As educators, how do we foster the artistic abilities of our students and channel these abilities into a talent that someday might enrich their lives and identify a part of who they are as learners? For other students, exploring artistic concepts will provide them with another means of learning. In the article entitled Ways of Knowing:Exploring Artistic Representation of Concepts ( Duggan, 2007) the role of artistic expression in educational settings is explored. It is believed that providing your students with opportunities for artistic expression will increase student learning and their creative understanding of knowledge. Robinson et al. ( 2007) stated the importance of introducing arts into classrooms early in the educational process.
In The Unschooled Mind ( 1991) Gardner introduces the readers to "entry points." According to Gardner, " entry points" enables the learners to have an understanding of the subject by providing several approaches to it. The approaches include the narrational, the logical-quantitative, the foundational, the esthetic, and the experiential. The narrational (storytelling, chronology) includes videos, skits, or time lines. In logical-quantitative (numbers, deductive reasoning) equations, statistics, or problems are introduced. Experiential (hands-on, work tasks) approaches include products, inventions, or models. The esthetic (artistic elements and expressions) include poems, paintings, dance, or music. Foundational applications
(conceptual framework and big questions) consist of conceptual models, theories, or position papers. Students can also collaborate and work with their peers when applying artistic expression to a learning situation. Teachers can approach artistic modes of learning in response to everyday assignments through specific content and broad concepts. An example of this is taking a section of a textbook on weather and explain the concept through role play, poetry, creative writing, and drawing. Broad concepts such as truth, honesty, and freedom can be explored using Howard Gardner's eight intelligences. How might the students use their intelligence preference to express truth? freedom? or honesty?
Today's visit to the Asian art galleries was an insightful view into Gardner's "entry points." Kevin presented us with a wealth of information regarding these cultures and posed many reflective questions. It was an inspiring class today that has provided me with not only knowledge but the motivation and ambition to begin my tabletop exhibit as well as integrate art into my classroom curriculum. How can you use art to enable the learner to express the concept in creative and original ways? Our tabletop exhibit will be an example of utilizing art expression to teach a concept (or the understanding of a concept). What will our entry points be? Which mean of introducing the concept will we choose? Will we choose for the students to do a dance? Will we demonstrate an experiment? Will the students do some type of art expression activity?
Susan and I will be creating an exhibit with a theme of Native American children. We have not decided on our concept yet but we're hoping to figure it out tomorrow after we have had a chance to look through the supply list and plan for a few minutes. I'm excited and nervous because I'm not sure what the expectations are for the final product. I was happy to hear that Kevin will be sharing pictures of past projects that have been completed by other teachers. I want to create something meaningful that I will be able to use with my students in the fall. I already do a unit on Thanksgiving but my hope was creating a supplemental unit that can be shared with my colleagues. I already stated to research book titles and I purchased one already. Susan and I are trying to find time to meet so that we can create our design.
We have been provided with the foundational learning of so many skills. These skills will enable us to be not only more knowledgeable, but prepared with the tools in order for them to be successful learners.
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I am curious as to how you see those 8 multiple intelligences played out in your classroom of first graders. It seems to me from this article that is something you believe very strongly in. When did you start researching or using the idea of multiple intelligences in your classroom setting? Is this idea something that is widely held in your district or do you feel like the odd ball out?
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