The "Belle Époque" quest for a modern beauty (an 'art nouveau') extended into France's system of free primary schooling, established in the 1880s by the Third Republic to educate the popular masses. Design reformers' belief in the underlying unity of the fine and applied arts, and their growing emphasis on the importance of individual…

The Creative Learning Initiative (CLI), a collective impact partnership among the Austin Independent School District (AISD), the city of Austin, and MINDPOP (an arts partnership dedicated to expanding creative learning in Austin and representing over 50 arts and cultural agencies), created arts-rich schools at a rate that exceeded the benchmark…

Over the last several years, Tennessee has rapidly expanded the use of student growth portfolio models for the purpose of teacher evaluation. Participation, both in the number of districts and teachers, has increased steadily since portfolios were first introduced during the 2011-12 school year, and we expect that participation will continue to…

This practicum was designed to provide K-5 students with diverse cultural experiences through multicultural art education to develop cultural awareness. Community members, parents, museum docents, students, and staff pursued a year-long exploration into the diverse cultures of the world through the study, celebration, and sharing of heritages,…

A focus on school reform within the field of elementary education has brought an arts-integrated approach to teaching and learning to the forefront. This is not a new approach, as integrating what many call "hands-on activities" in the classroom is quite common. The difference lies in the quality and depth of the approach to teaching and learning,…

This document describes an art curriculum designed for elementary level students of Catholic schools. The curriculum aims to encourage student creativity and self expression as advocated by pre-Discipline Based Art Education (DBAE) art programs while presenting the subject matter emphasis of DBAE programs. Lesson suggestions are given for each of…

Surveyed students in two Des Moines elementary schools: one magnet school emphasizing fine arts and one regular elementary school. Compared the two groups to determine differences in their attitudes toward the arts and to examine the value of arts education as a vehicle for racial integration. (Author/GC)

Describes a pilot arts festival for elementary schools held in Richland County, South Carolina. Students attended theatrical performances and learned about audience etiquette. In each school, artists-in-residence taught crafts to small groups. The festival ended with a countywide, weekend art fair. (AM)

Reports on a three-day conference entitled "Creative Process in Education: Design for Quality Learning." Held at the University of Arizona in Tucson, the conference focused on integrating the arts into the elementary curriculum. Teaching ideas presented in workshop sessions are described. (Author/SJL)

The U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Schools exhibit best practices in art education, embodying high accomplishment, lofty aspirations, and transformative ideas. Principals should extend arts education offerings to all students; use the arts to enhance teaching, learning, and assessment of other subjects; capitalize on newer technologies;…

Discusses how six fundamental goals of education are attainable through education in the arts. An elementary teacher education training program designed to produce teachers who are effective at incorporating arts into general education is described. (AM)

Examines reasons for including art as a valuable component of the elementary school curriculum because of its potential to enrich the human experience. Uses theory and practical classroom experience to illustrate ways in which art education in the classroom supports the creation of a generative curriculum and assists in deepening the individual…

Explores how elementary children reflect upon a wide variety of visual humor, and what beliefs and assumptions arise in their responses. Finds that children found amusement in popular art, but not in fine art; have shared assumptions and understandings about humor by grade two; and that visual humor can expand children's concepts of art. (DSK)

Presents interviews with active and prominent professionals in the arts. Attempts to show how practitioners view the role of the arts in education. (Author/IRT)

This monograph, part of an ongoing series, discusses the need for school arts programs and provides some examples of how the arts can be infused into the regular curriculum at the elementary level. Support systems for such programs are also discussed. Properly conceived, the arts constitute a great integrating force in the curriculum. To achieve…