Crystal Gauna August 7, 2013 Arts Integration Introduction I was surprised when I read in Creating Meaning through Literature

and the Arts that visual brain receptors outnumber auditory receptors 30 to 1surprised not that there are more visual receptors, but that the number was so high. (Cornett, 141) This is a simple but important fact which can help us remember that not only is it important that we use a variety of approaches in our teaching, but it is crucial to include visuals. We need to remember that visuals are not only pictures but they can include graphic organizers, physical representations, hands-on activities, etc. As demonstrated by an example found in my Learning to Teach textbook about how seeing is a process of detecting reflected light, even simple visuals can greatly increase students understanding. (Arends, 331) Another key is to go beyond literal visual resources because creative thinking involves imagining possibilities; we will discover great benefits for our students by demonstrating how to visualize. (Cornett, 49) Important concepts in the visual arts I plan to teach my students Based on these ideas, I think it is very worthwhile to teach my students visual arts concepts. After all, every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up. (Pablo Picasso) If we can teach our students how to visualize their ideas and create visual representations of their thinking, we will be giving them an important life skill. Neither words nor images can ever show everything we mean, but with both we have a greater ability to communicate. (Cornett, 145) Not everyone is a skilled painter or a talented sculptor, but by studying various art media as well as other forms of communication, I will help my students to discover what works best for each of them as well as finding creative ways to express themselves. I want them to understand that it doesnt matter if they are the best at something. Rather, the most important thing is that they are able to express themselves in a way that is satisfying to them and helps them to be understood by others. Another valuable reason for learning about the visual arts is to find ways to work things out for ourselves. We may not always intend to share our art with others, but being able to visualize ideas and create representations of our thinking can help us problem solve. The visual arts provide many ways to do this which is why students need to know that technology is an important resource. As I learned in my Assistive Technology class, visuals help make learning more meaningful and technology helps us access what may not be accessible in person. Finally, the visual arts can also be the ideal context for teaching students other skills like selfmonitoring, self-instruction, and goal setting. (IRIS, SOS) Naturally, I will teach my students procedures from day one and I will communicate my expectations as clearly as possible. Nevertheless, until I provide some means for student choice I may not have their full cooperation and I may not see the full extent of what they are capable of. Teaching the various elements of the arts will enable me to give them more freedom over time. As they learn how to think critically, solve problems creatively, set goals, and be flexible, all of these skills should transfer to the rest of their classroom work and beyond. How I plan to arrange my classroom environment to promote arts integration As I learned during my Introduction to Teaching class last fall, the arrangement of the classroom affects everything from movement, to focus, to the overall tone of the class. Tone is possibly the most important aspect of the classroom environment. The arts give hope by reminding us that with everyone there is lovely potential. (Cornett, 67) However, children learn what they live. (Cornett, 68) We must structure environments that encourage the characteristics we want our students to display. We know not all children have the best living conditions or examples at home, but they all deserve stability and support. So whatever we can do to provide a safe, welcoming place for them to learn and experiment, the better off they will be. The better off we will all be. As far as the physical layout, one of my goals will be that when people enter my classroom they feel welcome and comfortable which is important if I want them to focus and be willing to experiment. My

other goal is that I can arrange the room in a way that is conducive to learning with the arts. This means open space that allows for movement, wall space for displaying charts and student work, plenty of accessible storage space for art materials, and grouping desks for students to be able to do individual, partner, or group work while ensuring a clear view of everything used in presenting lessons which will include a variety of presentation methods. Also, procedures will be thought out in the hopes of creating a natural flow in the room so students can obtain what they need when they need it. Hopefully all of this will convey that I value the arts and I want my students to appreciate them as well. Specific teaching practices in the visual arts I plan to use in my classroom TechnologyIt is so important for students to have plenty of opportunities to learn in ways that are meaningful to them, and that could be something different for each student. In this respect I think that by teaching both technology and the visual arts my students will have the best chance of reaching their potential. I believe they really do go hand in hand so teaching my students how to use technology will enhance their interaction with the visual arts. They are both creative outlets that help us learn as we research and practice different forms of expression. Technology may enhance what they learn about communication and creative problem solving through the visual arts by giving them more ways to share their work. They are also both about experimentation and discovery. Technology may help students to work out ideas before trying them in the arts, and they may even find the means of expression that works best for them is a combination. For example, a student may use robotics along with some art media to demonstrate a concept for science. Another combination could be for a portfolio. A student may display her body of work with a collage which could involve technology to copy then crop pictures to make a large puzzle. Storytelling to teachI really enjoyed what I learned about storytelling and various study activities from my Assistive Technology class. I think the visual arts lend themselves well to being used in storytelling and other teaching methods, whether they come from the students or famous artists. In contrast to a rambling list of facts or instructions, learning from stories can be much more powerful because they help us gain ownership of information by holding our interest and motivating us to think about it. Of course first-hand knowledge is most likely to stick, but we cant and shouldnt experience everything first-hand. Often people respond to information by asking, how do you know, have you done that, how do you know that will work for me? As a teacher I can demonstrate my authority on a matter by sharing what I myself have done or what I have observed and using visual arts can support my storytelling approach. Having seen the principles in action myself will give me credibility and using visuals will help students to be more engaged and to understand. Storytelling to demonstrate learningStudents may also gain ownership of material by having opportunities to express what they learned through storytelling. Storytelling with various forms of media allows them to be creative, it gives them autonomy as they choose how to demonstrate their understanding of concepts by choosing a situation to which theyll apply the concept, and it empowers them because they will learn important skills in the process of thinking creatively to develop their story and their artwork. Telling a story may be less intimidating and more enjoyable than simply giving a report, and its a great way to get to know students and develop mutual trust. Personal expressionI like the idea of using something from their lives to create art. There will be times when we just focus on methods or study a particular artist and students can create based purely on imagination, but I think their artwork would hold more meaning for them and help us understand them even better if it represents some aspect of their lives. The visual arts provide the perfect means for students to tell the parts of their stories they want to share and represent some things the way they wish they were. Just as with writing, students may feel better about it if they can base their piece on real experience but edit it. Its about more than just acknowledging how things are or celebrating what they like. In thinking about how things are and what they wish was different they are encouraged to think creatively and visualize. This not only creates an opportunity to problem solve about what to express in their art but also to consider what they can do to take control of the course of their lives.

