EDCI 517

Integrating the Arts Across the Elementary Curriculum

Shannon D. Foster
Learning Journal Module 1 Due September 23, 2017

Date/Reading Quote Response

9/7/2017 The good news is that it I love this good news! There is still hope for me to
Haydon, K. P. [your creative genius] can create something beautiful in an area I have
(2017) be regained. avoided most of my life. My only problem now is
When You Say (unnumbered) finding the time, money, and energy to follow
Youre Not Creative through with that desire.
Sparkitivity, LLC.
Retrieved from Why is it that when you have the time, you do
https://www.msubo not have the money? And if you have the money,
nline.net/d2l/le/con you dont have the time to learn something new?
tent/440290/viewCo
ntent/3111337/Vie
w
9/7/2017 When youre in a We compare ourselves to others all the time.
Haydon, K. P. comparison mindset, you From the time we are born, we look, see, listen,
(2017) inadvertently diminish and try to become like those around us.
When You Say your own creative ability. Television is always telling or showing us what we
Youre Not Creative (unnumbered) should look or act like, or what is cool and what
Sparkitivity, LLC. is not cool. Children point fingers at each other
Retrieved from and say, Youre not or You cant
https://www.msubo Eventually this constant barrage changes us and
nline.net/d2l/le/con our mindset becomes what I term a self-fulfilling
tent/440290/viewCo prophecy. I have never considered myself an
ntent/3111337/Vie artist, but I do consider myself creative. I do not
w think comparing myself to others diminishes my
creativity in anyway, but it has held me back from
trying new things. Now, however, as I am getting
older, I do not pay much attention to what I have
not done or what others think about my abilities.
If I want to try to paint, I paint, and I have been
successful. If I want to learn how to do ceramics, I
do ceramics. With only a few hiccups, I
successfully created a few ceramic pots. Now, I
am trying new things all the time.

How can we help children understand that the

only people to whom they should compare
themselves are themselves? How can they grow
their skills now to become who they want to
become later in their life?
9/7/2017 I think it is important to I have always considered myself creative, but not
Reaves, M. What is explore our own identities an artist. After considering this quote, I realize
Creativity? [PDF when it comes to the that my artistic identity shows when I work with
document] arts. (unnumbered) fabrics. I am not a painter, drawer, sculptor, or
EDCI 517
Integrating the Arts Across the Elementary Curriculum
Retrieved from anything like that; I am not too good at creating
Lecture Notes from scratch. However, I can bring several
Online Web site: patterns or ideas together then add my own flare
https://www.msubo to the design making my creations aesthetically
nline.net/d2l/le/con pleasing and an extension of whom I am. I guess I
tent/440290/viewCo display my artistic identity in how I creatively
ntent/3111646/Vie bring those pieces together.
w
Why do we think only painters, drawers, and
sculptors are true visual artists or master
artists, but crafters, seamstresses, tailors, and the
like, are considered less than worthy of the same
description?

9/7/2017 Yet the plain fact that we I guess being a teacher is being an artist in itself,
Reaves, M. What is have chosen to be if one looks at it this way. I have always said that
Creativity? [PDF teachers means we will being a teacher is being part educator and part
document] create many things. entertainer. From the lesson plans I develop to
Retrieved from (unnumbered) the actions and attitudes I exude in my
Lecture Notes classroom, I create a variety of things, mostly
Online Web site: planned, but others, not planned but rather, they
https://www.msubo just happen.
nline.net/d2l/le/con
tent/440290/viewCo Would a self-pronounced non-creative teacher
ntent/3111646/Vie change their opinion of themselves if they looked
w at creating lesson plans rather than just
writing lesson plans?

9/10/2017 Arts integrations Educating the whole person is an important

Silverstein, L. B. & alignment with the aspect of becoming who we are now and in our
Layne, S. (2017) Two education of the whole future. By separating childrens learning into
Big Reasons: child results in a similar individual subjects, they do not see the whole,
Why are educators alignment with the beautiful picture. Well-rounded teachers, who
interested in arts concept of the whole are creative and excited to share their own
integration? teacherthe energized experiences, positively guide children in every
The Kennedy Center professional that makes aspect of their learning. They incorporate a
ArtsEdge. Retrieved learning engaging and cohesive model that helps children reach their
from https://www. challenging for students, whole, complete potential. It reminds me of the
msubonline.net/d2l/ and who enjoys tapping story of the tapestry as told by Cornelia Corrie
le/content/440290/ into his/her own creativity ten Boon in her book The Hiding Place (1971). In
viewContent/31113 for teaching. a nutshell, Corrie explains that an embroidered
38/View (unnumbered) tapestry has a tangled mess on the backside of
the piece of cloth where all the threads
intertwine. It looks like nothing important and
individually, threads are nothing more than one
piece in the whole work. However, when you
turn the cloth over and see the finished
EDCI 517
Integrating the Arts Across the Elementary Curriculum
embroidery, it truly is a beautiful masterpiece. In
order to appreciate the whole work, one must
be willing to mix up the pieces and integrate
them together in order to get complete picture.

