Why Art Education is So Important
Author and art teacher Eileen S. Prince discusses the importance of teaching art to children - and explains her ambitious art curriculum!
Commitment: In Art is Fundamental: Teaching the Elements and Principles of Art in Elementary School, you propose a specific curriculum for teaching the elements and principles of art. What are the basics of this curriculum and how did you develop it?
Eileen S. Prince: This is a truly fascinating question for me, because I simply can’t remember the particular thought process that led me to design this specific curriculum. About 30 years ago, I was teaching art part time and working on my Masters part time, and as I studied for my degree, I applied what I was learning in my classroom. I am a person who loves logic and order (although you’d never know that from looking inside my car!), and I really hated the rather scattershot approach to art education that was so prevalent at that time. Remember, this was before the first Getty Report and all the materials that have been developed for art teachers since then. Bit by bit, I created a program that I felt made more sense and that taught something. A great deal of art education back then revolved around “being creative.” There are still those who believe that if you have a structured curriculum, you will somehow inhibit the student’s creativity. (I believe I talk about this in one of my books.) Eventually, I developed the sequential curriculum I use today. It was definitely formed before I came to Sycamore in 1985. Students in grades 1-3 focus on the elements and principles of art, students in grades 4-7 study art history, and eighth graders begin by exploring criticism/aesthetics and figure drawing before spending a relatively free year developing their personal styles.
Commitment: Why is art education so important?
Eileen: Wow – this answer could turn into another book! Seriously, this is an even more vital question in today’s society, although I believe valid art ed has always been important. First, I would urge anyone who has not done so to read Daniel Pink’s book, A Whole New Mind. He explains why it is so important for success in the 21st century to develop those skills and abilities we refer to as “right-brained.” And Elliott Eisner points out that art is a different way of “knowing” the world. For some children, it is the best way. Some kids will learn geometry or social studies or history better through art. It increases vocabulary and gives us insights into other cultures. Actually, the benefits of a valid art program are enormous. To quote from the philosophy I wrote for the art program at Sycamore, a quality art curriculum:
…presents projects as visual problems to be solved, not as predetermined “cookie-cutter outcomes. It requires constant decision-making on the part of the student, demands high standards of student achievement, and instills in the pupil a deep respect for art as a discipline. It promotes intellectual honesty and curiosity, and it encourages diversity. It discourages judgments based upon ignorance and prejudice. Unlike other academic subjects, it recognizes myriad “right” answers, and it offers socially acceptable ways to express strong views and emotions. It is essential to the formation of a well-rounded individual.
(A good) art program…is rigorous and substantive…The philosophy…is based upon the firm belief that such rigor promotes creativity, develops critical thinking skills, and enhances self-esteem through the achievement of high standards. It recognizes that art is a primary means of transmitting culture and that students deserve access to all the contributions of civilization.
Art is a universal language. As with any language, the more one understands its vocabulary, structure and nuance, the better one may communicate. Art educated students are able to express themselves more fluently and are more capable of understanding what other artists are trying to say. For some students…the visual arts may offer the most viable avenue of self-expression.
Not to mention all the great jobs out there these days for people who have art skills combined with computer literacy! And the fact that learning to be more visually observant could enhance a career in the sciences or make you a better writer – I could go on forever.
One last word on this topic: it is vital that schools and parents offer students the opportunity to find their passion. How will a child know that music or art or drama or dance allows her spirit to soar if she never has a chance to experience these disciplines? Every time we cut art from a school curriculum, we not only deny a student a possible career, we may be denying him the chance to find that activity that makes him truly happy.
Commitment: How can art teachers integrate other subjects such as math or science into an art curriculum?
Eileen: Other subjects are integrated into my art curriculum throughout Art is Fundamental, but this question is actually the subject of my first book, Art Matters: Strategies, Ideas and Activities to Strengthen Learning Across the Curriculum, so I won’t go into great length here. Math is almost a given (symmetry, form, shape, line, perspective, graphing, etc.) as are history and social studies – I teach art history from a cultural/historical perspective. Physics of light and anatomy, writing to accompany art – the possibilities are endless.
Commitment: How can art class increase a child’s vocabulary?
Eileen: How can it not? From the day we discuss the word “portfolio,” on the first day of first grade, through the years to “vanitas” and “perspective” and “abstract”- I don’t think a period goes by without the use of some term that expands a child’s vocabulary.
Commitment: At what stage do you recommend teaching art history to students?
Eileen: If I were designing the national art curriculum, I would do what I always have done at my schools. I would introduce art history in 4th or 5th grade and teach it sequentially – that is, I would start with Prehistoric times and move through time in order to the present. I would also integrate all the Humanities, the way we do in the Sycamore Middle School. Here, all students entering fifth grade begin with Prehistoric times and move through the Middle Ages. All sixth graders start with the Renaissance and proceed into the Industrial Revolution, and seventh graders work up to the present. This timeline applies to Language Arts, Social Studies, History, Art, and Music History. Thus, when I am teaching my unit on Classical Greece and Rome in art class, those students are studying the history, culture, mythology and literature of those cultures in other classes. Since I stress culture, history, geography and other such aspects of the period in my classes, the students get constant reinforcement. I have a real problem with teaching a “Picasso” or “Rembrandt” unit out of context, although I fully understand the necessity for this approach in most programs. But I want my students to understand why Picasso came when he did – what cultural forces allowed him to be Picasso. Why didn’t Impressionism happen in the Middle Ages? How do you teach about the Renaissance rebirth of Classical philosophy if your students have never studied Classical philosophy? That being said, I do use famous art works to illustrate elements and principles in the early grades. We simply discuss them from a more structural/compositional perspective. I really believe students need to be a bit older to understand some of the historical material. However, I totally understand that most classes have constant turnover and teachers have to seize the moment. And I do think kids learn a lot out about the individual artists in such units. This isn’t an ideal world. I discuss this topic at greater length in Art Matters.
