Arts Integration Transforming Schools
October 7, 2012Edutopia recent focus on arts integration
Edutopia focused on integration and as they do so well covered many areas within the topic. The article Schools Transformation Through Art Integration written by Mariko Nobori for Edutopia explains what is going on at the Wiley H. Bates Middle School, a public school in Annapolis, Maryland after they became fully arts integrated in 2009. The transformation has positively impacted student behavior and learning.
The Edutopia staff wrote a piece called A Research-Based Approach to Arts Integration that includes the NAEP research along with other background information. Also included is the Bates Middle School information on the student growth in math and reading that was reported to the Maryland State Department of Education.
You can see the program in action in this YouTube and hear from students as well as school educators. I suggest that when you click on one of the links above that you read the other articles including How the Arts Unlock the Door to Learning.
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The approach described in the video and on Edutopia seems different from the Kennedy center definition of Arts Integration found here: http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/how-to/arts-integration-beta/what-is-arts-integration-beta.aspx where evolving objectives in both disciplines (arts and non-art) are to be met by students.
The Edutopia articles and video seem to describe teaching methods derived/borrowed from the arts that enhance memory and engagement. Also called arts enhanced curriculum. But are these students also taught deep knowledge and understandings from specific arts disciplines themselves: music, dance, visual art, theatre? Is dance just a vehicle to remember or are students taught dance, too? It is Interesting that no arts teachers seemed to mentioned or seen in the Edutopia article or the video.
Thanks for your comments Bronwyn. I can not imagine that the Kennedy Center integration program would not be understood and well established in the thinking and doing in any school that they identify. Their definition of integration is well developed (and dissected for others to understand). I’m sure you know their definition: Arts integration is an approach to teaching in which students construct and demonstrate understanding through an art form. Students engage in a creative process which connects an art form and another subject area and meets evolving objectives in both. They not only have this well developed definition but dissect it at http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/how-to/arts-integration-beta/what-is-arts-integration-beta.aspx#explore-the-definition for others to expand their learning. Perhaps the article hasn’t done justice to explaining the school program in this case.
Some of the great lesson resources linked through the Nobori article make it clearer when some art content is taught–I wish the video and the other article did the same. I also wish they had highlighted Art Teachers and non-arts teachers working together.
Good thoughts Bronwyn! Perhaps an email to Edutopia would help in their thinking for the future.