How can a teacher make the same lessons fresh

and engaging year after year? I tend to get bored
doing the same thing year in and year out, even
though it might be creative.

9/10/2017 Arts integration makes a Because we live in the 21st century, there is new
Silverstein, L. B significant contribution to knowledge, skills, and dispositions that children
(2017) the development of 21st should learn to prepare them for their present
What knowledge century knowledge, skills, and future lives. This knowledge, and these skills
and skills do and dispositions. and dispositions may not have been part of their
students need to be (unnumbered) teachers education at their same age, but
successful in the todays children are living in a world that
21st century? Arts launches new technology every day. As
integration provides educators, if we do not prepare our students for
answers. their future, they will not have the knowledge,
The Kennedy Center skills, and dispositions needed to thrive in the 21st
ArtsEdge. Retrieved century. A co-worker of mine gave me this quote
from by an unknown author, As teachers, we need to
https://www.msubo educate our students for their future, not our
nline.net/d2l/le/con past.
tent/440290/viewCo
ntent/3111338/Vie How can teachers, taught with and to use
w traditional teaching strategies adapt to the
changes needed to educate the whole child,
without losing their way or becoming ineffective?
9/10/2017 If you walk around with a Being preoccupied with whatever is going on in
Popova, M. head full of ones life limits their life to mundane
(2011) preoccupation, youre not experiences. The consideration and exercise of
Michael Wolff on going to notice anything in ones visual life through developing the
the Three Muscles your visual life. muscles of curiosity, appreciation, and
of Creativity. (unnumbered) imagination, will create a mentally healthy
BrainPickings. person. It touches the inner part of ones being. If
Retrieved from one fills up their head with inner thoughts and
https://www.msubo does not look outside oneself for
nline.net/d2l/le/con encouragement, beauty, or emotion, there is no
tent/440290/viewCo room for exciting experiences or making
ntent/3111506/Vie connections with other people. A person
w becomes self-absorbed and often cannot or will
not enjoy the beautiful experiences or spice of
life available to them. Many times these people
become bitter toward what they think life has
handed them, but fail to realize, their lack of life
EDCI 517
Integrating the Arts Across the Elementary Curriculum
reflects their own actions and narrow views. If
one is always looking down, they will never be
able to climb up.

How can children develop a curiosity,

appreciation, and imagination for life when theirs
becomes difficult because of circumstances
beyond their control?

9/10/2017 What few people realize Life is made up of many parts. All these parts
Popova, M. it is only through the parts come together to make the whole. If one of these
(2011) that the whole gets parts is missing, lacking, or over used, a lopsided
Michael Wolff on delivered. life emerges. I believe that a healthy life can only
the Three Muscles happen if all parts of life are balanced: physical,
of Creativity. emotional, social, mental, and
BrainPickings. spiritual/worldview. A persons worldview acts as
Retrieved from the axel of ones life and every other part their
https://www.msubo life revolves around it. Without a healthy
nline.net/d2l/le/con worldview, there is no propulsion to drive the
tent/440290/viewCo other parts. Remove any of the other four parts
ntent/3111506/Vie and there is a hole. Move the worldview off
w center by increasing one part over another and
life gets out of kilter. The delivery at the end of
ones life can be considered successful and
fulfilled, or a person looks back with regrets.

How does a particular worldview determine the

order of priorities in ones life? How can this
order affect the muscles of our visual life?
9/20/17 As verbal language I never thought of writing words as an art form,
Cornett, C.E. evolved, utilitarian but now that I stop to think about it, what else
(2015). Creative functions were retained, could you call it? If you consider the many
meaning through but an art form emerged, alphabets that have developed down through
literature and the too word based art that history, the variety of shapes, direction of the
arts: Arts eventually became the writing (top to bottom, right to left, left to write,
integration for literary arts. (p.9) across the page, down the page, etc., and
classroom characters, letters, hieroglyphs, etc.), there is a
teachers (Fifth beauty in each. Even in English there seems to be
Edition). Boston, gazillions of fonts to choose from when writing
MA: Pearson. with a keyboard. Finding the right font can
change the mood or the formality of any written
word. The writing itself can tell a story. Consider
how Geronimo Stilton (Elizabetta Dami) writes
the text in Comprehension Pawbook, Level 1
(2015).
EDCI 517
Integrating the Arts Across the Elementary Curriculum

His (her) font tells a story all by itself. The font

often mimics the word adding feeling to the
surrounding graphics.

