rose papuga
[email protected] (781) 741-1560 ext 2165
Art educators foster lifelong appreciation of the arts through making and analyzing artworks. It is imperative to develop both skills simultaneously for a thorough understanding of art. Art educators act as guides and lead students through the process of constructing meaning for themselves rather than imposing their own ideas on them.
Because we live in a culture that communicates tremendous amounts of direct and implied information and messages through visual means, we must educate our youth on how to analyze and interpret the meanings. As Feldman (1996) states “the most potent influence on the artistic activity and aesthetic appreciation of older children and adolescents, regardless of racial or ethnic background, is the common culture mediated by film, television, video, and the print environment” (p. 10). Therefore, formal art critiques are also an important aspect of an art education. The analysis must be led through a conversation or discussion in three different arenas. First the students need to practice looking and describing famous works. This seemingly simple task takes time and patience. After looking students can more easily distinguish the meaning or make personal connections. But only critiquing famous art would be insufficient. The second arena students must enter is a formal critique among peers and their artwork. This practice helps students cultivate empathy and can also open their eyes to other solutions to the same visual problem. Wiggins and McTighe (2006) put it this way, “the goal is not to have students accept the ways of others, but to help them better understand the diversity of thought and feeling in the world” (p.166). The third arena involves students engaging with themselves in honest and thoughtful reflections about their artwork. It is through reflection that students synthesize the learning and apply the knowledge to future work.
Lastly, understanding artistic behaviors requires a thorough investigation and exploration into how to use artistic medias. For example, to understand pottery hours could be spent explaining the process or even demonstrating it but until you are actually on the wheel feeling the clay and using your body, you cannot comprehend all the nuances of throwing. Again it is the art teachers’ obligation to guide the student through the process of cultivating understandings.
References:
Feldman, E. B. (1996). Philosophy of art education. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Wiggins, G., and McTighe, J. (2006). Understanding by Design. New Jersey: Pearson Education,
Inc.
Art educators foster lifelong appreciation of the arts through making and analyzing artworks. It is imperative to develop both skills simultaneously for a thorough understanding of art. Art educators act as guides and lead students through the process of constructing meaning for themselves rather than imposing their own ideas on them.
Because we live in a culture that communicates tremendous amounts of direct and implied information and messages through visual means, we must educate our youth on how to analyze and interpret the meanings. As Feldman (1996) states “the most potent influence on the artistic activity and aesthetic appreciation of older children and adolescents, regardless of racial or ethnic background, is the common culture mediated by film, television, video, and the print environment” (p. 10). Therefore, formal art critiques are also an important aspect of an art education. The analysis must be led through a conversation or discussion in three different arenas. First the students need to practice looking and describing famous works. This seemingly simple task takes time and patience. After looking students can more easily distinguish the meaning or make personal connections. But only critiquing famous art would be insufficient. The second arena students must enter is a formal critique among peers and their artwork. This practice helps students cultivate empathy and can also open their eyes to other solutions to the same visual problem. Wiggins and McTighe (2006) put it this way, “the goal is not to have students accept the ways of others, but to help them better understand the diversity of thought and feeling in the world” (p.166). The third arena involves students engaging with themselves in honest and thoughtful reflections about their artwork. It is through reflection that students synthesize the learning and apply the knowledge to future work.
Lastly, understanding artistic behaviors requires a thorough investigation and exploration into how to use artistic medias. For example, to understand pottery hours could be spent explaining the process or even demonstrating it but until you are actually on the wheel feeling the clay and using your body, you cannot comprehend all the nuances of throwing. Again it is the art teachers’ obligation to guide the student through the process of cultivating understandings.
References:
Feldman, E. B. (1996). Philosophy of art education. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Wiggins, G., and McTighe, J. (2006). Understanding by Design. New Jersey: Pearson Education,
Inc.