem solving, and performance
skills. Artifacts reveal the use of a variety of
strategies, reflections and clearly establish the
candidates’ ability to match specific strategies
with the content and/or skills to be taught. The
candidate uses student work in the evaluation of a
strategy’s impact on student learning.

7. Differentiation is KEY!
In order to best serve our students, we MUST present materials in a
variety of ways, constantly engage them through motivation and
regularly assess their understanding.
These practices will ensure all students feel:
• Accepted
• Understood
• Respected
• Part of an art community
• They are contributing
• They are being challenged
in a meaningful way
• Supported

8. How Have You Been Differentiating?
Thinking back to your
internship experience
during the previous
weeks, how have you and
your instructional
teammate been utilizing
differentiated instruction
within your own practice?
Right down several
specific examples that
you can share with the
class.

9. Big Terms…Let’s Contextualize…
With a partner, define each key
term below within the context
of the art classroom. For
example, students in the art
classroom will demonstrate
critical thinking skills
through…
List several ideas for each of the
three terms.
• Critical Thinking
• Problem Solving
• Performance Skills

10. Assessment…YIKES!
Assessing the acquisition
of such skills can be
tricky business. What are
some initial thoughts and
ideas of how YOU will
assess student
understanding in your
own classroom.

11. The Art Critique…The Most
Important Element of Teaching!?
The process of critiquing artwork is critical within any
classroom setting. Critique:
• Gives classroom assignments relevance and purpose
• Encourages students to take their work and the work of
their peers seriously
• Provides students with a language for proper “art
speak”
• Can set the tone of you classroom environment
• Engages students in critical thinking, problem solving
and discussion of performance skills.

12. Let’s Practice Some Differentiated
Critique!
Within groups of two to three
you will be provided a work
of portraiture. Your task is to
decide on a song that reflects
the auro of the inspiration
image. After you choose your
song, devise a rationale for
your selection.

13. Getting Down to the Nitty Gritty…
After taking a moment to view the image up close,
prepare a piece of paper and writing utensil. As the
group plays their chosen song, respond to the following
topics regarding the piece.
• Meaning – What story is the image communicating to
you?
• Connotation –What associations do you make when
looking at the piece to infer meaning and content?
• Significance – What significance does this work
maintain in the broader art world?

14. Tips for Success!
• YOU as motivator!
• Switch it up!
• Formal and informal
assessment
• Reflection, reflection,
reflection…do it!

15. Artifact Brainstorm…
Now, let’s
brainstorm
some ways
we can
demonstrate
our newfound
knowledge.