Incorporating Art in the Classroom

Why is it important to incorporate art into the classroom? For many reasons such as higher cognitive skills, to stimulate the stimulate learning through other senses, and to express feelings and creativity. These reasons are covered in "three domains that cut across the disciplines." (Chapter 6) These domains are the cognitive domain, the psychomotor domain, and the affective domain.
Most school's curriculum revolves around the cognitive domain. This mostly revolves around memorization, identifying, and matching. These are drilled into students to help everyone learn the course material. This produces only lower cognitive learning. However, if art is incorporated into cognitive learning higher cognitive learning is then introduced by analyzing and incorporating things learned into new situations.
The affective domain deals with creativity and applying meaning into the subject matter. Self-worth is learned through pride in the created art. This then translates into other class work by being confident in the work that is turned in for any subject. Expressing one's self through art helps to better allow the students to develop positive ways to express themselves in later life and also allows the teacher insight into the feelings of the children in the classroom.
The psychomotor domain involves sensory motor into the curriculum. "Moving our bodies and using our other senses can stimulate learning in all subjects, including art production and art criticism activities." (Chapter 6). Senses can help to encourage recognition of what is identified. Through creating art children copy what was seen and put it into art.

Integrating art in the classroom is seen as an affective way of teaching today’s youth. Because art has been relatively considered a solo program there has been a clear line between art and English. However, it has been noted that when a student is visually and creatively stimulated they retain more information. We see examples of this in English classes, “Don't underestimate the value of letting a child create something that they can personalize. The moment they walk out the door carrying their English bookmark or their English pirate hat (that they made themselves) they are transferring what they've done in class to their home environment.” (English.org, Jan)

Math is similar in importance often times teachers will give the students a math pattern work sheet in this work sheet they must do the math problems correctly which will give them the number combination to make an art patter depicting a scene or an object. This way the student must focus on getting the correct answers in order to find out what the picture is, and then the students might be allowed to color the picture as a final personal touch to their assignment. (Teacher version)

Science too can have an art theme one example would be demonstrating sound waves by using a hollowed tin can the teacher can attach a balloon to the bottom of the can and glue a mirror on it facing up. Place the can on the table top and adding a small amount of water in it then turn out the lights of the classroom and shine a light at an angle down the can so it reflex off the mirror onto the ceiling. This should make an image of the water appear on the ceiling as the water moves you can see it on the ceiling almost like a stone dropping into a pond. Then clap your hands near, or far from the can so the kids can see the affects of sound waves right before their eyes. (Teacher Version)

The Visual Cultural approach compares different cultures in all the different mediums of art. It helps the student to learn through visual art the culture of the student and of others.

I think that it is important to integrate art into the core curriculum because it engages the student better. A child will want to learn and then will retain more of the information if the lesson is more fun and interactive. With all the technology of video games and television, children are constantly visually stimulated. By incorporating art in to the classroom we combine visual stimulation with education.

References

Arts In Every Classroom. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.learner.org/workshops/artsineveryclassroom/artsroles.html

Teacher Version. (February, 2009). Retrieved from http://www.teachervision.fen.com/art/math/52566.html

English.org. (January, 2009). Teaching English. Retrieved from http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/language-assistant/primary-tips/using-arts-crafts-arts-english-lessons

Clements, R. D., & Wachowiak, F. (2009). Emphasis Art (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Why Teach Art Education?

Art education has many purposes. Chapter one of "Emphasis Art," by Robert D. Clements and Frank Wachowiak, gives several reasons why it is important to teach art. Some of these reasons are cultural understanding, making the Ordinary Important and Special, personal communication and expression, general and artistic creativity, literacy and cognition different way of learning and communicating in school. Art can help in all of these areas. Here are some examples how.

One reason to teach art education is a different way of learning and communicating in school . Teaching children art allows children to communicate using nonverbal communication. "The arts also help provide and extend meaning. Because so much of a child's education in the early years is devoted to acquiring the skills of language and mathematics, children gradually learn unconsciously" (reference 2). Art education provides the chance for growth in other areas besides art. Studies show that the majority of children prefer art to other academic learning. By in corporation art into area such as math and reading allow children to learn the required courses in a way that is more interesting and fun. Where conventional method fail art can provide a way to help the students learn differently. “Research also addresses examples of young people who were considered classroom failures, perhaps “acting out” because conventional classroom practices were not engaging them these “problem” students often became the high achievers in arts learning settings.” (reference 4). Art education also provides the means for students with learning disabilities a different way to absorb information.

