| Art
in the Curriculum
By
Marcia Osterink
Leadership
in education lies with those who understand the complex dual functions
– verbal and visual – of the brain, and are open to making the
creative process the centerpiece of education. These enlightened
educators no longer regard teaching visual art as an educational
ornamentation. They are making it an essential part of the curriculum.
What did it take for educators to make this shift in thinking?
Throwing away old misconceptions, for example that art is a mindless
activity involving only the use of hands. Rudolph Arnheim, Harvard
professor of the psychology of art, says that all thought processes
rely on images. The belief that only those who are “gifted” in
art can experience success, is another misconception. No other
subject in school is approached with the idea that you need to
be good in it to learn it.
Art is a skill everyone could have according to a study done by
Roger Sperry at Cal Tech. It shows that all people can learn to
draw, as every brain has the potential for it. It is the right
side of the brain specifically that controls imagining and visualizing.
By accessing this part of the brain, a person can learn to draw.
Art is not just a nice little ability, either. According
to educational psychologist Howard Gardener of Harvard University,
there are seven intelligences, not just the two that are now tested
by the IQ and SAT tests. One of the neglected intelligences, spatial
intelligence, deals directly with art.
Once convinced of the importance of art education, planning for
a program begins. A program with the principles and concepts of
art taught in a sequential fashion. Where line, color , shape,
and texture are repeated throughout the grades with hands on lessons.
Through art, students can begin to experience a new visual world.#
Marcia
Osterink is the publisher and CEO of Arts Attack, an elementary
school arts curriculum.
Education
Update, Inc., P.O. Box 20005, New York, NY 10001.
Tel: (212) 481-5519. Fax: (212) 481-3919.Email: ednews1@aol.com.
All material is copyrighted and may not be printed without express
consent of the publisher. © 2002.
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