A really good art teacher would be like you, Mrs. C: A qualitative study of an artist-teacher and her artistically gifted middle school students

Employing Erickson\u27s (1986) definition of teaching effectiveness as the social organization of classroom life, this study examines the year long teaching and learning experiences of a veteran artist-teacher and her artistically gifted middle school students. Two main themes emerge from this qualitative study: The teacher acts as a translator between the art world and her students\u27 world; the teacher translates via a five stage curricular rhythm. The phases of this rhythm are: Image flood; reflection; art work; critique; exhibition. Although her content theme changes each semester, the teacher\u27s curriculum rhythm remains constant. The teacher\u27s gifted/talented training is reflected in her curriculum rhythm. An outcome of translation process is the students\u27 increased self identification as artists. Implications for continued research include study of other ethnic, age group, and subject matter teaching and learning rhythms. The translation process may be of interest to the gifted talented field