Jessica Sandvig

TAB Reaction Prompts

Write a brief paragraph about your reactions to the TAB experience you went through in class.
Answer the following questions to the best of your ability...

1.) How did the TAB experience effect you as a learner?

I appreciated that we had choice in what studio we wanted to participate in and with
what art we wanted to make. The TAB experience encourage students to engage and
reflect in the art process as opposed to creating a cookie-cutter art piece, one that
resembles everyone else’s artwork. I like that we could watch an expert teach us
popular techniques associated with the art medium we wanted to explore or improve
on. I feel that the TAB experience encouraged me as a learner to explore, observe,
practice, evaluate, revise, and be responsible for my learning.

2.) What are the strong points to a TAB based classroom/lesson set up? What are the
down sides?
The TAB based classroom/lesson set up has strong positive points in that TAB and the
TAB environment allows the teacher to be student centered and build a community of
learners. The teacher can reflect the students interests by creating studio options that
will appeal to them. For example, if students love graphic novels and/or comics, the
teacher could create a station to engage them in learning how to illustrate and uses
panels. This station could include supplies such as 2B pencils, plastic erasers, brush pens,
colored pencils, and paper. Additionally, it would provide visuals and recorded
demonstrations so students can learn techniques and build their skills as they learn from
experts. Multiple students could discover they love writing and illustrating comic books.
As a result, they could collaborate and create their own school comic book series.
The TAB based classroom can be difficult for students who struggle with motivation,
responsibility, making choices, ambiguity with their art piece, and pacing so that their
work is completed in somewhat of a timely manner. Although this may be a downside
for some, it can also help them with building these important life skills.

3.) What are some educational theories of practices that are used/highlighted in the TAB
model?
The TAB model celebrates the discovery process that develops from students’
experiencing and playing with art materials, techniques, and content. Cognitive
development theorist, Jean Piaget said, “The principal goal of education is to create men
who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have
done, men who are creative, inventive and discoverers.” Piaget believed that students
must have tasks that are engaging and promote discovery. The TAB model would work
in Piaget’s classroom because he believed teachers should be guides. Similarly to the
TAB model perspectives, Piaget believed that teachers should emphasize the process of
creating/learning rather than the final product. Additionally, Piaget would support the
TAB model peer engagement.
The TAB model also reflects another theorist, Vygotsky, in that both classrooms have
opportunities for active participation and self-directed discovery. Vygotsky also believed
in cultural tools, such as technology, so that students can advance their own
development. The TAB model environment allows students to utilize ‘cultural tools’ as
they discover art making processes.
The TAB model has similarities to the theorist, John Dewey, in that he believed
knowledge resulted from students interacting with their environment. Dewey would
have encouraged students to be reflective, explore their interests, and continuously
revise their thinking similarly to the TAB model.