Program Overview
The Los Altos Art Docent Program is designed to develop visual literacy in the students of the Los Altos Elementary School District by having students:
Respond to art
Experiment and create art
Make connections
Art appreciation
Our principles
We foster a love for art by exposing children to a wide range of artistic styles and techniques.
Hands-on learning
We believe in the power of experiential learning, allowing students to actively engage in creating their own art.
Making connections
We encourage students to make connections between art and other subjects, promoting interdisciplinary learning.
Visual arts stimulate the imagination, enhance observation skills and self-expression, encourage creative problem-solving, and underscore the innate relationships between history, culture, science, math, and the humanities.
Importance of art education
Our approach to art education
We provide art lessons that combine appreciation and hands-on activities designed to build on each other from year to year. Discussion and application of the art elements are woven throughout the curriculum, such that by the end of sixth-grade students have gained an appreciation for fine art, learned a basic art vocabulary, and created their own individual works of art.
Lessons in various media, including watercolor, clay, cut paper, printmaking, and drawing are offered in sequence. Rather than focusing primarily on the end result, these lessons are technique-based and focus on the process of creating art. Each year new techniques and principles of design are added to create more sophisticated artwork. All lessons complement the academic curriculum and meet California State Visual Arts Content Standards.
Our lessons
Lessons in a variety of media, including watercolor, clay, cut paper, printmaking, and drawing are offered in sequence. Rather than focusing primarily on the end result, these lessons are technique-based and focus on the process of creating art. Each year new techniques and principles of design are added to create more sophisticated artwork. All lessons complement the academic curriculum and meet California State Visual Arts Content Standards.
