Entry #4: Metaphor in Integrated Art
February 20th, 2022
#artsintegrationmetaphor
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This past week, our class lectures and discussions focused on the differences between DBAE (Discipline-Based Arts Education,) VCAE (Visual Culture Arts Education,) and TAB (Teaching Artistic Behavior,) as well as other instruction methods within the choice-based spectrum. It was helpful to visualize everything laid out in a scale from limited-choice to abundant choice (like TAB.)
My personal experience with K-12 arts education, took place mostly in the late 90’s and early 00’s, and were mostly done through a “packaged curriculum” or DBAE. The most meaningful experience I had, was in 7th and 8th grade. I had completed all the basic art classes that were required for my curriculum, so she pushed me to propose my own “advanced” curriculum, and allowed a small group of students to test it out. I got to try new and unfamiliar materials, and I feel like I was finally being treated like an adult artist. Once I got to high school, the choice-based model fell back to DBAE (and results-oriented projects), but it didn’t take away from the rich experience of making my own guidelines, and allowing myself to fail.
I think it’s important to make room for variables in curriculums. As much as I would like to start off in a TAB or Reggio Emilia-inspired classroom, the district/superintendent might have different expectations (especially for a new teacher.) I think that parents have to understand that with choice-based classes, their kids might not come home with typical finished pieces. I do think that’s it’s important to reassure students that the process is the most valuable part of class. I have to make sure that my ideas of what makes meaningful art, don’t clash with what is meaningful to the students. I love making art that is representational, but I know that it would be constricting to require the same level of technical skill, especially if it pushes ideas and context to the background.
This journal artwork was made after reflecting on our class lecture, as well as the reading on contemporary arts integration. I especially enjoy art as metaphor, and tried to make some work that connected with my previous journals, and pushed it to a less obvious and more personal meaning. I thought of the choice-based spectrum as landscape. I would like to push this idea further, and inked some preliminary sketches based on semi-imaginary landscapes. I want to enjoy the process, and think through the steps rather than throw paint on the image and call it a day. The first image is a representation of a fixed path, but with room for change—something like PBL or “Genius Hour” formats. The second landscape has a path that forks in two different directions, which would be a good metaphor for something like Reggio/Waldorf or UbD. I think I’d like to continue making a series of landscapes based on emotions or concepts in education.
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