The authors decided to create a transdisciplinary science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) lesson for children focused on Charleston, South Carolina iron-gate artisan Philip Simmons and his work. The lesson taught about the art of Philip Simmons, as well as symbolism, mathematics, the process of 3D printing, and some history…

In this article, Jennifer, a PDS Liaison from the University of South Carolina, and Ashley, an art teacher at a PDS school, discuss a recent project that highlighted the exceptional instruction occurring at Pontiac Elementary School.

This study examines the art pedagogies at Southern African American high schools during the civil rights era (1955-1969). I examine three segregated high schools located in South Carolina as a lens to highlight art pedagogies that were practiced; I expose counterstories by three former students, a student teacher, and the wife of an art teacher; I…

A longitudinal analysis was used to investigate the relationships between school-level factors (poverty, location, size, ratings, and race/ethnicity) and visual arts achievement. Data were collected on 4th-grade students from 34 elementary schools that received Distinguished Arts Program grants in a southeastern state of the United States from…

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is a unifying framework for essential life skills, including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships, and responsible decision-making. In this article, we examine the intersection of SEL competencies with national accreditation policy, state standards, and course descriptions using…

Computing in the Arts (CITA) is an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts degree program, which integrates computer science with art theory and practice. We present a 6-year study that explores the impact of the CITA degree on broadening participation. We find that CITA attracts a different student population than traditional computer science degrees.…

Currently, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, math, and art) education is on the rise. Asmore schools are adopting a STEAM model, professional development is needed. Non-arts teachers need to learn how to infuse the arts into STEM subjects and vice versa. Teachers need to understand that STEAM education must use culturally relevant teaching…

This article examines the initial journey of a middle school in South Carolina from a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) curriculum to a STEAM (STEM + art) curriculum. This is the first of a three-year longitudinal study that investigated the perceptions of the effectiveness, relative importance, and sustainability of a STEAM…

Art can provide a vehicle for animating learning. Teachers bring ideas to life through curriculum, while artists realize their ideas through images, often translating between forms, media and spaces. This paper describes the context, content and format of a residential Summer Arts Academy for gifted and talented middle and high school students,…

The author discusses the benefits of nontraditional assessments and shares how she has used them in her 5th-grade classroom in rural South Carolina. The examples include doing a Gallery Walk, writing poetry, integrating the arts into other subjects, having students reenact historical scenes, using social media, and rewriting popular songs with…

Regardless of the type of arts activity, the importance of the arts in afterschool programs cannot be overestimated. As the arts are increasingly marginalized in public school systems, afterschool arts education can be an alternative way to integrate the arts into children's academic experiences or build on their in-school arts experiences (Briggs…

In this article, the authors report on usage of 21st-century technology, and a collaborative project that allowed middle school art students and preservice teachers to share their artwork and receive feedback in a constructivist learning environment. Middle school students often deal with issues such as bullying, divorce, and depression; they can…

Art educators should be concerned with teaching their students to make critical connections between the classroom and the outside world. One effective way to make these critical connections is to provide students with the opportunity to engage in community-based art endeavors. In this article, three university art educators discuss engaging…

The arts and music have been unintended victims of the No Child Left Behind Act. Several reports point to sharp reductions in student access to K-12 arts education, yet some school districts nationwide have managed to buck the trend. These districts, in communities rural through urban, are systemically embedding the arts at the core of teaching…

Briefly describes a South Carolina program and art exhibitions in which the school has participated. (JM)