Small formatsJust as comic books would be fun to use for readers theater because theyd have students interest immediately and the visuals would provide context to guide their voices and body language, I think this format would be a great way for students to share about themselves or sum up something like a social studies unit. Just as technology would be helpful for creating students portfolios, it could be used to create a comic book showing what the class learned throughout the year. It would showcase students accomplishments in two ways: there could be photos of the class and their creations as well as drawings by students who may not have excelled in3-dimensional forms of visual art. I think this would be a fun and memorable way for students to share their work with classmates and others, and Im pretty sure they would enjoy looking back at it for many years to follow. Classroom resourcesAnother fun way to implement students completed work into the class would be to use pictures of their artwork to make flashcards for various concepts. I have used flashcards a lot for myself and with students, but I think they would be even more fun and meaningful for students if they showcased their own work. I would like to acknowledge their learning and their creations as much as possible so it would be cool to add some of their work to my teaching materials each year. I know students would enjoy seeing what prior classes have made, they would look forward to being able to add their own work, and they will probably feel proud knowing their work will be celebrated for the years to come. EncouragementI feel it is imperative that students feel supported in school. Some parents really dont seem to be in the loop on that so it falls even more on teachers to not only provide materials and present information, but also to encourage our students in every aspect of their lives. It will be important to help students understand that everybody makes mistakes to the point of failing, and disappointments dont have to end our pursuits whether in regards to learning or doing things purely for fun. I will share stories of encouragement with them some of which will be about people they know of so they realize it is up to them to persist. For example, Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because he did not have any good ideas, and Thomas Edison had difficulty in school with rote learning, spelling, grammar, syntax, arithmetic and overall classroom performance. Im sure they will be amazed to learn of those who failed and hopefully will learn to see failure as an opportunity. Specific critical thinking strategies to engage my students in through our work in the visual arts. AI planning seeks meaningful connections across grade levels and among disciplines to make instruction more brain friendly and more lifelikethe arts expand the number and kinds of communication pathways for students (Cornett, 61) As I teach my students about art and through art, I hope they will gain and improve on many critical thinking strategies. Studying works of art will hone cognitive skills like observation and evidence-based reasoning. Considering the meaning behind each work will help them develop respect for diversity while promoting attention to detail. As they discuss and write about art, they will use more elaborative thinking and stronger descriptive language. (Cornett, 145) As teachers of course we would like for all our students to build personal meaning from everything we present, but the arts provide us with a plethora of options to help them learn how to do this. Using the tools of language arts and the fine arts they will be better able to learn through experimentation and communicate not only what they have learned but also their own ideas. Whether they can actually understand or relate to every piece of artwork doesnt matter. The key is that they learn how to explore so generally speaking they will be able to understand how things are and finds ways to change what they feel needs to be changed, both in school and out. In addition to integrating the arts into routines and lessons, I will try to allow regular time for independent work. Students need opportunities to explore their own ideas and practice techniques that interest them. Through ongoing self-evaluation and feedback from peers as well as myself, they will develop the critical life skills of goal setting and self-monitoring. All of this will help motivate them to try, help them produce higher quality work, and help them feel competent to be self-directed and able to produce something worthwhile.

Sources: http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/iris-resource-locator/?term=behavior-classroom-management Arends, Richard I. (2009) Learning to Teach. McGraw-Hill: New York. Cornett, Claudia (2010). Creating Meaning Through Literature and the Arts: An Integration Resource for Classroom Teachers. Fourth Edition. Merrill Prentice Hall. Skouge, James. Storying the World. ITE 312 Introduction to Teaching, PPT.