Art teachers are most successful when they teach the whole child, with an awareness of the student inside as well as the work that is being produced outside. Therefore, when teaching students about their own creativity and that of artists they study, it is helpful to understand complex neurological and emotional operations that are active during…

Educators from Reggio Emilia encourage educators to see children as competent and strong. They persuade educators to acknowledge the children's use of the visual arts as a "language," especially during project work. Inspired by the philosophy from Reggio Emilia, the author initiated a 10-week ethnographic study of young children in a…

In order to learn from one's own classroom discourse or that of other teachers, one can start by considering that spoken language is always simultaneously propositional and social. When engaged in spoken discourse, people exchange information. This is the propositional function. With the same words they also build and maintain relationships…

Education in recent years has tended increasingly to narrow its focus, zeroing in on only those academic skills tested in high-stake assessments while ignoring many other aspects of children's development. Opposing this trend is an alternative movement, holistic education, which is concerned with cultivating and balancing all dimensions of the…

Many of the paintings of 20th-century American artist Philip C. Curtis defy clear classification. Curtis's artworks often show dreamlike and fantastical qualities and are therefore frequently pigeonholed as Surrealistic. While this classification is not completely erroneous, it fails to acknowledge some subtle differences between Curtis's artwork…

Keifer-Boyd and Kraft's (2003) article "Inclusion Policy in Practice" inspired the creation of a new art education course as well as this article. In response to their claim that preservice training should provide greater exposure to experiences with students with special needs, during the summer of 2007 a group of University of North Texas (UNT)…

One of the traditional privileges for teachers in the United States has been control over the curriculum. Unlike most countries in the world, the United States does not have a national curriculum "per se", enabling teachers to make curriculum decisions that most benefit local students. However, the Elementary and Secondary Act, also known as the…

Many graduate programs in North America require a course in the history of art education for master and doctoral students. When learners of all ages fail to see connections between their learning experience and educational outcomes, they are less motivated to engage actively, creatively, and responsibly in the construction of their own knowledge.…

Although it may seem like a fruitless task, art teachers must focus not only on their students and classes, but also on building community support to maintain a place in the schools and the lives of their students. To pursue this endeavor, art teachers need to encourage community members to see beyond the often taken-for-granted views of art…

Today's applicants for art teaching positions are expected to have a professional portfolio showing examples of their students' works as well as their own. Preparing these portfolios is a common part of teacher education programs and can be excellent preparation for a job interview. Additionally, teachers who are looking into changing positions…

The author was interested in seeing what would happen if children were given more latitude when making art in school. In January 2009, he began by setting up environments in his classroom wherein he hoped his students would feel free to create self-initiated forms of artmaking. Two times each week an hour was set aside for an activity called Open…

Using visual resources from everyday life in art lessons can enrich students' knowledge about the creation of visual images, artifacts, and sites, and develop their critical understanding about the cultural impact of these images and their effects on people's lives. Through examining an exhibition in the windows of Selfridges department store in…

When a collaborative approach is embraced, decentralization in the art classroom can consist of a non-linear exchange of ideas between teacher and students, allowing for necessary dialogue and conversation, ultimately leading to innovative exploration of materials and concepts. In this situation, students can become active learners as opposed to…

In the quest for more effective education, how can direct personal engagement with actual aesthetic experiences--attendance of performances, participation in artistic workshops and activities, and viewing of actual artworks--play an important role? Art educators have a tremendous opportunity to guide students to engage mind, body, and soul--until…

Showcasing the many forms and functions of art helps to articulate the fundamental importance of art education, whether it is to enhance the child or to support society. In illuminating the importance of art education, educators can eloquently argue about its value and contributions through an institutional tunnel, or they can take art education…