Philosophy and ArtChildren are natural born philosophers. The questions I have been tasked with by a five year old range from "If God created everything, who created God?", and "Why did God create dreams?" Philosophy comes naturally to small children. Thomas Wartenberg poses that philosophers are really children who have never outgrown their sense of wonder with the mysteries of the world.
I propose that teaching philosophy should be vital in the elementary curriculum, and Art lends itself naturally as an expression of this process. 21st Century Competencies ask teachers to focus on fostering Creativity and Innovation. Children enter school with a natural inquisitiveness. It is our job to celebrate this curiosity, and build this spirit of inquiry throughout their educational years. Essential Question:
|
The Plan...Asking and honouring big questions...
1. Focus on creating a classroom culture that promotes children taking charge of their own learning through student led inquiry and PBL's that honour their natural curiosity. Use art as a vehicle for engaging with big questions and exploring our own unique perspectives. 2. In my position as Arts Integration lead I have the opportunity to help teachers become comfortable teaching through the arts, and to explore it's potential for adding depth and connection across the curriculum. |
Artists naturally grapple with philosophical issues. When you contemplate all of the topics and issues we explore in school, there is an artist in the world grappling with those same topics in their work.
We started the year off exploring the universal themes in art. These are topics of investigation that hold our curiosity world wide. When we start with these universals we begin a conversation. Children are provided the opportunity to hear and explore a global consciousness, as well as develop their own voice from their personal experiences. Most of all they see the opportunities for their voices to grow and be heard.
Teachers learn to use the arts to add depth and differentiation to their teaching. They explore the potential of the arts to allow students to engage with social and cultural issues; as well as promoting personal exploration and encouraging unique expression.
We started the year off exploring the universal themes in art. These are topics of investigation that hold our curiosity world wide. When we start with these universals we begin a conversation. Children are provided the opportunity to hear and explore a global consciousness, as well as develop their own voice from their personal experiences. Most of all they see the opportunities for their voices to grow and be heard.
Teachers learn to use the arts to add depth and differentiation to their teaching. They explore the potential of the arts to allow students to engage with social and cultural issues; as well as promoting personal exploration and encouraging unique expression.
|
Examples from the classroom...
Grade Six Students explored Optical Illusions
Optical illusions occur because our brain is trying to interpret what we see and make sense of the world around us. Our students investigated how much of our reality is shaped by our perceptions. This project encouraged children to explore how our biology affects our perceptions of reality, to answer 'What is Real'? Art, Science, Math, Language Arts, |
Grade Five Students Explored Kaleidoscopes
The kaleidoscope has intrigued people of all ages for centuries. Students explored constants in play over history, and the mechanics of light and reflection by taking apart toy kaleidoscopes, and building their own toys inspired from their observations. Art, Science, Math, Language Arts, Social Studies |
Assessment...
I feel strongly that explorative learning tasks not be graded. When we ask students to take risks and grapple with new challenges, they need to feel free to make mistakes and to have their ideas fail. It is a wonderful opportunity to focus on growth mindset and resilience. It is not a place to assess their skill and grade their performance. Furthermore, assigning a grade can be detrimental to the risks that the students are willing to take.
Assessment during these hands on learning explorations should focus on building student reflection, and documenting their learning progress for them to review. As teachers we need to explore with students the difference between performance zones of working: when you are showing the depth of mastery of a skill, and attempting to minimize all mistakes; and Learning Zones: When we are focused on learning new and challenging skills, with the expectation of mistakes, knowing that we will learn from them.
Below is an example of a student reflection formative assessment for the Kaleidoscope project with grade five. It's purpose is to encourage students to reflect on their learning experience, not just the success of the product they created. Students were also encouraged to create a video explaining their discoveries and building attempts, to help inform other grades that try the project as to the challenges they may encounter, and hints for success.
Assessment during these hands on learning explorations should focus on building student reflection, and documenting their learning progress for them to review. As teachers we need to explore with students the difference between performance zones of working: when you are showing the depth of mastery of a skill, and attempting to minimize all mistakes; and Learning Zones: When we are focused on learning new and challenging skills, with the expectation of mistakes, knowing that we will learn from them.
Below is an example of a student reflection formative assessment for the Kaleidoscope project with grade five. It's purpose is to encourage students to reflect on their learning experience, not just the success of the product they created. Students were also encouraged to create a video explaining their discoveries and building attempts, to help inform other grades that try the project as to the challenges they may encounter, and hints for success.
Examples of other topics/projects explored throughout the year...
Kindergarten...
Storytelling: Connecting traditional fairytales that the students know and love, with traditional stories from various cultures and reflecting on why they get handed down from one generation to the next.
"Why do people tell stories?"
We used a traditional oral story of the Salish and Pend d'Oreille people, (published in support of the restoration of the river systems and the health of the Bull Trout), to connect our trout raising project to story telling, and the importance of taking care of the natural world.
Students also built sock puppets during our puppetry residency. They had a puppetry picnic where they performed for each other and enjoyed snacks. This was an amazing opportunity to explore storytelling through imaginative play, and many of the stories they learned in the classroom came to life in their mini theatre!
