Illinois Professional
Teaching Standards
(IPTS)
Standard 1
Teaching Diverse Students – The competent teacher understands the diverse characteristics and abilities of each student and how individuals develop and learn within the context of their social, economic, cultural, linguistic, and academic experiences. The teacher uses these experiences to create instructional opportunities that maximize student learning.
House Of Love And Diversity by Sandra Silberzweig, 2012
Why Is This Important?
Engaging students in their education and curriculum creates an environment for learning content and skills that they can take beyond the classroom and into life. Bringing in their previous knowledge and life experiences gives students a sense of responsibility and accountability in their education that helps build their independence and self confidence.
Face to Face by Judy Garfin, 1991
Standard 2
Content Area and Pedagogical Knowledge – The competent teacher has in-depth understanding of content area knowledge that includes central concepts, methods of inquiry, structures of the disciplines, and content area literacy. The teacher creates meaningful learning experiences for each student based upon interactions among content area and pedagogical knowledge, and evidence-based practice.
Why is this Important?
Having a broad range of knowledge about artistic practices, visual culture and postmodern teaching concepts can help art educators facilitate a learning environment that promotes critical thinking and a push towards excellence.
Standard 3
Planning for Differentiated Instruction – The competent teacher plans and designs instruction based on content area knowledge, diverse student characteristics, student performance data, curriculum goals, and the community context. The teacher plans for ongoing student growth and achievement.
Becoming Disabled by Dadu Shin, 2016
Why is this Important?
Providing accommodations for the diverse learner is important in order to help students reach their goals. Learning about students as individuals and adapting curriculum, tools and environment can help the classroom as a whole work to achieve growth in artistic practice and life skills.
Democracy by Avo Gharibian, 2011
Standard 4
Learning Environment –
The competent teacher structures a safe and healthy learning environment that facilitates cultural and linguistic responsiveness, emotional well-being, self-efficacy, positive social interaction, mutual respect, active engagement, academic risk-taking, self-motivation, and personal goal-setting.
Why is this Important?
Giving students the resources and tools they need in order to achieve their goals as artists is important, but it is also important to create a safe space where students can build upon their sense of identity and self confidence through their art practice. Through group interaction and allowing students to have equal voice within the classroom, it allows for a more growth minded and democratic learning environment.
Standard 5
Instructional Delivery – The competent teacher differentiates instruction by using a variety of strategies that support critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, and continuous growth and learning. This teacher understands that the classroom is a dynamic environment requiring ongoing modification of instruction to enhance learning for each student.
Why is this Important?
Being able to change curriculum as an art educator in response to students engagement and curiosity and level of skill is important to create a classroom that is forward thinking and promotes a scaffolded learning experience.
Ecstasy of the Lilies by Octavio Ocampo, n.d.
A Woman Writing a Letter with her Maidservant by Johannes Vermeer, 1671
Standard 6
Reading, Writing, and Oral Communication – The competent teacher has foundational knowledge of reading, writing, and oral communication within the content area and recognizes and addresses student reading, writing, and oral communication needs to facilitate the acquisition of content knowledge.
Why is this Important?
Building vocabulary skills in art is important because students will be able to discuss and interpret art on a deeper level in order to increase understanding in art they view and in the art they create. This will in turn create more meaningful and impactful artwork that communicates on many levels.
Standard 7
Assessment – The competent teacher understands and uses appropriate formative and summative assessments for determining student needs, monitoring student progress, measuring student growth, and evaluating student outcomes. The teacher makes decisions driven by data about curricular and instructional effectiveness and adjusts practices to meet the needs of each student.
'Square Piet', Mondrian Portrait by Czar Catstick, 2016
Why is this Important?
In the art classroom, process is important in order to insure that students are making informed, critical decisions about the materials they use and the content and meaning behind their artwork. Using formative assessments to monitor the progress and in turn, providing encouragement, support and alternative ways to achieve goals is important for students to maintain a level of excellence and growth throughout. Summative assessments that look at bodies of work such as portfolios look at students level of skill and content they have achieved over time help to evaluate how the process of their work has culminated in response to objectives set forth for them.
Standard 8
Collaborative Relationships – The competent teacher builds and maintains collaborative relationships to foster cognitive, linguistic, physical, and social and emotional development. This teacher works as a team member with professional colleagues, students, parents or guardians, and community members.
Hope Wings Aurora by Sam Cervantes, 2018
Why is this Important?
Collaborating with other art professionals and others outside of the classroom provides a more dynamic learning experience for students and provides a different point of view which fosters diversity and a sense of community. This teaches students that art does not contain one narrative, but can be interpreted and created in many ways that are equally valid.
Climb with Care and Confidence by GSU Edgewood Sculpture Forum, 1995