Education Philosophy
I believe that the purpose of art education is to encourage and teach children to develop their creativity while learning to appreciate the art of others. Art is universal- it appears almost everywhere in many forms, across cultures and time. It is imperative that children learn to interpret and respond to art in order to fully understand the world. In order to accomplish these goals, teachers must provide a comprehensive art education that includes art production, aesthetics, art history, and art criticism.
Children are creative in many ways. Some are good at drawing or singing, while others are talented in writing or critical thinking. When students learn skills like drawing, singing, storytelling, or problem solving, they are using creativity. Art education helps children to stretch their creative boundaries and use critical thinking in all areas of their lives. When children practice thinking creatively and “outside the box” in order to complete an art assignment, they can begin to apply this practice in other areas of their life in order to become a better problem solver. Students in art classes are also able to observe different approaches to the same projects, gaining new ideas and insights into what it means to create a unique solution to a problem.
Art Education also shows children that a piece of art can speak volumes about the culture or artist who created it. When students who have had adequate experience with art view pieces from other cultures, they are able to gain knowledge about artists and culture by looking at the art and deciphering visual elements. The visual language is universal, so there is no barrier to prevent children from understanding something that was created outside of their familiar culture. Additionally, art students can gain knowledge and understanding of the lives, thoughts, and interests of their peers by looking at and talking about the art they make.
The study of art history adds another dimension to the cultural knowledge associated with art education, because it allows students to better visualize what life was like before their time, and to understand concepts and ideas that were of importance to different cultures over time. Many of these concepts overlap with the Standards of Learning that the students are learning in their regular classrooms, which means that art class and the core subjects can and should reinforce one another.
Art criticism is a branch of art education that is of great value to students. When children learn to critically analyze works of art, they utilize art vocabulary and are taught to verbalize their thoughts on a visual piece. The concepts of art criticism are applicable to many other areas of life because they teach students to think critically and justify their findings, skills that are necessary for any type of critical analysis, whether that be for an English paper or for deciding on a new plan or idea with a group. Similarly, aesthetics, another branch of art education, helps children to develop their own personal taste. Students in art classes learn that their likes and dislikes may not match those of other people, and that is okay for them to form their own opinions while also respecting and appreciating the opinions of their peers.
One more very important aspect of art education is the variety of ways in which it can benefit children with special needs. In art, children are assigned the same task, but they all end up producing unique projects. Students who ordinarily experience difficulties in class will often be able to produce work that is not noticeably inferior to that of their peers. This process is conducive to the way in which special needs students learn, and can help them to express emotions that would otherwise be difficult for them to portray.
Art helps children to gain valuable knowledge about themselves, their cultures, and the world surrounding them. Creating art heightens children’s sensitivity to the physical world, and is a way of expressing emotional and imaginary states of mind. Art students are able to learn through experience, and create work of their own that is relevant and meaningful. It is of utmost importance to give children a positive art education experience, so that they can embrace their inner creativity in whatever unique form it may take. Once this happens, the children can learn to apply this creative thinking to all aspects of life, making the world a much more interesting and innovative place.
Children are creative in many ways. Some are good at drawing or singing, while others are talented in writing or critical thinking. When students learn skills like drawing, singing, storytelling, or problem solving, they are using creativity. Art education helps children to stretch their creative boundaries and use critical thinking in all areas of their lives. When children practice thinking creatively and “outside the box” in order to complete an art assignment, they can begin to apply this practice in other areas of their life in order to become a better problem solver. Students in art classes are also able to observe different approaches to the same projects, gaining new ideas and insights into what it means to create a unique solution to a problem.
Art Education also shows children that a piece of art can speak volumes about the culture or artist who created it. When students who have had adequate experience with art view pieces from other cultures, they are able to gain knowledge about artists and culture by looking at the art and deciphering visual elements. The visual language is universal, so there is no barrier to prevent children from understanding something that was created outside of their familiar culture. Additionally, art students can gain knowledge and understanding of the lives, thoughts, and interests of their peers by looking at and talking about the art they make.
The study of art history adds another dimension to the cultural knowledge associated with art education, because it allows students to better visualize what life was like before their time, and to understand concepts and ideas that were of importance to different cultures over time. Many of these concepts overlap with the Standards of Learning that the students are learning in their regular classrooms, which means that art class and the core subjects can and should reinforce one another.
Art criticism is a branch of art education that is of great value to students. When children learn to critically analyze works of art, they utilize art vocabulary and are taught to verbalize their thoughts on a visual piece. The concepts of art criticism are applicable to many other areas of life because they teach students to think critically and justify their findings, skills that are necessary for any type of critical analysis, whether that be for an English paper or for deciding on a new plan or idea with a group. Similarly, aesthetics, another branch of art education, helps children to develop their own personal taste. Students in art classes learn that their likes and dislikes may not match those of other people, and that is okay for them to form their own opinions while also respecting and appreciating the opinions of their peers.
One more very important aspect of art education is the variety of ways in which it can benefit children with special needs. In art, children are assigned the same task, but they all end up producing unique projects. Students who ordinarily experience difficulties in class will often be able to produce work that is not noticeably inferior to that of their peers. This process is conducive to the way in which special needs students learn, and can help them to express emotions that would otherwise be difficult for them to portray.
Art helps children to gain valuable knowledge about themselves, their cultures, and the world surrounding them. Creating art heightens children’s sensitivity to the physical world, and is a way of expressing emotional and imaginary states of mind. Art students are able to learn through experience, and create work of their own that is relevant and meaningful. It is of utmost importance to give children a positive art education experience, so that they can embrace their inner creativity in whatever unique form it may take. Once this happens, the children can learn to apply this creative thinking to all aspects of life, making the world a much more interesting and innovative place.