What is T.A.B?

CHOICE-BASED ART EDUCATION regards students as artists and offers
them real choices for responding to their own ideas and interests
through the making of art. This concept supports multiple modes of
learning and teaching for the diverse needs of students. The
learning environment provides resources and opportunities to construct
knowledge and meaning in the process of making art. Choice-Based Art
Education utilizes multiple forms of assessment to support student
and teacher growth.

If you offer your students choice of materials while providing ample
time and space for them to pursue their own ideas most of the time,
then you are a choice-based art educator.

TEACHING FOR ARTISTIC BEHAVIOR,Inc. is a grassroots organization
developed by and for teachers and supports choice-based art education.
The concept emerged over 30 years ago in Massachusetts classrooms
through the need for more authentic art making experiences. United
through Massachusetts College of Art (MassArt), teachers working in
isolation discovered others who also held belief in the child as the
artist. With the support of MassArt, NAEA and The Education Alliance
at Brown University, the Teaching for Artistic Behavior Partnership
(TAB) was formed in 2001 and incorporated in 2007. TAB has become a
visible presence online, at NAEA conferences, and at regional
gatherings of choice-based practitioners. All choice-based art
educators are welcome in the TAB organization.

A CENTERS APPROACH reflects the learning environment, with different
learning centers set up in the classroom. Commonly seen in primary
classrooms, centers offer students a focused learning experience.
Most choice-based art programs offer separate media centers, such as
painting, clay, printmaking, etc. These centers function as mini art
studios, complete with instructional information, menus, resources,
materials and tools. Students move independently between centers,
utilizing materials, tools and resources as needed in their art
making. Centers are arranged to provide students with independent
learning opportunities.

Centers refer to the learning environment, and are not a methodology.
You cannot be a "centers-based" educator, but you can be a choice-
based educator who provides centers in your classroom.

TAB-CHOICE is a phrase that has emerged on various art education
forums, as teachers connect the concept (choice) with the
organization (TAB). It has become a convenient way to explain TAB's
purpose; you could even include "authentic art education" to more
fully illustrate the concept, as in "TAB-Choice Authentic Art
Education."