Art

The art curriculum is designed to stimulate the child to think creatively, to plan, to attempt, to evaluate and to choose to work in a variety of visual, oral and written languages with a variety of media, tools and technologies. Students understand that making and responding to works of visual art are interrelated and include perception, analysis and critical judgment.

The following statements underlie all programmatic and instructional goals:

  • Art instruction allows children to explore and nurture their God-given abilities.
  • Art instruction respects students’ developmental levels and is child-centered.
  • Art production is personal and intentional; each student’s expression is valid.
  • Art instruction provides a context for critical and creative thinking for the communication of feelings and ideas through the production of art.
  • Art instruction provides a context for making connections because students have the opportunities to reflect personally on ideas, experiences, objects, processes or products to deepen their understanding.
  • Art instruction provides challenges that require individual and cooperative problem solving, resulting in creative and cognitive growth.
  • Art instruction is delivered sequentially to establish a foundation for students to acquire art content, knowledge, and skills.
  • Art instruction provides students regular opportunities to see works of art from diverse cultures
  • Art instruction includes opportunities for students to view and discuss art, analyze and critique art, and learn about the cultural, social and historic context of art.
  • Art instruction provides students with the opportunities to interpret and apply key ideas and to develop a level of technical mastery and control over materials, using the elements of art and principles of design.
  • Art instruction promotes students’ sensory experiences as a basis for creative expression and for understanding artists’ works.

Music

The music instruction continues to be cited as a profoundly positive element of educating young students. Our own experience as well as countless studies validate the benefits of elementary music education in the development of a student’s ability to understand new concepts, thinks logically, solve problems, exercise intellectual and personal discipline and perform confidently individually and as part of a group. Further, as a Fine Art, music draws on virtually all elements of multiple intelligences and introduces opportunities for exposure to varied cultural and historical elements so critical to today’s learning environment and lifelong success in academic and vocational pursuits. Finally, as Catholic educators, we are exhorted to consider the importance of music, especially in its liturgical application, in shaping the whole person presented to us by God for our care and instruction.

 

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