Curriculum Vision

Global Citizenship

Art education has the power to cultivate socially aware, global citizens, who can think critically about themselves, their communities and broader cultural contexts. Through the process of design, the creation of art, and the development of a visual literacy, students gain the ability to make a positive impact on the world.

Pluralism

Teaching and learning in this age of globalization needs to be centered on pluralism and interculturalism. Art education experiences provide opportunities for students to articulate and represent their histories, experiences, and cultures in rich, in-depth ways. Students become the primary sources of knowledge, which allows them the opportunity to hear multiple interpretations and a variety of diverse perspectives. These cross-cultural conversations are essential in order to acknowledge, appreciate, and celebrate diverse cultural capitals amongst students.

Interdisciplinary

An arts curriculum should be cross-cultural, as well as interdisciplinary. Art and design infiltrate every aspect of the human experience. These are fundamental disciplines that integrate with and inform many other subjects including history, science, technology, engineering, and literature. We need to refocus on the bigger picture, connect the dots between seemingly disparate subjects, and illuminate the threads that are woven throughout. A broadly based curriculum allows students to uncover their strengths and interests, and construction connections for themselves. It should provide choices so students have the chance to pursue interests in depth, and to collaborate between peers, teachers, and the wider community.

Real-World

Immersive, experiential, hands-on learning is key to thriving in the art classroom. It is a space, an outlet, to express oneself and learn by doing. It is also an incubator, a place that promotes creativity, imagination, innovation, and divergent thinking. Through inquiry based lessons, students are encouraged to think for themselves and be confident in what they have to add to the conversation. The curriculum should be grounded in real-world project-based opportunities for learning. By doing so, students are able to make connections and see the direct application of what they are learning in school to how things work in the real world.

Sample Curriculum, Units, and Lessons