"Before a child talks, they sing. Before they write, they draw. As soon as they stand, they dance. Art is fundamental to human expression."
- Phylicia Rashad
Visual & Performing Arts
The Visual Arts program at Skyview has as its foundation three main components: Multiple Intelligences Theory, Integrated Arts, and the State’s Academic Standards in the Arts.
Within the Multiple Intelligences model, Visual Arts falls into the category of Spatial Intelligence. While the art program directs students about the Elements of Art, such as line, shape, form, value and space, it also is the area of learning that addresses the emotions. “The assets most often mentioned by artists are feeling, contemplation, imagination, sentimentality, memory, action — as well as drawing, form, design and colour. ‘The shop talk of artists,’ says Gardner, ‘dwells on the qualities of the perceptual world.’” (Robert Genn, “The Painter’s Keys”).
In connection with the Multiple Intelligence Theory, our charter also emphasizes Integrated Arts. Learning in the home room class is reinforced through visual arts. This is why you will often notice that the topics students are studying over the course of the year in science, social studies, history and even language arts and mathematics are reflected in the art projects they are working on. It's a wonderful way for spatial-visual students, who may tune out facts from a classroom lecture, to catch the ideas in a creative way that will connect them to what’s going on in their home room lessons. It also gives all students a tangible representation of what they’ve been learning to anchor those memories for a long time in the future.
Arizona’s Academic Standards in the Arts require that students are learning to conceive and develop new artistic ideas and work. This creates innovative thinkers who are able to come up with original concepts and solutions in day to day life. They must also realize these ideas through interpretation and presentation. This standard helps students develop methods for self expression and confidence in sharing their talents with others. These skills are vital not only in a gallery or museum setting, but in the workplace, and social situations as well. Students are taught to understand and evaluate how art conveys meaning. By putting themselves in the shoes of another artist, students are learning empathy and insight into people from all backgrounds and cultures. Finally, students learn to relate artistic ideas and work with personal meaning and external context. This teaches them that engaging in creative expression enriches people’s lives, helps them be in tune with their surroundings and creates awareness of humanity as a whole.
Ms. Tasha’s philosophy of art is that EVERYONE is an artist and practicing makes art skills flourish. Children should be taught various techniques and mediums for creating art, and then be given the freedom to explore their own style and unique ideas. Every art project will have a couple of art objectives that students will be required to meet, but students do not produce cookie cutter results. Your child’s art will be unique to their proclivities and concepts.