How to Use Sketchbooks in the Classroom

Sketchbooks can be used in many different ways, in many different subjects, in a classroom.

The most obvious use for a sketchbook in the classroom is for an art project that involves painting or drawing. But a teacher who is creative and attentive to the learning styles of his or her students can find many creative uses for sketchbooks outside of traditional art projects. A student can use a sketchbook to practice his or her handwriting. An artistic student can also use a sketchbook to express what he or she has learned through a combination of art and the written word.

Things You'll Need

• Sketchbooks
• Art supplies (pencils, crayons, etc.)

Instructions

1. Ask your school to purchase sketchbooks for all of the students in your class. Make sure to have your lesson plans available because the school's budget committee will probably ask you to justify the expense. Failing this, place sketchbooks on the list of school supplies that the student must provide.

2. Use the sketchbooks in traditional drawing or painting projects if you are teaching an art class or an art lesson. The nature of the art project in question, as well as the medium--such as types of pencils or paints used--is up to you.

3. Try employing sketchbooks in more creative ways if you are not teaching art. For example, you may have a student that doesn't write legibly. Since a sketchbook has no lines, you can ask the student to practice writing neatly in a straight line without the help of lined paper. As the student makes more and more attempts, his or her writing may improve.

4. Pay attention to your students' learning patterns and memory types. You may have a lot of students who have visual memories and/or are physical learners. You can use the sketchbook to aid in these students' educations. Say you are teaching a book or a piece of art or a particular time period in some country's history. Instead of constantly writing reports, you can ask students to produce a visual essay that is a combination of written skills with artistic abilities.

5. Solve disciplinary problems using a sketchbook. These can be caused by almost anything; a student may not respond to a specific teaching method, or may have problems at home or learning disabilities. A student who has a problem expressing himself or herself verbally or through behavior might respond to the use of an artistic medium to communicate. This could be drawing or painting, or it could be through a collage of photographs or magazine cutouts pasted into a sketchbook; almost like a journal.

Tips & Warnings

• There are a lot of ways to use a sketchbook in a classroom. A truly good teacher is able to understand each student's needs and learning patterns or memory types. The teacher then uses tactics suited to each student to aid in learning.

• Do not force a student to use a sketchbook if he or she finds a more comfortable medium of expression elsewhere. Do not get too caught up in the use of a sketchbook such that you eliminate other skills such as writing.

References

• University of Houston: College of Education: Sketchbook Assignments