December 5, 2011

Supporting Art Education in Duval County Public Schools


Supporting Art Education in Duval County Public Schools

Support Art Teachers in Duval County check out the Facebook page.
Support Art Education in DCPS

Supporting education typically means supporting traditional
reading, mathematics and literacy, but supporting education
also means giving credit to supporting educational resources
that Art Education brings to the classroom and overall learning environment to any school.

A diverse learning environment embraces multiple elements that
bring out the creative abilities in students that encourage
students to use their minds not just for the cognitive development
of the traditional teacher student relationship. Art education
allows students to “think” differently, use their imaginations and “exercise” other areas of the brain. Art teachers are
architects of human development. Seeing the artistic potential
in children, then guiding the artistic potential that lays dormant
inside young minds waiting to blossom.

Stated by Kelly Borsheim, “When elementary schools include art
programs in the curriculum, children do better with math.”

This statement and others provide a respectful and accurate
importance of why Art Education is valid to the educational
directions of schools. Art education at times displays the essence
or soul of a school, students put their feelings, dreams and
creativity in art work. Even Cicero (106 BC - 43 BC) understood
the nature of Art by stating that, “Art is born of the observation
and investigation of nature.” Students use skills of observation, investigation, rationalization and association to put their
interpretation to a medium that can range from paper to canvas and
wood to clay. Using artistic tools of pencil, brush, charcoal,
crayons, paint, and other tools.

The development and continuation of supporting Arts in Education
is seen as a testament to a “hands on” approach to teaching. The
love of using a persons direct talent can never be negated by
technology which is being implemented in all areas of instruction. Computers serve a purpose for instruction, but art is still formed
from the heart. The sentiment is stated by Marshall McLuhan, when
he makes the statement, “As the unity of the modern world becomes increasingly a technological rather than a social affair, the
techniques of the arts provide the most valuable means of insight
into the real direction of our own collective purposes.”

Keeping this in mind the community has a responsibility to support
Art Education in Duval County Public Schools. What parent has not
put their child’s art work on the fridge or the coffee table
to display it proudly? The Duval Art Teachers Association Art
Auction Fundraiser will kick off on December 7th during Art Walk
at Hemming Plaza Jewelers. Bids can be made on site during
Art Walk on December 7th.

D.A.T.A is committed to providing scholarships. The Duval Art
Teachers' Association (DATA) is the local professional organization
of both public and private school art educators. The organization
is comprised of elementary, middle and senior high teachers as
well as those in higher education. Support their efforts to
raise money to provide scholarships for growth in Art Education.

”Be drawn to the visual arts for it can expand your imagination.”
Barbara Januszkiewicz

Support Art Teachers in Duval County check out the Facebook page.
Support Art Education in DCPS

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