Tips for Teaching

There are many methods and approaches but the ones that work best are youth-centered and hands-on. On subsequent pages are several methods and approaches for planning and getting started with your DAY program, including project-based learning, portfolios, after school and in-school activities. Also, creating the space (DAY studio) is important, as well as developing the actual activities for your program. Upon request are some great lessons for teaching digital art (on CD).

Digital Art Youth Program (DAY)

In 2000, three community-based technology centers across the country launched "ArtTech", a five-week summer program that introduced youth to multimedia. Soon after the project was renamed the Digital Art Youth Program or DAY. Nettrice Gaskins created a resource guide for practitioners that was made available upon request. She also ran a local DAY program at the Boston Neighborhood Network from 2001-2004, with the help of an AmeriCorps VISTA (Derek Hixon). The Boston program served nearly a hundred local youth between the ages of 13 and 18. Additionally, Nettrice worked with a public high school in Dorchester to create school-based curriculum for teachers and students.

Through Networks for Youth Development the Fund for the City of New York developed a handbook of "positive youth outcomes" for practitioners. Youth development programs help youth develop competencies that will enable them to grow, develop skills, and become healthy, responsible, and caring people. Youth development is a shared responsibility, practioners cannot do it alone. They need the buy-in of youth, their families and community partners because many factors affect young people's lives. Networks for Youth Development has combined research, discussion, and practical experience in articulating best practices of youth development. They have identified the following competencies for positive youth outcomes:

Originality (Creative Competency)