Arts Integrated EducationEssays and Articles

Arts Integrated Education

“Arts integrated education is essential to human development. Children represent a colorful mosaic of learning styles and natural inclinations, Read more

The 5 “C’s”

Communication, Connections, Content, Creativity and Confidence

Music and Dance are brilliant educators. They are languages in their own right; "spoken" in every land, bridging the gap between people and places, allowing understanding that often surpasses words alone.

What Is Art For?

Art lives at the heart of what makes us human.

What is art for?

To Be A Child

Do you remember what it feels like to be a child?

To wake up in the morning tingling and trembling with excitement because there is a whole new day to discover!

To be unafraid of the unknown. But to be so comforted by what is familiar.

Rhythm Ball

We grew up playing lots of Basketball. Everybody had a hoop in their driveway or access to one nearby. Soccer hadn’t caught on yet in the USA. So it was Football, Basketball, Baseball and Hockey. Of those four, the only one that had any kind of compelling rhythm was Basketball.

The 3D Whiteboard

Arts integrated learning is always only an attitude away! It’s true. You don’t need to go back to school. You don’t need to upgrade your education degree.

Integrating art in education is just an attitude away. What do I mean?  The shift in attitude is to be able to put yourself in the shoes of your students in relation to the subject you are researching. It is in being a research partner with the students in your care, rather than being the all knowing, infallible teacher authority. The attitude is in the question – How do I help to bring this subject home to every student in this classroom?

Simile Theater Exploration

Another great example of ARTS INTEGRATED EDUCATION is what is called Simile Theater Exploration. It has been demonstrated in the Human Body School and Math-a-magic performing arts programs with profound, eye-opening, inspiring results. It’s also really enjoyable. After all the word simile anagrams to I smile!

New Education Pathways

The 21^st Century is a whole new chapter in the human story. Our time now truly constitutes an extraordinary opportunity to help pioneer new pathways in education. The origin of the word ‘crisis’ is ‘change’. Educators in every part of the globe stand at this remarkable threshold knowing there will be a group of bright-eyed young students looking to them tomorrow for direction, for instruction, for answers.  At least, that is the presumption and premise of the last 100 years public education. But it’s really not the answers that children need. What they need are the questions - engaging, relevant, process oriented questions. That is the job of educators. And that is the exciting crisis/opportunity we face! It is a change in polarity.

The Future Is Open!

There is so much more that is unknown and undiscovered about nearly everything than is currently known and understood.

The word “science” comes from the root – to know. And school textbooks give the impression that the sciences are based on irrefutable evidence and hard facts.

Wouldn’t it be more accurate to say “science” means our current best understanding of things?

Tres Tamboras – We all need a Center

In 1981 I lived in a small village in the Barlovento region of Venezuela called Caño Negro. It was founded by West African people who had escaped from Spanish slaveholders into the jungle interior of the Venezuelan Amazon. It became a vibrant and thriving community. The rhythms, stories, symbol and song of these proud people was African through and through, now flavored by the nature of the Caribbean, the Amazon and Spanish language and culture… a truly beautiful tapestry.

Get to Know Yourself

Teachers! The most important teaching tool you have is you! Yes, you! It’s true.

They don’t teach you this in college, it’s not part of the education curriculum, but if you think about it, it really should be. The most persuasive, effective, efficacious, long lasting, inspiring teaching tool you have is YOU!

Brain Hemisphere Integration

Arts Integrated Education involves both hemispheres of the head brain working in alternation and firing simultaneously!

Here is a good example of how it works:

We've Got The Rhythm

Teachers! Taking five to seven minutes a few times a day to do a little movement, rhythm and song with your students will make a huge difference in the learning atmosphere of your classroom.