Art curricula aligned with the TEKS enable students to learn sequential course content and make applications using "hands-on" experiences. Students learn to interpret and internalize meaning, interact with others, and produce original works by utilizing creative and critical thinking to solve artistic problems. Classes alternate between teacher instruction and independent work. Teachers allow students to grow and develop at their own rates. For some, progress is rapid; for others, progress is more deliberate. In an atmosphere that encourages experimentation and discovery, teachers use instructional strategies to address the whole group as well as to individualize lessons in order to meet the needs of each student.

When effectively aligned with strong curricula, the strategies presented in these pages help learners successfully demonstrate the Art TEKS. This section is full of useful ideas and plans for art teachers, but the information included is neither prescriptive nor exhaustive. Teachers are their own best guides in determining the most effective means of helping their students demonstrate the TEKS.