Describes six art activities for elementary and secondary art classes. Activities include designing a noise-making machine, the painting of pointillist pictures, drawing street scenes and still life photographs, making visual transparency projections to supplement student art history reports, and doing sketches of popcorn. (AM)

Asserts that aesthetic questions and aesthetic understanding provide the framework for learning in art. Contrasts formalism (the belief that art exists for its own sake) with contextualism (the belief that art is part of a social communication system). Maintains that a balanced art program should incorporate both approaches. (MJP)

If art reflects, transmits, and extends human culture, studio art should be taught in a socially conscious manner. A theoretical foundation and practical suggestions for implementing a socially-defined studio curriculum in art are presented. (RM)

Health and safety guidelines for secondary and elementary art classes are outlined. It is the teacher's responsibility to insist upon compliance. (RM)

The author urges art educators to contribute to holistic education by emphasizing the unique and alternative modes of thinking and acting which are intrinsic to visual arts. He presents two exercises to help students develop a perceptual rather than conceptual or linguistic mode. (Author/SJL)

As a method of convincing students that they can draw, and as a way of building self-confidence through positive results, the gridded drawing, a logical step-by-step method of perceptual problem solving, is an effective tool. A method by which to teach the gridded drawing is presented. (Author/KC)

Argues that drawing in art is a visual, intellectual, and emotional act. Provides suggestions for helping students understand these three perceptions. Discusses the impact on curriculum design in art education. (CFR)

Explores the sources of art criticism and reviews some extant pedagogical models. Outlines the content skills to be developed and the role of art criticism in a discipline-based teacher training curriculum. Recommends that art criticism should incorporate pedagogy and other disciplines of art. (KM)

Proposes a definition of art criticism and claims that art criticism can never be a neutral activity. Examines reasons and provides examples of value orientations. Suggests a method for criticizing art in an educational context. (CFR)

Maintains that the National Arts Standards allows for the inclusion of multicultural perspectives integrated within a dominant European American culture. This places the responsibility for a truly representative and multicultural curriculum back on the art teacher. Provides a neat and concise summary of the arguments for and against multicultural…

Argues that advocates of content-based art education and other art educators attempting to move art to a central place in the school curriculum are struggling against unrecognized social realities. Concludes that competing value structures of creativity versus acquiescence and originality versus conformity are responsible. (CFR)

Argues that Western civilization's use of formalism in art criticism is hierarchical and eurocentric. Suggests a more anthropological approach in which production of art is considered in the context of its native culture. Recommends emphasizing the human meaning in art over consideration of form or design. (MJP)

Asserts that content-based art education, which is dominated by discipline-based art education at the elementary level, is also represented by a secondary model developed within the International Baccalaureate Program. Maintains that the program provides a content-based structure and fosters thinking skills, creativity, and critical appreciation.…

Introduces a six-article symposium on interdisciplinary art education. Maintains that the specialization of modern societies presents a barrier between the arts and an interdisciplinary approach to arts education. Previews five articles that follow in the symposium. (CFR)