Storytelling: Connecting traditional fairytales that the students know and love, with traditional stories from various cultures and reflecting on why they get handed down from one generation to the next.
"Why do people tell stories?"
We used a traditional oral story of the Salish and Pend d'Oreille people, (published in support of the restoration of the river systems and the health of the Bull Trout), to connect our trout raising project to story telling, and the importance of taking care of the natural world.
Students also built sock puppets during our puppetry residency. They had a puppetry picnic where they performed for each other and enjoyed snacks. This was an amazing opportunity to explore storytelling through imaginative play, and many of the stories they learned in the classroom came to life in their mini theatre!
Grade One...
Grade one explored patterning and symmetry in nature. They took a nature walk looking for examples of patterning in the natural world, and reinforced the concept that nature loves balance, and math is the science of patterning. They looked closely at details in nature using small rope circles to explore and draw what they saw.
Grade one explored patterning and symmetry in nature. They took a nature walk looking for examples of patterning in the natural world, and reinforced the concept that nature loves balance, and math is the science of patterning. They looked closely at details in nature using small rope circles to explore and draw what they saw.
Grade Two...
Grade two looked at how culture is expressed through the arts. They learned about northern Canadian artists, examining soap stone carving and heard the traditional 'dancing bear' stories that inspire many Iqaluit carvers. They then tried their hand at soap stone carving animals that are native to Alberta, and were encouraged to explore traditional oral tales related to those animals. Next, they did an investigation into the art of Ted Harris and Robbie Craig. They connected how the geography and animals in a region play an integral role in communicat the identity of the region. Again they connected animals and topographic features of their own community through paintings, while reconstructing the linear style of the studied artists and learning about colour theory.
Expressing our culture through an investigation of the shape of our land and the animals we share it with.
Grade two looked at how culture is expressed through the arts. They learned about northern Canadian artists, examining soap stone carving and heard the traditional 'dancing bear' stories that inspire many Iqaluit carvers. They then tried their hand at soap stone carving animals that are native to Alberta, and were encouraged to explore traditional oral tales related to those animals. Next, they did an investigation into the art of Ted Harris and Robbie Craig. They connected how the geography and animals in a region play an integral role in communicat the identity of the region. Again they connected animals and topographic features of their own community through paintings, while reconstructing the linear style of the studied artists and learning about colour theory.
Expressing our culture through an investigation of the shape of our land and the animals we share it with.
Grade Three...
Exploring Ukrainian culture through pysanky egg decorating: The students created their own eggs using traditional symbols that they had been studying in their classroom explorations. They looked at the importance of eggs as a symbol of new life and the role of that symbol in our own Catholic Easter traditions.
Exploring Ukrainian culture through pysanky egg decorating: The students created their own eggs using traditional symbols that they had been studying in their classroom explorations. They looked at the importance of eggs as a symbol of new life and the role of that symbol in our own Catholic Easter traditions.
Grade Four...
Grade Four took on a team building challenge to help build their community. Each team was challenged to build a structure that is tall and strong using only paper- no glue, no tape- only paper! This engineer challenge had them practicing team work, communication, engineering and design. They were encouraged to look at other groups success and failures to help inform their own progress and design.
After this challenge, the students looked at the origami art of Robert J. Lang, and it's applications in math, science and engineering. Armed with the knowledge that creativity can transform folding a simple piece of paper to impacting design in medicine technologies and satellites, the students then explored their own artistic expressions through origami.
After this challenge, the students looked at the origami art of Robert J. Lang, and it's applications in math, science and engineering. Armed with the knowledge that creativity can transform folding a simple piece of paper to impacting design in medicine technologies and satellites, the students then explored their own artistic expressions through origami.
Grade Seven...
Making homemade paper from recyclable paper waste. The students experimented with dyeing their papers different colours and adding in mixed media for various effects. They examined the variables that created the most successful sheets and thicknesses and experimented with combining pulp colours by adding their own new steps to the process they had been taught. The students then used the paper they created in classroom creations. This project was part of our school wide art response to earth week!
Making homemade paper from recyclable paper waste. The students experimented with dyeing their papers different colours and adding in mixed media for various effects. They examined the variables that created the most successful sheets and thicknesses and experimented with combining pulp colours by adding their own new steps to the process they had been taught. The students then used the paper they created in classroom creations. This project was part of our school wide art response to earth week!
Reflection
I thoroughly enjoyed our explorations in developing art practices inspired from universal themes. The students were engaged in the hands on activities and seeing the way each student brought their unique personality into the interpretations they made was beyond inspiring. The teacher, student, and parent support indicated that our explorations had a positive effect on student learning.
I look forward to continueing with these goals in the future. I hope to encourage more student led explorations as we develop familiarity with a wide variety of art practices, and more depth as the teachers and myself become more experienced integrated the art practices into our curriculum outcomes.
I look forward to continueing with these goals in the future. I hope to encourage more student led explorations as we develop familiarity with a wide variety of art practices, and more depth as the teachers and myself become more experienced integrated the art practices into our curriculum outcomes.