Another reason to teach art education is literacy and cognition. “Many art educators share the belief that all children possess innate creative and appreciative abilities than can be nurtured through art instruction”(reference 1). Using art to process information makes things more interesting for the student and easier to understand. Art education also helps with students where English is not there first language. Art transcends language. Communicating through art helps students who can not verbally express themselves because of language barriers or cultural differences.

General and artistic creativity is another reason to teach art."The development of the imagination, the technical skills, and the sensibilities needed to create aesthetic form is much – but not all – of what arts education is about” (reference 5). Creating art helps children imagine and explore possibilities. Teaching art helps through art therapy. "Expressive arts therapies directly engage auditory, visual and kinesthetic senses as well as emotions" (reference 3). Teaching art allows a form of nonverbal therapy. This allows teachers insight into their students lives that can help the teacher know what each student in the class needs independently on a one on one level.

References

1. Foundations and goals for art education. (2007). Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books

2. NC standard course of study. (January, 2011). Retrieved from http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/artsed/scos/intro/purpose

3. Expressive Arts. (2000, April). Retrieved from http://www.narrativeapproaches.com/narrative%20papers%20folder/art_therapy.htm

4. Champions of Change: The Impact of Arts on Learning (PDF)

5. The Arts and the Creation of Mind by Elliot Eisner (Chapter 4)

6. Clements, R. D. (2010). National Visual Arts Standards (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

What Is Art?

There are lots of views on what art is. Some definitions that I found say
1. the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.

2. "the products of human creativity,"
3. "a superior skill that you can learn by study and practice and observation
4. Art is the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way to affect the senses or emotions. It encompasses a diverse range of human activities, creations, and modes of expression, including music, literature, film, sculpture, and paintings. ...

I think while there are many definitions to what art is, my personal opinion is that art is an expression of the artist. Art helps the viewer see from another's perspective. Art is creativity and personal expression. Art proves an outlet for the artist to have their views seen by others. Art is therapy for the artist as well as the viewer. Art is not always beautiful and aesthetically pleasing. Based on these criteria art can be anything, from a simply designed Campbell 's soup label to a "masterpiece" hanging in a museum.

Art is in the eye of the beholder. Something I see as art may not be art to someone else. The same can be said if someone else sees something as art, that doesn't mean I see it that way. What is art? If I say something is art and someone else says it's not, which is it? Does art stop being art when someone else says that it is not art? Maybe it does to them, but not to others. This is why I believe that art is in the eye of the beholder.

-Loryn

Resources used:

References

Dictionary. (2002, June). Art definition. Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/art

about.com. (2003). What is art? Retrieved from http://arthistory.about.com/cs/reference/f/what_is_art.htm

google. (2000). Define art on the web. Retrieved from http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=eoI&rls=org.mozilla

These resources changed my opinion on what art is by considering what these sights say art is. I agreed with some and disagreed with others. I believe that what art is, is the opinion of the viewer.

Elementary Art Eduation

I am working towards my Art Education Degree and an currently enrolled in an elementary art education class. We are also suppose to blog our assignments. This means that during this semester that is what I am going to use my blog for. We were bad at posting things anyway (last year's new year resolution to blog more was demolished), so since I have to blog every week maybe it will help me get use to blogging and I will do it more often. I hope you enjoy my new homework blog during the months of January to May of 2011!

-Loryn-

Throwing a fit in Walmart is tiring!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! this year i decide that it would be fun to dress up for halloween. dallin isnt big into dressing up he finds it embarrassing. however i talked him into it. Well i ended up throwing a fit in Walmart. the sales people were rude to me as if asking if they have overalls is totally unacceptable. Anyway i didnt really throw a fit as much as have an internal break down. well no one had overalls so i had to cut my plans and give up on that... i mean we are Mario and Luigi! We NEEDED overalls... it would have made the costume alot better :( but we had a good halloween with our friends. Dallin bbqed and everyone came over to eat and had a couple of trick or treaters... like 3 but it was still fun!

Crazy Week!!

This week is crazy. I'm taking my finals for this semester. 3 down and 2 more to go! Its been crazy! Luckily soon my classes will be over and I will be able to have the summer without school. To bad for Dallin his school keeps going. But he is doing really awsome! All "A"s last term and keeping it going this term.
I can't wait till we are both out of school!!