[shantarr7]

It can be hard to find the balance of power in an art class room. As the teacher you want to be there for your students without overstepping their boundaries of being an artist. Some students may require more guidance than others, like in most typical classrooms. I think it is sometimes difficult when to tell if you should allow your student to find the solution to their issue on their own or if you should step in and lead them. I think modeling is a great tool for the art classroom. Through doing a demo, you reach visual learners, verbal learners and by letting students practice along side you, you can reach tactile learners. This allows some guidance but also gets the child more actively involved. It gives a clear idea of what you expect from your students which can help avoid road bumps.
Another thing I believe is important is getting to really know your students’ personalities. This way you can learn when to let them struggle on their own, when to give an acknowledgement of their efforts and when to ask how their process is going. Each child is an individual so this offers many different ways to handle learning. By learning who your students are you can hone in on their behaviors and act more appropriately.
Lastly scaffolding is another option for leading your students to the right answer. As mentioned some may need more steps in the process and others may only need a couple depending on their understanding. Art is a subject where independence should remain in tact but no child should ever feel completely abandoned. Though it may be hard at first, I feel this is something you can truly only master from experience.

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