So often, we ask children to write with a plain

pencil or black/blue pen in formal writing. Would
using colored pencils or pens and writing in
different size/slant help children to be more
expressive in their own writing? Do you think it
would encourage them to write more? Why?

Works Cited
Stilton, G. (2015). Comprehension
pawbook, level 1. Scholastic.

9/22/17 Those who are challenge I like the concept that Cornett (2015) uses of the
Cornett, C.E. seekers ask lots of why, Two Is and seven Cs for Creative Inquiry. My
(2015). Creative what would happen if, and favorite is the second C, Challenge. I relate to this
meaning through how can questions: one, as Im sure many of the rest of you who
literature and the Teachers can encourage have children of your own do. This challenge can
arts: Arts this kind of curiosity by begin in children before they even start talking in
integration for teaching students how to complete sentences. I remember the constant
classroom capture fleeting idea Why? question my then two-years-old son
teachers (Fifth sparks through sketch would ask me after everything I said. I patiently
Edition). Boston, journals, idea notebooks, would explain, maybe for the hundredth time,
MA: Pearson. photograph albums, and why suchandsuch was, just to be asked again
websites like Pintrest. Why? As annoying as it was, I realize that this
(p. 60) questioning helped me to understand my child
EDCI 517
Integrating the Arts Across the Elementary Curriculum
better just as he was learning to understand this
world better.

The second part of the quote suggests

encouraging students to use sketch journals,
idea notebooks, photograph albums and websites
like Pinterest. I never really considered this as
part of Creative Inquiry. If it is, I have been
practicing CI with my son, my students, and
myself without even knowing it. As a seventh
grader, I started carrying around a small spiral
pocket notebook. If an idea popped into my mind
for a short story or a phrase established itself in
my mind, I had to write it down. Sometime I told
myself I would remember it later, but always
forgot the phrase or idea. I did my best junior
high and high school writing (short stories, quips,
and poetry) at four oclock in the morning
sometimes. If I had a thought wake me up, I could
not go back to sleep until I at least wrote down
the thought, sometimes even continuing the
poem until I had the whole thing completed.
With my son, he jabbered all the time when we
would drive. Literally, my ears would start to hurt
with all of his talking, so we began listening to
books on CD in the car. He had an essay notebook
with color crayons and colored pencils stashed in
the cubby of his door. As we listened, I
encouraged him to draw pictures of what he
heard as he listened to the story. I treasure those
little books and we can look back and see his
creativity increase. And for my students, Ive
always encouraged them to doodle if they
needed, either in the margins of their
assignments (as long as I could see and read their
answers clearly) or notes, or if they were more
avid artists, to have a separate Doodle notebook
next to them so they could doodle while they
were working.

Asking why, what would happen if, and how can

questions can be a way for students to waste
time because they dont want to get on with their
school business. However, how can we as teacher
challenge our students and still keep our sanity
when the why, what would happen if, and how
can questions keep coming out?
EDCI 517
Integrating the Arts Across the Elementary Curriculum
Cornett, C.E. Arts-based learning is not When I first heard about Arts Integration, my first
(2015). Creative loosey-goosey, do-your- thought was, I have so much to do to get from
meaning through own-thing play. Teachers point A to point B to point Z this year. How will
literature and the and students have to work Arts Integration help me accomplish that? I only
arts: Arts within the boundaries of have so many minutes/hours in a day to teach
integration for time and materials. the stuff I have too. This quote struck me as
classroom Interestingly, limits can counter intuitive. Art takes time. Time is limited.
teachers (Fifth actually increase Making art costs money. Money does not grow
Edition). Boston, creativity Furthermore, on trees. So how can a teacher use AI and still
MA: Pearson. students need to learn finish the required curriculum on time and on
that use of arts materials budget? Under Pillar VI: Best Teaching Practice,
is contingent upon No. 9. Management: Behavior, Time, and
following rule limits. Materials I gained a profound insight. We can
(p.124) include AI in our curriculum and fit it into the
lesson plan within time limitations and with a
limited or no budget. The proverb, Necessity is
the mother of invention came to mind after
reading this. In order for the AI approach to best
work, rules, limitations, and responsibility on
both teachers and students sides need to be
followed. Without such structure, the loosey-
goosey, do-your-own-thing play is likely to
become less productive. A well planned lesson
will allow for the needed AI and other required
curriculum.

What would be a good ratio of time to shoot for

when planning AI activities alongside other
required curriculum components?
EDCI 517
Integrating the Arts Across the Elementary Curriculum

In this Meaning Mosaic, I tied to create the image of two ways a teacher can influence a childs
creative develop. Either the funnel can suck in a childs creativity and suppress it, or it can
expose the child to a colorful world of senses and increase it.