The Art Docent Program

The Art Docent program has been at Rockwell for many years and it is still one of its most enduring and well-supported programs, by both parents and teachers.  The students really enjoy the program as well - self expression, creativity and imagination can't be beat.

Art Docents (parent volunteers) teach monthly art and art theory lessons from October through May/June, using a comprehensive elementary art curriculum which meets all Washington State and National Visual Arts standards.  Each lesson lasts around an hour, with an additional 10-15 minutes of set up and clean up time.  Furthermore, the curriculum covers art from all the world's continents (except Antarctica) and all time periods (pre-history to post-modern eras).  For more information on the curriculum, visit www.thewholepicture.org.

No background in art or art history is necessary, as the lessons are fully scripted and written by a professional art educator.  Each lesson provides the art docent with 2-3 choices for the art project they will teach.  All the art supplies are provided - a combination of the general school supplies (in the office area) and Art Docent supplies (in the Book Room across from the librarian's office).

Each lesson is a set of PDF pages which include not only the information about that day's topic, but also many photographs of sample and famous art pieces.  The lesson style keeps students engaged and gives them a wide variety of art work to consider and compare before they start on their own masterpieces.

One of the great things about this curriculum is its flexibility - if you are an art novice, you can use the lesson's script word-for-word and feel conficent that the students are learning what they need to about this topic.  If you are an art expert, you are free to expand on the lesson and add additional thoughts and information to what the curriculum already has.

Questions?  Please contact Myriam Pollock at myriam.jim@comcast.net.

Lesson Packets and Files

The lesson packets are kept in the Art Docent supplies closet, and are to be used only at Rockwell.  These packets are not to be taken home - please check them out and check them in on the same day. Please also keep each packet intact; some have just the lesson notebook and CD with powerpoint files, while several have "extras" such as templates and maps.

The lessons for each grade may be taught in any order.  Please do not teach other grades' lessons - this could result in a student getting the same lesson taught at a later grade.