Commitment: How important is it for art classes to be hands-on?
Eileen: Totally, completely vital. Not every single class, of course – I introduce a lot of stuff with visuals and discussion – but one of the reasons that art is a practically perfect subject is that it encompasses all the ways people learn: aurally, visually and kinetically. In other classes, you take a test, write a paper or solve a problem. In art, the project shows if you understood the material. Of course, there is also the expressionistic component. Each artist has a unique way of solving the visual problem, so projects allow students to display their personal point of view. In upper grades, the projects help develop a true appreciation for the challenges and difficulties of certain styles. Art also allows those with less verbal skills to shine.
Commitment: How do you grade your students?
Eileen: I discuss this at some length in Art is Fundamental. Students in my classes keep portfolios throughout the year. When looking at student work, I am judging creativity, craftsmanship and comprehension. Overall, I tend to look for evidence of effort. A student who works hard and pays attention will probably do well in the three areas I just mentioned. Also, I am constantly critiquing good and not-so-good choices as the student works, so that by the time the child turns in the project, it is in great shape. In Lower School, we use a 4-3-2-1 system. A “3” means the student has done everything quite well: the work shows comprehension of the concepts involved, it does not look like anyone else’s, and the craftsmanship is nice. A “4” implies all of that, but the work is exceptional in some way. “2” implies the student is on the right track, but some work is needed. “1” obviously means the student has some serious issues. We also grade effort and behavior separately. In Middle School, I simply use A,B,C,D and F, but the rubric is the same.
Commitment: What advice do you have for new art teachers?
Eileen: Please use my books! Seriously, my advice would be to have a point of view – some personal philosophy that unifies and informs your curriculum. Most projects teach something and it’s great to have fun, but is there an underlying purpose to the assignment? Is there is a structure that goes beyond random, disjointed lessons? There are some great programs out there these days. Look them over to get a feel for the philosophy you like.
Also, if you can observe a great veteran teacher, you will be way ahead. Think about classroom setup and cleanup. (I talk about this in my book.) And learn how to critique honestly without being mean. You don’t have to praise everything your students do - in fact you shouldn’t – but there are productive and destructive ways to make your point. There are more specific suggestions that can help, too, like beginning each class in primary grades with a brief review – it helps settle the kids, reminds them of the concepts and focuses them on the task at hand. I have tried to include as much help as possible in my books. Finally, HAVE FUN! How are your students supposed to enjoy art class if you don’t?
Commitment: Your curriculum is very ambitious! As you note in your introductions, you are fortunate to be working in a school which values the arts and backs that up with a generous budget. How can art teachers in public schools or schools with more limited budgets adapt your curriculum?
Eileen: Actually, as far as the curriculum in Art Is Fundamental goes, the supplies needed are generally crayons, pencils, paper, scissors, four jars of tempera, watercolors, markers and glue. Portfolios could be made by taping two 12” x 18” pieces of paper together, and other adaptations can be made. I do understand that some schools don’t have even these basic supplies, but there are a couple of alternatives. One of the things I point out in my book is that it is the structure of the curriculum that is important. A teacher might follow my format, but use different projects – ones that don’t require much more than crayons and pencils. I developed this program when I taught on a shoestring, and in the early days at Sycamore, I had a tiny budget. Another possibility is to obtain the materials through donation. If I were teaching in a disadvantaged school, I would call the art teacher at the richest school in the area – public or private – and ask if my school could have their usable used materials at the end of each year. Watercolors, mismatched markers, old crayons, etc. (I donate materials we are no longer using to an inner city community center.) I would also call Binney Smith and any other manufacturer of art materials to see if they have media to donate.
On this very topic, I just received a wonderful e-mail from an artist in California. When she learned that all the arts in her district had been cut for budget reasons, she offered to donate her services in a local elementary school. She wrote to say she uses my books as her guide and how successful the program has been, so obviously it can work in a very depressed area.
I’m so glad you liked the book – thanks for inviting me to your website!
Eileen Prince has been an art specialist in Indianapolis-area schools and Sycamore School for the Gifted since 1970. The art curriculum she designed at Sycamore School has won recognition on both local and national levels. Her art work appears in art collections both here and abroad. Eileen holds a master's degree with distinction in art education from Herron School of Art/Indiana University. Her accomplishments have been recognized in Outstanding Young Women of America (1974) and Who's Who in American Education (1996-97). She has served as consultant to a variety of individual teachers and school corporations and speaks frequently at workshops and conferences. Eileen and her husband, Irwin, reside in Indianapolis, IN. Visit Eileen at her website, www.eileensprince.com.
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