How to ask meaningful questions in the artroom

Questioning is one of the best ways to help students to take ownership of their work and to help them learn how to make decisions and recognize why they’re making them. In the beginning it can be challenging to know what kind of questions to ask that will lead your students to have thoughtful and meaningful responses. Below I”ve gathered a few examples of students artwork, and the questions that I ask them to respond to.

When asking students questions, it’s important to be specific. How can you relate to question to the work, as well as to what you know that student is currently struggling with, or the problem that they’re trying to solve.

If you feel like you have trouble coming up with questions on the spot, then have a pile of meaningful questions ready to go. You can make them yourself, or grab my pile here.

 

Question: Since we’ve been discussing the use of texture a lot in your work, look at this piece, and start by writing down what textures you currently see.

Then go back, look at the various objects and write down ways that you could change their texture.

 

Question: To start thinking about the background, go back to the focus, which is 1. dealing with transformation, 2. addressing the drawing issues. What 2 drawing issues are you really focusing on in this piece and how are using them?

 

Question: What principle of design do you feel plays the biggest role in your piece and why?