Elementary Art Methods - Writing Elena Banica

In the article, The Importance of Art in Child Development, published in PBS Kids for Parents on May 16, 2012, Grace Hwang Lynch, the author of the article, emphasizes the benefits of art for the development of children. Lynch (2012) states that "simple creative activities are some of the building blocks of child development" (para. 1). In her article The Importance of Art in Child Development, Lynch shows how art develops children's fine motor skills, their language, decision making, visual learning, inventiveness, cultural awareness, and improves their academic performances.

I strongly agree with Lynch. I consider that art benefits young children's development in many ways. Due to its benefits, art must be part of the school curricula as a prime subject for the development of young children. As a student who worked for one year with preschool children in a Child Development Lab Center and as a senior student at San Jose State University who is majoring in a Bachelor of Art, Concentration in Studio Practice and Preparation for Teaching, I can say that art can help young children to develop fine motor skills necessary for writing. By discussing their work, young children develop their language skills, improve their knowledge about the elements of art, and learn to express their feelings through art. By creating art, young children develop their creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. By being creative and making decisions, young children become more inventive. Art helps children develop the visual-spatial skills necessary for processing and selecting the visual information they take from the world around them. Also, young children become culturally aware if they have enough knowledge about the art of artists from different cultures, and they will know how to interpret art in a diverse society. As an art student, I can say that art improves the academic performances of all students who practice it, including young children's writing and even science and math performances. As Pablo Picasso said, "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up."

Reference

Lynch, G. H. (2012, May 16). The Importance of Art in Child Development. PBS Kids for Parents. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/the- importance-of-art-in-child-development.

In his article, How to Create the Perfect Set of Class Rules, Michael Linsin, the founder of Smart Classroom Management, writer, and teacher, gives teachers some advice on creating a set of clear class rules to be understood by all students. The author states that the class rules must be "relevant and meaningful to students" in order "to be effective in dissuading misbehavior" (Linsin, 2015). Although the class rules must refer only to behavior, the teacher must create them, and they must be simple, able to be imposed, definable, expansive, and remarkable (Linsin, 2015).

I strongly agree with the author because I know that the class rules must be clear to be recognized and followed by all students. The class rules "must be enforceable" (Linsid, 2015), determinable, and should have specific goals. The teacher must communicate as much as possible "what is and isn't okay" (para. 10). I appreciate how the author explains why the rules must be extensible to encompass all accessible misbehaviors in a class because students must know when they broke the rules to be able to take their responsibilities. Students must be aware of the importance of the class rules, and teachers must be responsible for making them as much as possible known to students. The behavioral class rules must be primordial and separated from other class rules. To learn in class and to protect themselves, students must understand not to break the class rules. I strongly agree with the author when he advised the teachers to design their own class rules because they know their class better and are responsible for protecting their students. The most effective class rules are "Listen and follow directions," "Raise your hand before speaking and leaving your seat," "Keep your hands and feet to yourself," and "Respect your classmates and your teacher" (Linsin, 2015). "Respect yourself, and others will respect you," said Confucius. (Muller, 2020, para. 9).

References

Linsin, M. (2015). How to Create the Perfect Set of Class Rules. Smart Classroom Management. Retrieved from https://smartclassroommanagement.com/2015/07/18/how-to-create-the-perfect-set-of-classroom-rules/.

Mueller, S. (April 28, 2020). 75 Powerful Respect Quotes. Planet of Success. Retrieved from http://www.planetofsuccess.com/blog/2017/powerful-respect-quotes/.

In the article What Prop. 28 Funding Will Mean for Arts Education in California published on December 5, 2022, in EdSource, Carolyn Jones discusses how Californians will implement Proposition 28 in schools. She interviewed Austin Beutner, Los Angeles Unified Superintendent and a supporter of Proposition 28, to bring more details about the implementation of Proposition 28. The state will provide $1 billion for California public school students to participate in creative activities, such as dance, music, visual arts, theater, and more. According to Jones, 70% of the money will be distributed "based on overall enrollment, and 30% based on Title 1 enrollment" (para. 2). Additionally, the districts will receive 1% for arts. Furthermore, Jones and Beutner discussed the lack of full-time music and art teachers in schools and how Proposition 28 would benefit students, their parents, and the public schools. Also, Proposition 28 will create over 15,000 jobs for additional art teachers and art teachers' aids.

I strongly agree with Beutner because art, music, dance, and other artistic activities benefit students in many ways. As an art student, and from my personal experiences, I know that arts improve students' attendance and achievements. Also, arts can improve students' well-being and social and emotional skills. Students will be able to communicate and share their art experiences. By expressing their feelings through art, students will express their personalities, and they can identify and develop their strengths. They will be more confident in their abilities and can improve their free expression. Also, I agree with Beutner when she said that Preposition 28 benefits all California public students because they can participate in art classes. I found very beneficial the idea of hiring art teachers and teacher aids in California public schools because all California children will have the opportunity to study in art classes. Also, raising teachers' retribution can improve the quality of teaching in schools. As Bill First said, "Every child should have the opportunity to receive a quality education" ("Bill Frist Quotes").

Works Cited

“Bill Frist Quotes.” (2023). Brainy Quote. Retrieved from https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/bill_frist_167699.

Jones, C. (December 5, 2022). What Prop.28 Funding Will Mean for Arts Education in California.” EdSource. Retrieved from https://edsource.org/2022/what-prop-28-funding-will-mean-for-arts-education-in-california/682054.

In The Art and Science of Teaching Posters and Rubrics – The Importance of Having Students Self Assess, Kristine Nannini, a teacher in the elementary school and curriculum writer, shares on her blog, In the Classroom with Kristine Nannini, some of her class experiences to emphasize "the importance of learning targets" (Nannini, 2023, para. 2). After she read Robert Marzano's book, The Art and Science of Teaching, Nannini incorporates some of the book's ideas in her class curriculum "to help students to assess themselves before, during, and after learning of a specific standard" (para. 1). To benefit both students and teacher, she combines her understanding of the scale of Marzano with her Levels of Understanding Posters and Rubrics to help students understand their learning targets. She uses kind language and simple scales to be affordable and understood by all students.

I strongly agree with Nannini. From my past experiences, I know the importance of planning a formative assessment while learning a new class curriculum. Also, I know the importance of communicating the goals, guiding the activities, and planning for assignments. As a student, I know that student assessments guide and motivate students to learn better. Also, I agree with Nannini when she states that student self-evaluation helps students become more confident and ready to get new and complex tasks (para. 7). Nannini supports her statements and teaching experiences with meaningful examples, such as her Student Data Tracking Binders and cupcake/baking analogy. I like Nannini's examples. I know that using a kind language and familiar examples is a great way to convey your messages to students and their parents. Also, I know that student data tracking binders help teachers and students keep their data and track students' progress. This information benefits both teachers and students. By having students' records in the same place, teachers can evaluate and plan their instruction, and students can see their progress and plan for their learning. Also, teachers can share student data tracking binders with students' parents and class teachers to help the students achieve their learning goals. By reading this article, I updated some of my knowledge and understood better the importance of a self-assessment in understanding the standards and achieving their learning goals.

Reference

Nannini, K. (2023). The Art and Science of Teaching Posters and Rubrics – The Importance of Having Students Self Assess. In the Classroom with Kristine Nannini. Retrieved on February 19, 2023, from https://kristinenannini.com/the-art-and-science-of-teaching-posters/.