Examines an unusual approach to aesthetic education utilizing open-ended philosophical inquiries (conundrums) to facilitate class discussions. The conundrums were submitted by artists, gallery owners, and teachers. Results showed the approach to be an effective adjunct to instruction, provided the teachers could refrain from "filling in"…

Explores misconceptions about the place of the arts in early childhood education. Notes that children's creativity usually flourishes in a play-like atmosphere where children have the time, materials, opportunity, and social support to experiment. Suggests three ways to facilitate children's artistic growth and creative expression, and includes a…

Examines basic issues about art education including its content, relevance to students' lives, creativity, and testing and accountability. Argues that art educators need to work at diagnosing problems, improving learning, and making opportunities for students rather than attempting to make art education accountable by submitting it to formal…

Providing suggestions for parents and teachers, this anecdotal collection of an early childhood educator's experiences and insights emphasizes the importance of developing the decision-making capabilities of young children. Fundamentally, the discussion asserts that one of the major responsibilities of adults is to give children freedom to learn…

Argues that the arts are basic to educational development, as they provide the tools and skills that are central to early language development including story, metaphor, rhyme and rhythm, binary structuring and mediation, image formation from words, affective abstraction, and others that underlie more complex learning. (Author)

Prepared as a sequel to the College Board Educational Equality Project's "Academic Preparation for College: What Students Need To Know and Be Able To Do," this book examines curricular ideas, teaching strategies, arts learning rationales, and related issues. The arts are defined as separate fields of study which offer a distinctive…

Describes two studies of art instruction offered to secondary school students which integrated art production with critical and historical learning and provided some comparisons with non-integrated approaches. Provides observations of high school art programs that included art history and criticism as part of the integrated art curriculum. (AEM)

Shows how two approaches, nurture (subject-matter centered) and nature (child-centered), have affected education and art education over the years. Concludes that whichever approach is fashionable, art education must be relevant to students' lives and they should be able to talk intelligently about art. (KM)

Fifty teachers from the St. Louis, Missouri area have been involved in a project to bring the development strategies used by the Reggio Emilia preschools in Italy to the United States. Their experiences suggest that teachers need to adopt professional development plans that identify goals, select methods of support to achieve these goals, plan for…

A variety of educational issues and techniques are discussed in 12 essays by faculty and students at the Connecticut community colleges. Phillip Wheaton recalls the austere beginnings of Middlesex Community College (MCC). Mary-Jo Hewitt describes her adjustment to a four-year college after transferring from MCC. Following a poem by James Childs,…

This article came about as the result of a chance meeting of the author, Anthony Paskell with Bob Aller, (a West Coast artist) and the remarkable experience that evolved. Mr. Aller held a series of art sessions on various Indian Reserves, all based on his unique approach to the teaching of Art (and art-related experiences)--a non-teaching…

Presents four articles that examine the role of art experiences in early childhood education: "Educationally Appropriate Art Activities for Young Children," by Bernard Spodek; "Teachers and Children Together: Constructing New Learning," by Lella Gandini; "Fostering Experiences between Young Children and Clay," by Cathy Weisman Topal; and…

Contends that an integrated curriculum approach increases student motivation and makes learning easier because lessons have wider applications. Suggests that discipline-based art education promotes an interdisciplinary approach, particularly with social studies and language arts. Provides an example of an instructional unit combining social…

Argues for placing art education at the center of a radically reconstituted liberal arts curriculum. This curriculum would elevate aesthetic education (music, dance, art) to the same level as the more traditional subjects. Calls for a thorough integration of these subjects with an emphasis on experiential learning. (MJP)

Observes that the focus and special quality of art education can sometimes be diluted in an interdisciplinary setting. Provides several examples and suggests creative and cooperative responses. Includes guidelines for maintaining quality art instruction in an interdisciplinary context. (MJP)