Arts Integration: What is it and Why?

As a few of you may know, my background is in the field of art education and special education. Through my professional experiences and undergraduate studies, I have found that the creation of art and exploration of the visual arts for children is extremely beneficial. Art projects can be created to criss cross disciplines and make them interesting and more appealing to students who need sensory experiences. In my curriculum, I like to integrate the visual arts with science, math, language arts, and of course culture and art history.  My teaching philosophy is as follows:

 I value art making as a gift to be shared with the world. One of my most important objectives as an art teacher is creating lesson plans that enable students to explore and express their personal memories and cultural histories through the creation of art images and ideas. Communication through the visual arts unifies and fosters positive relationships among students, which constitutes a social practice that encourages a sense of community. I value the concentration that is required when creating a work of art and my curriculum encourages students to become engaged in a process of making sense of their world. I approach curriculum development as an interdisciplinary practice through which students learn to make connections between images and ideas across the school curriculum as well as within the visual arts. My teaching strategies accommodate different learning styles in which I have experimentally created adaptive art lessons to allow every student to participate in the engagement of art making. While I am a teacher, I also consider myself as a learner in my exchange of ideas with my students in a mutual process of exploration and discovery.

As I have begun working with the students on art projects in the medical daycare, I notice how much pride and confidence they are filled with when they complete a beautiful painting or drawing. Young children especially love to explore different mediums that allow for sensory exploration and new discoveries. Using art tools is also a good way to improve gross motor skills and practicing the proper way to hold tools in their hands. Art is the core of every lesson I create and I am glad the students are enjoying it!

If you would like to learn more about my lesson plans, the curriculum I write and more pictures of my success please feel free to check out my e-portfolio at:

allisonaubry23.wix.com/arteducation

Thanks and have a great week!